Plan reviews typically happen between every one to three years depending on your situation. And they can be a nerve-wracking experience, especially if you’re not prepared. Understanding how the process works and what you need to organise before your meeting can help you feel more confident in your plan review.
Know what to expect
Prior to your plan review meeting, your Local Area Coordinator (LAC) or NDIA planner should contact you to check in and book the plan review meeting date. They may ask you some questions about how your current plan is going and if any circumstances have changed during the planning period.
During your plan review, your LAC or NDIA planner will discuss things like:
What worked well in your plan?
What goals did you achieve?
What didn’t work as well?
Is there any change in your circumstances?
What questions do you have about how your plan is managed?
Would you like to change how you manage your funding?
What are your new goals for your next plan?
Knowing what to expect in your plan review meeting can be a huge help in understanding the process and feeling more confident going in.
Reflect on your current plan
In the lead up to your plan review consider your current plan:
What worked well in your plan
What didn’t work well
Have you achieved your goals or made progress towards achieving them
Which goals you need to continue to work on and which goals you need to change
Who can help you achieve your goals in the future
Will you need NDIS support in the future
Would you like to change how all or some of your plan funding is managed
It’s not necessary to choose new goals with each plan review but your plan, supports and services should be help you make progress towards achieving your short and long-term goals.
Be prepared
The key to feeling confident going into your plan review meeting is preparation. We know we’re not the first people to say it, but it pays to be prepared when it comes to the NDIS (literally).
Making a note of your plan review date in a calendar (on your phone, computer, a physical calendar… or all of the above) is a great start to being prepared. You should be notified of your plan review meeting date about a month or six weeks before. However, if you know your meeting should be coming up soon and you haven’t been contacted you can reach out to your LAC or NDIA planner to confirm.
Be sure to contact your LAC or Support Coordinator to ask if any service provider progress reports are required for your plan review. You can also speak directly with your providers and ask them for this so that you can be sure to have them available for your review. These reports typically outline the support provided, your achievements, challenges and any recommendations the provider suggests moving forward.
Consider your goals
Alongside ‘being prepared’, ensuring that you have a clear idea of your short and long-term goals is very important.
Before the meeting, reflect on the goals in your current plan and whether they still apply to you. You may have achieved some of those goals, or they may no longer be important to you. If that’s the case, you can discuss changing your previous goals with your LAC or NDIA planner during the planning meeting.
Know your rights
Not only should you feel confident in your plan review meeting, but comfortable as well. Which is why you can choose to have your plan review meeting face-to-face, over the phone, or even via a video call – whichever option is the right one for you. You can invite a family member or friend, support coordinator, disability advocate or other supports along with you to the meeting.
Often plan reviews are held each year, however if you have support needs that are unlikely to change you can discuss with your LAC or NDIA planner the option of having a longer planning period. NDIS participants can request planning periods of up to three years.
These longer-term plans are designed for participants who are:
In a stable situation with their support needs unlikely to change
Confident in using their funding to achieve their goals
Focused on longer term goals such as learning new skills, employment or becoming more active in the community.
If you would like to discuss a longer planning period with your LAC or NDIA planner, you should consider:
Any life changes you’re expecting to make over the next three years (e.g., leaving school, starting or leaving work or a change in your living situation)
How connected you are with your social and community supports
Your goals and preferences around plan duration.
As always, if your circumstances change at any time during your plan period, your LAC or planner can help you review your support needs and undertake a plan review if required to ensure your plan suits your new situation.
Remember, your plan review meeting gives you an opportunity to let the NDIA the positive ways that your plan has supported you and helped you work towards your goals, as well as any challenges you’ve faced that could be improved with your next NDIS plan.
Read more about the benefits of working with an independent, professional Plan Manager. Alternatively, contact our friendly team on 1300 322 273 or support@first2care.com.au.