Support coordination - the delicate art of balance

There’s no doubt about it – the life of a support coordinator is a constant balancing act.

From working with the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) and service providers, to engaging mainstream and community supports, and connecting with families and friends of National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) participants, there’s a never ending ‘to do’ list that requires a broad skill set and a seemingly endless supply of energy, optimism and ‘can do’ attitude.

We spoke with five thought leaders in the sector – members of our support coordinator editorial roundtable – and asked them how they navigate their pivotal role as a conduit between their clients and the supports and services they need to achieve their goals and live the lives they choose.

What they told us revealed how a great support coordinator really can tip the balance in favour of the participant.

The delicate art of balance – panel members:

• Elizabeth Hickey (EH) – Support Coordinator, AFA Support Coordination
• Sera CrichtonAita (SC) – Support Coordinator, Australian Regional & Remote Community Services
• Kate Read (KR) – Founder/CEO, Inspires & Co
• Zena Dyson (ZD) – Specialist Support Coordinator/Team Leader, Esteem Care Services
• Danni Bament (DB) – Managing Director, Aspire Recovery Connection

Here’s the questions we posed and the answers they gave. Click on each question to open up their answers and learn more. We hope you get as much out of it as we did!

1. Support coordinators play a pivotal role in the lives of NDIS participants – including as a conduit between their clients and the NDIA. How do you navigate that role, and stay on top of an ever-changing regulatory landscape, to ensure the best possible outcomes for your clients while also maintaining your professional standing as an NDIS-funded provider?

2. In mid-2022, the NDIA froze price limits for Level 2 and Level 3 support coordination for the third year in a row. How has that decision impacted you and/or your peers, and what effect (if any) has it had on the relationship between support coordinators and the NDIA?

3. In your view, how has the price freeze on support coordination impacted NDIS participants – and/or how will it impact them in the future?

4. In October 2022, the Federal Government launched an independent review into the NDIS, to ‘improve the wellbeing of Australians with disability and ensure the Scheme’s sustainability so that future generations receive the benefit of the NDIS’. What do you believe needs to be done to make the NDIS sustainable? What outcomes would you like to see arising from the review?

5. Support coordinators work as intermediaries, treading a fine line between NDIS participants, their service providers, and the NDIA (as well as other individuals and organisations). How do you balance that role to make sure you build and maintain professional networks and productive working relationships, while also ensuring cost effective, best practice, person centred supports are delivered to your clients?

6. The extended wait times facing NDIS participants seeking appointments with allied health professionals are widely reported. This is particularly prevalent in regional, rural and remote communities, but is also impacting participants in metropolitan areas. How do you source, secure and retain high quality allied health providers for your clients and what tips do you have for other support coordinators looking to do the same?

7. Good service providers are worth their weight in gold. What do you look for in a provider, what sets one apart from another, how do you find them, what do you expect of them, and how do you create a balanced client/support coordinator/provider relationship that keeps everyone happy and engaged?

8. How important are mainstream and community supports for NDIS participants, and why?

9. What role do support coordinators play in assisting their clients to identify and engage with mainstream and community supports, build effective relationships, and measure progress towards goals? How does the work of a support coordinator differ from or complement the role of a local area coordinator in this space?

10. Navigating the relationship between participants and their family members and balancing the dignity, choice and control of clients with the complexities of family dynamics is often a challenge – and layers are added if family members are also informal supports. How do you juggle the needs and wants of all parties in these situations?

11. What are your top three tips for helping support coordinators to balance the multi-layered relationships that come with working as part of the NDIS?