Two kinds of partner
The NDIA runs the scheme, makes decisions and approves plans. Much of the local, everyday contact is done by partner organisations it funds, under what it calls the partners in the community program.
- Local area coordination partners employ local area coordinators (LACs), who work with people with disability aged 9 to 64
- Early childhood partners deliver the early childhood approach for children younger than 9 with developmental delay or disability, and their families
What partners do
Partners help people understand the NDIS and connect with support in their community, whether or not they end up in the scheme.
- Explain the NDIS and help you decide whether to apply
- Help with your access request and the evidence it needs
- Talk through your goals, situation and supports so the NDIA can develop your plan
- Help you understand and start using your plan once it is approved
- Connect you with mainstream and community services, such as health, education, sport and social groups
- For young children, offer early connections and short term early supports, with no diagnosis or referral needed
What partners cannot do
Partners do not decide whether you can join the NDIS and cannot approve or change your plan. Those decisions belong to the NDIA. The partner gathers information and passes it on, so give them specific, detailed information about everyday life.
Since 27 August 2026 only you, your nominee or your guardian can request an unscheduled reassessment. A partner can help you prepare it, but cannot lodge it for you.
Who your partner is depends on where you live
Each partner organisation covers a set region, and different organisations hold the contracts in different parts of the country. The NDIS website lists the partners for each state and region. You can also call the NDIA on 1800 800 110 and ask who covers your postcode.
Partners are funded separately from your plan, so you do not pay for their help. That also means their time is shared across many people. If you need more hands on help to find and manage providers, ask about support coordination in your plan.
Contract changes and what is coming
The NDIA has extended its existing partner agreements to 30 June 2027, with no change to the services participants receive in the meantime.
Bigger reforms are on the way. Participants start moving to new framework planning from 1 April 2027, with budgets set from a support needs assessment. From 1 July 2028 a new support coordination and connection service begins. Thriving Kids supports for children 8 and under with developmental delay or autism and low to moderate support needs began rolling out outside the NDIS from 1 October 2026. Expect the partner role to shift as these changes roll out.
Getting the most from your partner
- Write down your goals and a typical week, including the hard days, before you meet
- Bring reports from therapists, doctors and teachers
- Bring someone who knows you or your child well
- Ask what happens next and when, and ask for it in writing
- If you are unhappy with a partner, raise it with the organisation first, then complain to the NDIA if it is not resolved