Your first NDIS planning meeting is coming up. You’ve heard it’s important. You’ve heard you need to “prepare.” But what actually happens? And how do you make sure you don’t miss something crucial?
Here’s everything you need to know.
What Is the Planning Meeting?
This is the meeting where your NDIS plan gets created. A planner (either from the NDIA or a Local Area Coordinator) will talk with you about your life, your disability, your goals, and what support you need.
Based on this conversation (and the evidence you provide), they’ll create a plan with funding for different types of support.
When and Where Does It Happen?
After your NDIS access is approved, you’ll be contacted to schedule a planning meeting. It can be:
- Face-to-face at an NDIS office
- At your home
- By phone or video call
Phone meetings typically take 1-2 hours. Face-to-face can be longer. Choose whatever format you’re most comfortable with.
What to Bring
Essential documents:
- Your NDIS Access Decision letter
- Medical reports about your disability
- Reports from therapists, specialists, or treating practitioners
- Any assessments (OT, psychology, functional capacity, etc.)
- Identification documents
- Bank details (if you want to self-manage)
Helpful to have:
- A list of your current supports and services
- Notes about what you struggle with day-to-day
- Your goals written down
- Questions you want to ask
Bring a Support Person
Don’t go alone. Bring someone who knows you well—family member, friend, carer, advocate. They can:
- Help you remember things you might forget
- Provide examples of your daily challenges
- Take notes
- Speak up if you downplay your needs
- Support you emotionally (it can be an overwhelming conversation)
What Questions Will They Ask?
Expect questions about:
- Your disability and how it affects you
- Your typical day—what you can and can’t do
- What help you currently receive (formal and informal)
- Your living situation
- Your goals (short-term and long-term)
- What support you think you need
- How you want to manage your funding
The Most Important Advice: Be Honest About Your Struggles
This is where many people go wrong. When asked “how are you going?”, the natural response is “fine” or “managing okay.”
Don’t do that.
The NDIS funds support for what you STRUGGLE with, not what you manage. If you make it sound like you’re coping fine, you’ll get less funding.
Talk about:
- Your worst days, not just your best
- What you CAN’T do without help
- What happens when you don’t have support
- The impact on your safety, health, and quality of life
Goals: How to Frame Them
Your plan is built around your goals. Think about what you want to achieve—but frame them around what support you’ll need:
Instead of: “I want to be more independent”
Try: “I want to learn to manage my own cooking and cleaning, which will require occupational therapy and support worker assistance to practice these skills.”
Instead of: “I want to get a job”
Try: “I want to build towards part-time employment, which will require employment support services and possibly ongoing workplace support.”
Ask Questions
Don’t just answer questions—ask them too:
- “What funding options are available for [specific need]?”
- “Can you explain what that category means?” (For help with this, see Understanding Your NDIS Plan)
- “What happens if my needs change during the plan?”
- “How do I request a review if my plan isn’t right?”
What Happens After?
After your meeting:
- The planner creates your plan based on the conversation and evidence
- Your plan gets approved (usually within a few weeks)
- You receive your plan (in the myplace portal and by mail)
- You can start using your funding to access services
For what to do next, read Just Got Your NDIS Plan? Here’s What to Do.
If you’re not happy with your plan, you can request an internal review within 3 months.
Nervous? That’s Normal
First planning meetings are stressful. There’s pressure to get it right, and the system is confusing. It’s okay to feel anxious about it.
If you have support coordination funding approved, your support coordinator can help you prepare and attend the meeting with you. If not, consider bringing an advocate from a disability advocacy organisation.
Need Help Navigating the NDIS?
Once you have your plan, Plan Pathfinders can help you understand it and put it into action. We’re independent support coordinators—we help you make the most of your funding and find the right providers for your needs.
