Self-Directed Supports Registration

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Privacy
Your personal information is protected by law, including under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (the Privacy Act). The Department of Social Services (Department, we, us, our), collects personal information about individuals for a range of purposes to enable us to carry out our functions. This privacy collection notice aims to ensure you are aware of certain matters in relation our collection of your personal information, as required by the Privacy Act, for the purposes of the Consultation.
What is the purpose of the collection?
The Australian and State and Territory Governments are seeking the views of the disability community to inform the design and delivery of a new NDIS provider and worker registration model that will better support participants through stronger regulation of providers. Information provided to the Department when you complete the survey, or during a telephone conversation if you consent to be contacted about the survey will be used by the Department. This information may also be used by a service provider contracted by the Department for this project, to inform the development of a NDIS provider and worker registration model.
What we collect
Through your participation in the online consultation, the Department will collect a range of personal information, if you choose to share it, including:
- - your first and last name, if you choose to provide it or you may use a pseudonym if you prefer;
- - gender (male, female, non-binary, other, prefer not to say);
- - demographic information (Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, speak another language other than English at home, LGBTQIA+SB, none of the above, prefer not to say);
- - location (major city, regional area, rural or remote area, prefer not to say);
- - age (age bracket classifications);
- - category of participant information (e.g., participant/nominee, support worker, provider, disability representative organisation, etc);
- - type of service provision or how the participant’s plan is managed (e.g., agency, self-directed, self-managed, platform provider, etc); and
- - your responses to the survey questions.
Please do not provide information about other individuals that can identify them. Where you do provide such identifying information about other individuals, we will de-identify this information.
How we collect and use your personal information
The Department will collect your personal information, for the purpose of informing the development of a NDIS provider and worker registration model. The Department will collect personal information about you from a third party such as your family member or carer where they have sought your consent to do so. If you are providing information about another person who you do not wish to be identified, please do not provide their name or other identifying information. The Department will collect your personal information to inform the new NDIS provider and worker registration model. We may also use your responses to inform future consultations related to the new NDIS provider and worker registration model. The Department will not use your responses to the consultation for any other purpose.
Who we disclose your personal information to
Once we collect your response to the consultation, we will create a de-identified copy of your response. A de-identified copy of your response may be shared with an external service provider, to assist with analysis of submissions. A contracted service provider, on behalf of the Department, may use the de-identified information to:
- - review and analyse submissions received in response to the consultation;
- - creating a repository organised by theme and develop catalogues of submissions; and,
- - prepare a summary of consultation submissions based on the themes developed.
All entities contracted by the Department are subject to strict confidentiality, privacy and security obligations.
Managing preferences
When participating in consultation events, you may choose not to provide your name, email address or other personal information. If you choose not to provide your name or email address, this will not impact on your submission in any way, however we will not be able to contact you about your responses. Alternatively, if you are concerned about sharing your personal information, you may contact NDISRegulation@dss.gov.au to discuss alternative consultation options.
Storage of your personal information
Storage of personal information (and the disposal of information when no longer required) is managed in accordance with the Australian Government records management regime, including the Archives Act 1983, agency-specific records authorities and general records authorities. This ensures your personal information is held securely by the Department. All personal information collected by the Department is stored on Services Australia’s cloud storage, on servers located in Australia. Services Australia and the Department retains effective control over any personal information held on our cloud, and the information is handled in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles. Any information disclosed to third parties will be handled in accordance with the Privacy Act and stored in accordance with agreed security protocols.
More information
The Department’s Privacy Policy contains more information about how we handle personal information, how you can access any personal information that we hold, and how to seek correction of that personal information. It also contains information about how to make a complaint about a breach of the Australian Privacy Principles, as set out in the Privacy Act. If you have any concerns or questions, you can contact us at complaints@dss.gov.au or NDISRegulation@dss.gov.au
Do you agree to the privacy notice?
Consent to the collection of your sensitive information * Required
- I consent to the Department collecting sensitive information, such as health information, about me that I provide in my answers to this consultation
Declaration for providing personal information about others * Required
- I declare that I have obtained the consent of any other individual I will identify in my responses to this consultation
Do you want to answer some questions we have about self directed supports? * Required
- Yes, I want to answer the questions. (I can also add a document, audio or video file after the questions)
- No, I want to add a document, audio or video file only. I do not want to answer the questions.
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Consent
Do you consent for us to use wording in your responses as quotes in our reports? No information that identifies you or any organisations will be included in quotes * Required
- Yes
- No
Are you answering these questions: * Required
- as an individual (this includes anyone in the community who is not responding for their organisation)
- on behalf of another person (e.g. the answers are the views of another individual, such as someone you care for)
- as a representative of an organisation

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Registration
The Australian Government has some ideas about how to make NDIS support
- • Better
- • Safer
The taskforce thinks People who self direct their supports should register with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. We call it the NDIS Commission. You do not need to register with the NDIS Commission if your workers work for a registered provider.

What are self direct supports

People who self direct their NDIS supports pick the workers they want to hire.

Hire means pay them money to do work and you are the boss.
You can choose to hire
- • 1 person
- • Many people
- • A company
When people who self direct their own supports register, the NDIS Commission would do checks to
- • Make sure they are safe
- • The workers are doing a good job.
You would have to follow the rules.
They include
- • NDIS Code of Conduct
The Code of Conduct tells everyone the way to behave.
Advanced Registration

Some people will need higher registration. We call this Advanced Registration.

You will need to do this if you
- • Live in a group home
Group homes are places where people with disability live together.
- • Have restrictive practices
Restrictive practices can
- • Stop behaviour
- • Change behaviour
They can stop you from
- • Going places
- • Doing what you want.
Restrictive practices are sometimes used to help keep you safe. Restrictive practices must be
- - • Used less
  - • Stopped when you can
- • Have a behaviour support plan
A behaviour support plan helps others to support you live a good life.
Like
- • Help teach you new skills
- • Cope when things are not going well.
It can help you have less or no restrictive practices.
Self managed

Self managed means people with NDIS money who pay for their supports themselves. They pay the NDIS providers

They do not have someone else who pays NDIS providers.

The taskforce thinks participants who are self managed should not need registration with the NDIS Commission.

The NDIS Commission will also help keep people who are self managed safe.
We want to know what you think about our ideas
We have 3 broad questions.
You do not have to answer our questions. You can decide
Do you agree with what self directed support means?
What do you think about the rules that people who self direct their supports will need to follow?
What support do you think a self-directed person would need to help them follow the rules?

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Other Feedback
Do you have any other feedback about the registration of NDIS Participants who self direct their supports?
Type your response
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Consent for the Department of Social Services to contact you about your response
The department may wish to make contact with you about all or parts of your response to the questionnaire. If this is the case, are you happy for the Department to contact you? * Required
- Yes
- No
Please provide your details below. Personal information will be stored on a secure government platform in accordance with the Privacy Act.
Name * Required
Email * Required

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Privacy
Your personal information is protected by law, including under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (the Privacy Act). The Department of Social Services (Department, we, us, our), collects personal information about individuals for a range of purposes to enable us to carry out our functions. This privacy collection notice aims to ensure you are aware of certain matters in relation our collection of your personal information, as required by the Privacy Act, for the purposes of the Consultation.
What is the purpose of the collection?
The Australian and State and Territory Governments are seeking the views of the disability community to inform the design and delivery of a new NDIS provider and worker registration model that will better support participants through stronger regulation of providers. Information provided to the Department when you complete the survey, or during a telephone conversation if you consent to be contacted about the survey will be used by the Department. This information may also be used by a service provider contracted by the Department for this project, to inform the development of a NDIS provider and worker registration model.
What we collect
Through your participation in the online consultation, the Department will collect a range of personal information, if you choose to share it, including:
- - your first and last name, if you choose to provide it or you may use a pseudonym if you prefer;
- - gender (male, female, non-binary, other, prefer not to say);
- - demographic information (Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, speak another language other than English at home, LGBTQIA+SB, none of the above, prefer not to say);
- - location (major city, regional area, rural or remote area, prefer not to say);
- - age (age bracket classifications);
- - category of participant information (e.g., participant/nominee, support worker, provider, disability representative organisation, etc);
- - type of service provision or how the participant’s plan is managed (e.g., agency, self-directed, self-managed, platform provider, etc); and
- - your responses to the survey questions.
Please do not provide information about other individuals that can identify them. Where you do provide such identifying information about other individuals, we will de-identify this information.
How we collect and use your personal information
The Department will collect your personal information, for the purpose of informing the development of a NDIS provider and worker registration model. The Department will collect personal information about you from a third party such as your family member or carer where they have sought your consent to do so. If you are providing information about another person who you do not wish to be identified, please do not provide their name or other identifying information. The Department will collect your personal information to inform the new NDIS provider and worker registration model. We may also use your responses to inform future consultations related to the new NDIS provider and worker registration model. The Department will not use your responses to the consultation for any other purpose.
Who we disclose your personal information to
Once we collect your response to the consultation, we will create a de-identified copy of your response. A de-identified copy of your response may be shared with an external service provider, to assist with analysis of submissions. A contracted service provider, on behalf of the Department, may use the de-identified information to:
- - review and analyse submissions received in response to the consultation;
- - creating a repository organised by theme and develop catalogues of submissions; and,
- - prepare a summary of consultation submissions based on the themes developed.
All entities contracted by the Department are subject to strict confidentiality, privacy and security obligations.
Managing preferences
When participating in consultation events, you may choose not to provide your name, email address or other personal information. If you choose not to provide your name or email address, this will not impact on your submission in any way, however we will not be able to contact you about your responses. Alternatively, if you are concerned about sharing your personal information, you may contact NDISRegulation@dss.gov.au to discuss alternative consultation options.
Storage of your personal information
Storage of personal information (and the disposal of information when no longer required) is managed in accordance with the Australian Government records management regime, including the Archives Act 1983, agency-specific records authorities and general records authorities. This ensures your personal information is held securely by the Department. All personal information collected by the Department is stored on Services Australia’s cloud storage, on servers located in Australia. Services Australia and the Department retains effective control over any personal information held on our cloud, and the information is handled in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles. Any information disclosed to third parties will be handled in accordance with the Privacy Act and stored in accordance with agreed security protocols.
More information
The Department’s Privacy Policy contains more information about how we handle personal information, how you can access any personal information that we hold, and how to seek correction of that personal information. It also contains information about how to make a complaint about a breach of the Australian Privacy Principles, as set out in the Privacy Act. If you have any concerns or questions, you can contact us at complaints@dss.gov.au or NDISRegulation@dss.gov.au
Do you agree to the privacy notice?
Consent to the collection of your sensitive information * Required
- I consent to the Department collecting sensitive information, such as health information, about me that I provide in my answers to this consultation
Declaration for providing personal information about others * Required
- I declare that I have obtained the consent of any other individual I will identify in my responses to this consultation
If you don’t want to answer questions, you can skip to upload a document or audio or video file * Required
- I want to answer the questionnaire (I will also have the option to upload a document, audio or video file at the end)
- I want to skip the questionnaire and upload a document, audio or video file
Upload your document/s
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Accepted file types: jpg, gif, png, pdf, doc, docx, Max. file size: 10 MB.

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Consent
Do you consent for us to use wording in your responses as quotes in our reports? No information that identifies you or any organisations will be included in quotes * Required
- Yes
- No
Are you answering these questions:
- as an individual (this includes anyone in the community who is not responding for their organisation)
- on behalf of another person (e.g. the answers are the views of another individual, such as someone you care for)
- as a representative of an organisation

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Background

In December 2023, the Independent Review of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS Review) provided their report to the Australian Government which included a recommendation ‘develop and deliver a risk-proportionate model for the visibility and regulation of all providers and workers in the NDIS and strengthen the regulatory response to long-standing and emerging quality and safeguards issues’¹. The NDIS Review noted this model needed further development in consultation with people with disability, providers and other regulators.

In February 2024, the government established the NDIS Provider and Worker Registration Taskforce (the Taskforce) to provide expert advice on the design and implementation of the new graduated risk proportionate regulatory model. In preparing their advice, the Taskforce conducted extensive consultation with the disability community, providers, workforce representatives and other relevant stakeholders² and built on the work of the NDIS Review and the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability (DRC).

The Taskforce were required to provide advice on key design elements and implementation of new regulatory arrangements, while ensuring people who are self-managing in the NDIS and employing and engaging their own workers and providers can continue to do so. The Taskforce was also asked to ensure the new arrangements would uphold the rights of people with disability, including the right to determine their own best interests, improving their ability to exercise choice and control over the providers that they use. The Taskforce explored how self-directed supports could be reflected in new regulatory arrangements through extensive consultation with the disability community.

The Taskforce heard that NDIS Participants have adopted models of self-directed support which includes services for one and direct employment arrangements to meet diverse disability-related support needs. These arrangements form an integral part of the disability ecosystem throughout Australia, including in regional and rural areas.

The Taskforce’s advice was released on 2 August 2024. The advice provides a blueprint for the design and implementation of a registration model for NDIS Providers and Workers while maintaining choice and control for participants. Self-directed supports are a proposed category of registration in the Taskforce’s model. The purpose of this consultation is to better understand how NDIS Participants and their Providers or Workers utilise self-directed supports to manage their disability-related support needs.
Definition of terms
For the purpose of this consultation paper, we have used the following definitions: Self-managed is considered to mean:
- The financial management of funding for supports under an NDIS plan5. A self-managed participant is a participant who manages their NDIS funding without the use of a nominated registered plan manager. The participant directs funding by purchasing any goods or services for their disability-related support needs.
Self-Directed Supports is considered to mean:
- A way of managing supports, where the participant directly employs workers providing support, or

- Self-directed supports include service-for-one arrangements, where a company or business structure is established for the purpose of providing disability support services to one individual.

The distinction between self-directed supports and self-management is important because:

- Self-managed participants will not need to register with the NDIS Commission. Oversight and safeguarding is achieved here through Provider registration as proposed by the Taskforce and NDIS Review.

- Self-directed participants will need to register with the NDIS Commission and can directly employ or engage providers. The participant will be responsible for maintaining their registration and will need to comply with obligations commensurate with the risk for the services provided to them.
Do you agree with the definition of Self-Directed Supports above?

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Proposed obligations for registered self-directed participants

The following obligations have been proposed for the self-directed supports category, for participants, nominees and the workers who support them:

- Adherence to NDIS Code of Conduct

- Worker screening

- Complaints process

- Incidents

- Audits

- Ongoing monitoring

- Participant undertaking their own assessment for practice and quality according to self-defined standards.

- Suitability assessment – undertaken by participant

- Regular check-ins with the NDIS Commission

The Taskforce advice recommends self-directed participants (or their representative) would apply for registration via a portal. Once registration is granted, the participant would be able to directly engage their supports.

In these arrangements, the participant or nominee takes on the responsibilities of an employer. This includes mandatory responsibilities such as occupational health and safety, insurance, and compliance with the terms set out in industrial awards. The new category recognises pre-existing arrangements, enabling participants who directly engage their own supports to continue doing so in the new model.

The Taskforce’s advice proposed that due to the nature of self-direction, participants who are registered in this category would not be subject to external audits. Similarly, as the participant directs their own supports, practice standards would only apply in the case of high-risk support categories. For other support types, the Taskforce recommended that the Participant or their Nominee would undertake their own assessment for practice and quality according to self-defined standards.

Any supports that fall within the proposed new Advanced Registration Category would need to be provided by registered providers. These supports have been assessed as high-risk and include behaviour support, restrictive practices, early childhood supports, support coordination, plan management, specialist disability accommodation and home and living services delivered in formal or closed settings such as group homes. This would mean that any supports within the Advanced registration category must be delivered by a provider that is already registered in the Advanced category.

Another consideration for the design of a self-directed supports category is the registration process. The Taskforce recommended registration be automatic upon meeting the application criteria, and that the process to register should be (as far as practicable) done online. There are no present criteria for a participant to qualify for self-directed supports.

Participants who choose to self-manage are unable to do so if they are currently bankrupt or insolvent under administration, or if the NDIA assess self-management would pose an unreasonable risk to the participant. It may be appropriate for similar criteria to apply when the NDIS Commission assesses an application for registration for the self-directed supports category made by participants as well as guardians or other persons involved in directing the participant’s supports.

We want to know what each of these obligations would mean for you.
Do you agree with the proposed obligations for registered self-directed participants?
Are there any barriers to compliance with these requirements?
What features are important for the regulator to have when registering self-directed supports?

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Support from the NDIS Commission

The Taskforce heard from participants who self-direct that they often lack appropriate support in these arrangements.

The Taskforce recommended registered self-directed participants have a regular check-in with the NDIS Commission. The Taskforce recommended that this process as an obligation and a requirement of gaining and maintaining registration. If a registered self-directed participant does not comply with this obligation, the NDIS Commission would be able to suspend or revoke the participant’s registration.

Importantly, registration of self-directed supports with the NDIS Commission would increase visibility of these arrangements and allow the NDIS Commission to be more active in supporting participants who self-direct their supports.

The check-in process would also provide an opportunity for participants to have an ongoing interaction with the NDIS Commission. As self-directed participants maintain control over their supports, those who wish to do so may be able to provide insights and innovative approaches to how they manage their day-to-day life. The check-ins could therefore be an opportunity for the NDIS Commission to learn best practice from participants who consent to share this information with others. There is also potential for this knowledge to be shared with other providers to enable improved practice led by the experience of participants who self-direct their own supports.

The Taskforce considered that the ‘check-in’ process would be flexible and respectful of a participant’s right to privacy. The development of strict privacy and confidentiality safeguards would be essential to enabling the sharing of such sensitive information. To protect privacy, self-directed participants should be able to easily opt-out of information sharing arrangements at any time after opting in without impacting their registration status. The check-ins would remain mandatory, however there would be no requirement for the participant to authorise information sharing. The Taskforce recommended that this “check-in” process be co-designed with the disability community.

The department wishes to understand what support from the NDIS Commission would be useful for participants who self-direct their supports:
How often should participants who self-direct their supports check-in?
What form should these check-ins take?
What types of information could assist with checking in?
What types of support structures could help participants share innovative practices? (for example, via a knowledge base, templates, or community of practice)?

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Other feedback
Do you have any other feedback about the registration of NDIS Participants who self-direct their supports?
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Consent for the Department of Social Services to contact you about your response
The department may wish to make contact with you about all or parts of your response to the questionnaire. If this is the case, are you happy for the Department to contact you? * Required
- Yes
- No
Please provide your details below. Personal information will be stored on a secure government platform in accordance with the Privacy Act.
Name * Required
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Consultation period

Self-Directed Supports Registration

Step 1 of 16

Privacy

What is the purpose of the collection?

What we collect

How we collect and use your personal information

Who we disclose your personal information to

Managing preferences

Storage of your personal information

More information

Do you agree to the privacy notice?

Consent

About You

Registration

What are self direct supports

Advanced Registration

Self managed

We want to know what you think about our ideas

Other Feedback

Consent for the Department of Social Services to contact you about your response

Privacy

What is the purpose of the collection?

What we collect

How we collect and use your personal information

Who we disclose your personal information to

Managing preferences

Storage of your personal information

More information

Do you agree to the privacy notice?

Consent

Background

Definition of terms

Support from the NDIS Commission

Other feedback

Consent for the Department of Social Services to contact you about your response

Please submit your responses

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