What should I ask a Support Coordinator before signing up?

By Anosh Mian Khel · Reviewed 20 August 2026 · General information

The best questions are operational: who does the work, how actions are tracked, how conflicts are managed, what is charged and what happens when a provider cannot deliver.

Ask questions that predict day-to-day service

“Are you person-centred?” is easy for any provider to answer yes. Better questions reveal how the service actually works.

Who will I deal with?

Ask whether you will have one named coordinator, a team inbox or rotating staff. Neither model is automatically wrong, but you should know who owns follow-ups and what happens when your usual contact is away.

How do you track actions?

Ask what happens after you say, “I need a new therapist”. Does the coordinator record options, dates contacted, waitlist information and the next follow-up? Clear action tracking is one of the easiest ways to distinguish organised coordination from a series of disconnected conversations.

How do you choose providers?

A coordinator should be able to explain how they consider participant preference, capacity, suitability, registration requirements, location, price and other relevant factors. Be cautious if the answer is effectively, “We use our own services first.”

Do you supply other NDIS services?

If yes, ask how conflicts of interest are handled. What alternatives will you show? How is the relationship disclosed? Is there any consequence if you choose a competitor? The answer should make it clear that your choice stays yours.

What exactly will you charge for?

Ask for the support item, hourly rate, travel/other claiming rules where relevant, cancellation terms and how you can see usage. For the 2026–27 national schedule, Level 1 and Level 2 Support Coordination have separate price limits. Do not accept a vague “NDIS rate” without understanding what is being claimed.

What happens if you cannot solve a problem quickly?

A coordinator cannot guarantee provider capacity. What matters is whether they explain the constraint, show what has been tried and offer a sensible next action rather than disappearing until the next billable contact.

How do I leave?

Read the notice and handover terms before signing. A good service agreement should make exit possible without creating avoidable confusion or pressure.

How do you protect my information?

Ask what information they actually need, where it is stored, who can access it and how consent is handled when talking with other providers. You should not have to send a full plan to a public marketing form just to check availability.

Official sources

Funding and provider rules change. Check the NDIA’s Support Coordination information, NDIA guide for Support Coordinators and current NDIS Pricing Arrangements for the latest official position.