Most people choose an NDIS provider the way they choose a tradesperson — based on who showed up first in a Google search or was recommended by someone they know. Sometimes that works out. Often it doesn’t, and the person is stuck in a service agreement with a provider that isn’t delivering.
The NDIS gives you the right to choose your providers. It also gives you the right to change them. But the switching process takes time and often leaves gaps in support. Starting right is worth the effort.
These are the questions that actually reveal whether a provider is worth working with.
Questions about the organisation
1. How many participants do you currently support?
This tells you about capacity and caseload. A support coordinator managing 80+ participants at once will give you less time than one managing 30. A day program with 120 participants has different dynamics than one with 40. There’s no perfect number, but you should ask — and think about what the answer means for the attention you’ll receive.
2. How long have you been operating?
A provider that’s been around for 10+ years has a track record you can investigate. A provider that launched six months ago has people who care, probably, but no demonstrated evidence that they can sustain what they’re offering. Neither is automatically disqualifying — but it’s useful context.
3. Are you registered with the NDIS?
This tells you who can use them. Registered providers have been audited against the NDIS Practice Standards. Unregistered providers haven’t been through that audit, but they’re still bound by the NDIS Code of Conduct and still screened by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission if complaints are made. Unregistered doesn’t mean unaccountable — but it does mean agency-managed participants can’t use them.
Questions about the people delivering your support
4. Who will actually be supporting me, and what are their qualifications?
This is the question that most people forget to ask — and it’s arguably the most important. The person in the meeting with you isn’t necessarily the person who’ll be at your door on Monday morning. Ask specifically: who will be delivering my support, what experience do they have, and can I meet them before committing?
5. What happens if my regular support worker is sick or leaves?
Turnover in the disability sector is high. A provider without a clear answer to this question is a provider who will leave you scrambling for support when (not if) someone leaves. Ask what their backup plan looks like and how they manage continuity.
6. Do your workers hold NDIS Worker Screening Checks?
This is non-negotiable for direct support workers who have more than incidental contact with participants in certain risk categories. Any professional provider will answer “yes” without hesitation.
Questions about the service
7. Have you supported participants with my specific disability or condition before?
Experience with your specific presentation matters, particularly for complex or less common conditions. A support coordinator who has worked extensively with psychosocial disability brings different knowledge than one whose experience is primarily with physical disability. A support worker with experience supporting someone with ABI approaches challenging behaviour differently than one without it.
8. How do you handle it when something isn’t working?
This reveals provider culture. A good answer involves a clear process for raising concerns, a named person to contact, and evidence that feedback actually leads to change. A defensive or vague answer is a signal.
9. What are your cancellation and notice period terms?
This is in the service agreement, but understand it before you sign. Some providers have 14-day notice periods; some have more. Understand what happens if you need to change or cancel a session, and what happens if you want to end the relationship. An ethical provider will give you a clear, gracious answer.
Questions about money and administration
10. What are your hourly rates, and how do they compare to the NDIS price guide?
NDIS price guide rates are maximums, not standards — providers can charge below the guide. Some registered providers charge the maximum rate regardless of service quality. Some unregistered providers charge below the guide because lower overhead allows it. Understand what you’re paying and why.
11. How do invoices and payments work?
If you’re plan-managed, your plan manager will receive invoices directly from the provider. Understand the provider’s invoicing frequency (weekly, fortnightly, monthly) and whether they send accurate invoices with the correct support categories. Errors in invoicing can cause budget confusion that takes weeks to untangle.
12. What’s covered in the service agreement, and what isn’t?
Specifically: what are you agreeing to? How long is the agreement? What exits do you have, and under what conditions can the provider exit? Is there anything that’s charged outside the NDIS (e.g., administration fees, materials)? Read the service agreement before signing it — a provider that discourages this is not a provider you want.
One more thing
None of these questions are unreasonable. A provider worth working with will answer all of them clearly and without defensiveness. A provider that hedges, deflects, or acts like you’re being difficult by asking is telling you something important.
Oliver is happy to answer every one of these questions about Thrive in Life Care. No sales pitch, no pressure — just straight answers.
Call 0423 364 723 or email oliver@thriveinlifecare.com.au.