You can change your NDIS support coordinator whenever it suits you. It’s your choice, and you don’t need to wait until your plan ends. What matters is how NDIS participants go about it: check the notice requirements in your service agreement, find a new coordinator, and organise a handover so your supports keep running as smoothly as possible.
This guide explains how to change your NDIS support coordinator, step by step and in plain language. Timing differs from person to person, so there are no instant fixes or guarantees, but a little planning goes a long way. If you’re a family member, carer or authorised representative, the same steps apply.
Can You Change Your NDIS Support Coordinator?
Yes. You can choose to change your support coordinator at any time, as long as you follow the notice provisions in your service agreement. A service agreement is the written arrangement between you and a provider. It sets out what they will deliver, how they will deliver it, how long it lasts and how either of you can end it.
It helps to separate three things that often get mixed up:
- Choosing a new provider. Moving to a different coordinator is your decision.
- Changing the level of coordination. If you think you need a different level of support coordination, that is a plan matter. Talk to your NDIA planner.
- Asking for extra funding. Changing coordinators doesn’t add funding. Your support coordination funding is set in your plan, and a new coordinator works within it.
For background on the role itself, see what NDIS support coordination involves
Reasons You Might Consider a Change
People switch for many reasons, and none of them needs to be dramatic. You might be finding communication difficult, your needs may have changed, you might have moved to a new area, or your coordinator may no longer be a good fit for your goals.
If you feel comfortable, talking to your coordinator first can sometimes help. You can ask for changes to your supports or services. But it’s not a requirement, and you don’t have to lodge a complaint or have a difficult conversation before you switch. If you’re considering a change of support coordinator? Contact VHCC to discuss your needs and find out whether our team can assist.
Participants Steps You Should Follow
Step 1: Check Your Service Agreement With Your Plan Manager
Alt text: Checklist for steps to follow when changing your support coordinator
Start with your current service agreement. Look for:
- Notice period. Sometimes called a cancellation period, this is the number of days’ notice you’ve agreed to give before ending the agreement. Don’t assume it matches anyone else’s.
- How to end services. Some providers have a form or a set process.
- Fees and final invoices. You may be charged if you don’t give the agreed notice, but providers can only claim cancellation fees within the conditions set by the NDIS pricing arrangements and price limits. Make sure any outstanding payments are settled.
If any wording is unclear, ask your provider to explain it, or ask a trusted person or your NDIS contact to help you check.
Step 2: Find a Coordinator Who Meets Your Needs
Aim to find your new coordinator before you finish with your current one. That makes a gap in supports less likely.
Ask people you trust for recommendations, search online, read reviews and try the NDIS provider finder. Your NDIS contact or NDIA planner can also help. A short list with notes on what you like about each option makes comparing easier. It’s worth speaking with them before you sign anything. Useful questions include:
- Do they have experience with your disability and goals?
- How do they prefer to communicate, and does that suit you?
- Are they available, and what is a realistic start date?
- What do they charge, and what is their cancellation policy?
- Who will you actually be working with?
- Do they or their organisation provide other supports you use, and how is that managed?
- Which level of support coordination do they deliver, and does it match your plan?
You can learn more about NDIS support coordination services from VHCC while you compare your options.
Step 3: Notify Your Current Provider
Ask your current provider how they end a service agreement, then follow that process. Give your notice in writing where you can, and ask them to confirm your finish date in writing. Keep a copy.
Not sure how to word it? A family member, trusted person or authorised representative can help you. How long this takes depends on your agreement and your provider, so avoid promising yourself a fixed timeline until the dates are confirmed.
Step 4: Arrange a Handover With Your Consent
A handover helps your new coordinator understand where things are up to, so you don’t have to start from scratch. Your current coordinator should prepare a handover report that covers:
- how you’re progressing towards your goals
- how you’ve been using your plan
- skills and independence you’ve been building
- your connections with the community and other supports
- barriers, risks or unresolved issues, and ideas to address them
- recommendations on your future support needs
They can also share relevant provider reports. You decide what is shared, so make sure you give your permission first. The report should include an agreed finish date, and it helps to line that up with your new coordinator’s start date.
Step 5: Confirm Your NDIS Provider Information
The NDIS keeps a record of the providers working with you. Your old service booking or provider relationship may need to be ended, and your current provider may do this for you. Ask them, so nothing is missed. If you have a plan manager, your coordinator should let them know too.
For your new coordinator, you may need a request for service. This is how the NDIA asks your chosen coordinator to work with you, and it can be sent through your NDIA planner. Your coordinator can then accept or decline it within a set timeframe. Once they accept, they’re recorded on your plan as a provider.
Steps can vary and the NDIS website is being updated, so check the current process with your NDIS contact or NDIA planner, and with your provider.
Step 6: Confirm Your New NDIS Plan and Continuity of Supports
Before you start, put a new service agreement in writing. Check that it covers:
- the services and how they’ll be delivered
- fees
- how you’ll communicate
- the start date and how long the agreement runs
- how you can change or end it
- your remaining funding
Keep your plan manager informed, if you have one. Coordinating dates between your old and new coordinators can reduce gaps, although no one can guarantee supports will carry on without interruption.
Transition Checklist
☐ I’ve read the notice terms in my service agreement.
☐ My chosen coordinator has confirmed they’re available.
☐ My finish and start dates are agreed in writing.
☐ I’ve given consent for the handover and know what will be shared.
☐ Handover records have been shared with my new coordinator.
☐ My NDIS arrangements are sorted, including any request for service.
☐ My new service agreement is signed.
A Hypothetical Example
This example is fictional and is only meant to show how the steps fit together.
Sam finds communication with their coordinator difficult, and their needs have shifted. They read their service agreement and note the notice terms, then meet two new coordinators and choose one who can start in a few weeks. Sam gives written notice, and the finish date is confirmed by email. They agree to a handover and say which reports can be shared. Sam’s NDIA planner and the new coordinator sort out the request for service. Before the first appointment, Sam checks the new agreement and tells their plan manager about the change.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change before my plan ends? Yes. You don’t have to wait for your current plan to end.
How much notice do I need to give? It depends on your service agreement. Check it, and ask your provider if anything is unclear.
Do I need to tell the NDIS? Usually, yes. Provider arrangements may need updating, so speak to your my NDIS contact or NDIA planner.
Will changing give me more funding? No. Changing coordinators doesn’t change your funding. Ask your NDIA planner about funding questions.
What if I feel uncomfortable speaking to my coordinator? You can ask a trusted person to help. If you’re unhappy with how you’ve been treated, contact the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.
Ready to talk about your options?
Considering a change of support coordinator? Contact VHCC to discuss your needs and find out whether our team can assist.
