Hi everyone, first-time poster here. I’ve been navigating the NDIS for my kids and I’m feeling a bit lost. Our 5-year-old has been diagnosed with Level 2 autism, and our 3-year-old is currently on early intervention.
Here’s where I’m stuck: the plan for our 3-year-old is for $20k, while our older child’s plan is only $11k. Is that kind of difference normal? I’m also dealing with a rejected application for Carer’s Allowance, which adds to the confusion and frustration.
I'm new to all of this and feel a bit overwhelmed. How do I ensure my kids get the support they need? Should I be questioning the funding amounts, or is this standard?
Any advice or suggestions would be much appreciated!
It can be a pretty overwhelming process from apply for funding and all the capacity reports and diagnostic activities to working out what to use the plan on. I work with children and their parents face similar struggles. Everyone just wants what is best for their children.
Your younger childs budget may be higher because they are expecting you to spend more on the required testing and reports to get diagnosed and determine functional capacity. Your older child may only have been funded for items that were deemed necessary for their plan.
You can ask for a review if you have more evidence or new evidence from the allied health team you work with. This does run the risk of ending up with less funding though. Your allied health team and SC would need to look at your specific circumstances to determine if a review is going to be more likely to benefit you.
It can be really confusing at first! We had a similar experience when my youngest was in early intervention, his funding was a lot higher than my older child’s NDIS plan. From what I’ve been told, early intervention often comes with more funding because the goal is to provide as much support as possible early on to try to reduce the need for ongoing support later.
With your older child, NDIS funding is usually based on their functional capacity rather than just the diagnosis. So, if they think your older child is more independent or doesn’t need as much support, they might allocate less funding.
That being said, you can always request a plan review if you feel the funding isn’t enough. Try getting reports from therapists or specialists that outline why more funding is necessary. It really helps to have professionals back you up.
Good luck! It can feel like a lot, but you’ve got this.
Totally normal to feel overwhelmed in the beginning! I have family who have been through the system with kids and it’s honestly a bit of trial and error.
Just a thought, but early childhood intervention and regular NDIS plans are treated a bit differently. Early intervention aims to provide heavy support early on to help kids develop, which might explain why your younger child has a higher amount. The funding tends to change once they move out of early intervention.
As for your older child, you can definitely appeal the plan. It’s all about proving what specific supports they need based on how their condition affects their day-to-day life. If you can get some updated reports from therapists explaining why your 5-year-old needs more, that could help.
Don’t give up! You’re doing great just by asking these questions.
I’d recommend getting a good support coordinator if you don’t have one yet. They can help you navigate the appeal process and get extra reports from therapists to show the NDIS why your older child might need more funding. Just be aware that a review can go either way, though you could end up with less funding, so it’s important to go into it with solid evidence.
You’ve got this. We’re here if you need any support or more questions asked.
It sounds like you’re doing everything you can, so don’t feel discouraged! The difference in funding could be due to early intervention being a bit more intense with the younger ones, but it’s definitely worth looking into why your older child’s funding is lower.
For your Carer’s Allowance, we had a similar issue until our pediatrician stepped in and gave us a detailed report. If you can, ask your child’s specialist to help with that application. Having a professional backing you up can make all the difference.
It’s frustrating, I know, but don’t be afraid to push for what your kids need. We’ve been there, and it does get easier once you figure out the system a bit.
Thank you all so much for your responses and support.
I’m definitely going to look into getting updated reports from our therapists and see about pushing for a plan review for my older son. And for the Carer’s Allowance, I’ll follow up with our pediatrician to see if we can get more detailed documentation.
You’ve all given me the confidence to keep pushing for what my boys need, and I really appreciate it. Thanks again, I feel like I have a bit of a plan now!
