NDIS Resources

The NDIS has developed several resources for children who are deaf or hard of hearing:

• Quality support for children
• Guides for funding specialised smoke alarms
• Guide for early intervention supports
• Pre-planning toolkit for people who are deaf or hard of hearing entering higher education or vocational education and training

Quality support for children

If your child has NDIS funding for early childhood intervention, therapy supports or behaviour support, you want to know your provider uses quality practices.

The NDIA partnered with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission to develop a guide to explain what quality practices do and don’t look like, and help you choose the right provider for you and your child.

They detail how a provider must:

• put the safety and wellbeing of your child at the centre of what they do
• offer quality service that represents best practice
• focus on positive outcomes for your child and family
• meet your needs and expectations
• promote inclusion and social participation
• make sure their support improves the quality of life for your child and family.

In the guide, they cover topics such as decision-making, privacy and dignity, safety checks, competent and professional services, and early childhood supports.

They also offer the following:

• Questions you can ask when choosing a provider for your child.
• Your options if you want to make a complaint.

The new guide is available on their website:

• Quality support for children | NDIS

Guides for funding specialised smoke alarms

The NDIA has worked with Aussie Deaf Kids and other disability advocates who called for clarity around how they fund specialised smoke alarms. Based on this feedback, they developed two new ‘Would we fund it’ guides.

These guides help people better understand what smoke alarm supports they might fund for participants who are deaf or hard of hearing. One describes scenarios about smoke alarms for children who are deaf or hard of hearing, and the other is for adults.

These guides provide more precise information about when they would or wouldn’t fund a specialised smoke alarm. They also include other information considered when making a decision.

The new guides are available on their website:

• Smoke alarm supports | NDIS

Guide for early intervention supports

The Guide describes the best available supports and services for children who are deaf or hard of hearing.

The guides can help you:

• Learn about best practice early childhood intervention
• Think about what the best support option/s may be for your child and family
• Plan your next steps to support your child and family
• Choose the right provider(s) for your child and family.

Early childhood intervention supports are recommended as early as possible to help build a child’s skills, independence, and development. They can also help families build skills and knowledge to support their children.

The Guide presents current research but does not provide an opinion about the supports you should choose.

The Guide is available on their website:

• Guide for early intervention supports | NDIS

Pre-planning Toolkit for people who are D/HH entering higher education or vocational education and training

If you are Deaf or hard of hearing, you may require extra support to complete your chosen course and ensure your participation is on the same basis as other students.

This booklet will help you identify the types of support available to you and understand who may be responsible for funding them. Planning the supports you need in advance can ensure you successfully participate in and complete your studies.

The toolkit can be downloaded here:

• Pre-planning toolkit | National Disability Coordination Officer (NDCO) Program

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