Why Preparation Makes All the Difference
Your NDIS planning meeting is one of the most important conversations you’ll have as a participant. The outcome — your NDIS plan — determines what funding you receive and what supports you can access for the next 12 months or more. Many participants leave their planning meeting feeling like their plan doesn’t fully reflect their needs, often because they weren’t prepared to advocate effectively for themselves.
With the right preparation, you can walk in confident, communicate your needs clearly, and walk out with a plan that genuinely supports your goals.
Step 1: Understand What a Planning Meeting Is
A planning meeting is a conversation between you (and anyone you bring for support) and an NDIA planner or Local Area Coordinator (LAC). The purpose is to understand your disability, your daily support needs, and your goals so the NDIA can determine what funding to include in your plan.
The meeting typically lasts 60–90 minutes. It can happen face-to-face, over the phone, or by video call. You have the right to bring a support person — a family member, friend, support worker, or advocate — to the meeting.
Step 2: Gather Your Evidence
Evidence is the foundation of a strong plan. Bring to your meeting recent reports from specialists such as your GP, psychiatrist, paediatrician, physiotherapist, occupational therapist, or speech pathologist. These reports should describe how your disability affects your daily functioning — not just your diagnosis. Also gather any current support arrangements like invoices or service agreements, previous NDIS plans and assessment documents if this is a review, and a list of current informal supports (family, carers).
If you don’t have recent specialist reports, ask your GP for a referral before your planning meeting. Up-to-date evidence significantly strengthens your case for appropriate funding.
Step 3: Know Your Goals
The NDIS is goals-based — your funding is linked to what you want to achieve. Before your meeting, write down your goals across different life areas. Think about daily living: what do you need help with at home? Think about community participation: what activities do you want to do? Consider employment or education, health and wellbeing, and relationships and social connection.
Goals don’t need to be big or ambitious — they just need to be real. “I want to be able to cook a simple meal independently” is a valid goal. “I want to go to the gym twice a week” is a valid goal. Be specific and honest about what you want your life to look like.
Step 4: Think About Your Support Needs, Not Just Your Diagnosis
A common mistake in planning meetings is focusing on the diagnosis (“I have cerebral palsy”) rather than the functional impact (“I need 2 hours of support each morning to get dressed, shower, and prepare breakfast because I have limited upper limb function and balance issues”). Planners need to understand what you can’t do without support, not just what your condition is called.
Go through a typical day in your head and write down every task where you either need help, take significantly longer than most people, or could be injured without support. This becomes the foundation of your Core Supports funding request.
Step 5: Research What Supports You Need
Before your meeting, research what NDIS supports exist that could help you. Key support categories include Core Supports (daily living assistance, transport, consumables), Capacity Building (support coordination, life skills, employment, health and wellbeing), and Capital Supports (assistive technology, home modifications, SDA). If you’re unsure what might be relevant, a pre-planning session with a support coordinator or disability advocate can be invaluable.
Step 6: Consider Bringing a Support Person or Advocate
You have the right to bring anyone you want to your planning meeting. A support person can help you remember things you want to say, prompt you if you forget something important, take notes, and provide emotional support. If you find self-advocacy difficult, consider contacting a disability advocacy organisation — in the Ballarat region, organisations like Ballarat Community Health and Disability Justice Advocacy Victoria can assist.
Step 7: After the Meeting
After your planning meeting, you’ll receive your plan within a few weeks. Read it carefully and check that all your supports are included at the right levels. If something is missing or seems too low, you have the right to request an internal review. You have 3 months from receiving your plan to request a review without needing to provide new evidence.
Once you have your plan, engage a support coordinator (if you have one funded) to help you implement it and find the right providers in Ballarat.
Frequently Asked Questions
A: You can contact your LAC or the NDIA after the meeting to provide additional information before your plan is finalised. If your plan has already been approved and you disagree with it, you can request an internal review within 3 months.
A: Usually 60–90 minutes, but this can vary. Complex situations may take longer, or may require a follow-up meeting.
A: Yes. Contact your LAC or the NDIA to request a face-to-face meeting at a location convenient to you in Ballarat.
A: You don’t need full medical records, but relevant specialist reports and assessments describing your functional needs are very helpful. Speak to your treating team about preparing a brief functional report before your meeting.
Need Help Preparing for Your NDIS Plan in Ballarat?
Gentle Grid’s support coordinators help Ballarat NDIS participants prepare for planning meetings, understand their plans, and access the supports they need.
Gentle Grid provides NDIS support across Ballarat
As a registered NDIS provider in Ballarat, we support participants across all suburbs including Sebastopol, Wendouree, Alfredton, Ballarat East, Delacombe, Mount Clear, Ballarat Central, Ballarat North, Buninyong, Creswick, Miners Rest, Daylesford, Smythesdale, Ararat. Contact us to learn how we can help.