Specialist Support Coordination Manual

This manual explains how Infinite Support delivers Specialist Support Coordination within the NDIS. It provides practical guidance for staff working with participants who have complex support environments, high-risk barriers, multiple service systems, crisis points or significant safeguarding needs.

The manual is designed to support safe, consistent and rights-based practice while ensuring participant choice and control, transparent advice, conflict of interest management, accurate records and compliance with NDIS requirements.

This manual applies to all Infinite Support employees, contractors, managers and nominated staff involved in specialist support coordination, support coordination oversight, supervision, quality review or escalation. It covers:

• participants funded for Specialist Support Coordination or complex support coordination activities
• high-risk or complex situations involving health, mental health, housing, justice, child protection, education, family violence, behaviour support or multiple provider systems
• care team coordination, provider engagement, service establishment and risk-reduction work
• reports, records and evidence prepared for NDIA check-ins, plan reassessments or requested reviews
• conflict of interest controls where Infinite Support provides support coordination and other NDIS supports.

• Participant rights and self-determination — participants are supported to make decisions, exercise choice and control, and direct their supports wherever possible.
• Capacity building — the purpose is to reduce complexity and build the participant and support network capacity over time, not create ongoing dependence on the specialist role.
• Least restrictive and human rights focus — restrictive practices must only occur where lawful, authorised where required, consistent with a behaviour support plan where required, proportionate, time-limited and used as a last resort.
• Transparent and factual advice — provider options must be presented fairly, including options outside Infinite Support.
• Trauma-informed practice — staff communicate respectfully, avoid blame, document facts and consider the participant's history, preferences and communication needs.
• Collaboration — mainstream, community, informal and NDIS-funded supports are coordinated so they work together around the participant's goals.
• Evidence and accountability — decisions, risks, provider options, participant consent and actions must be documented clearly.

The NDIS recognises three levels of support coordination. Infinite Support staff must use the participant's plan, service agreement, request for service and current NDIS guidance to confirm the support to be delivered.

Specialist Support Coordination should be targeted, purposeful and time-limited where possible. It should focus on reducing risk and complexity, stabilising the support environment and preparing the participant and care team for a lower level of coordination or more self-directed support where appropriate.

• Specialist Support Coordinators must work within their competence, training, qualifications, supervision and delegated authority.
• They must not present themselves as an independent advocate if they are acting as a provider of NDIS supports.
• They must not make clinical diagnoses, prescribe interventions, authorise restrictive practices, provide legal advice, make guardianship decisions or override the participant's lawful decision-maker.
• Where a matter requires clinical, behavioural, legal, medical, housing, child protection or justice expertise, the Specialist Support Coordinator must facilitate referral or escalation to the appropriate professional or authority.
• Staff must comply with the NDIS Code of Conduct, privacy requirements and Infinite Support policies.

1. Receive referral or Request for Service and review available information about the participant's goals, needs, risks and circumstances.
2. Confirm whether Infinite Support has capacity, skills and any required registration status to deliver the support safely and appropriately.
3. Check conflict of interest risks before accepting, especially if Infinite Support also provides direct supports or may recommend internal services.
4. Accept or decline the request within the required timeframe through the relevant portal or communication pathway.
5. Complete initial contact with the participant/nominee and explain the role, boundaries, consent, complaint options, privacy and service agreement.
6. Collect and record consent for information sharing with providers, informal supports and mainstream services.
7. Create an initial Specialist Support Coordination Action Plan with risks, priorities, outcomes, actions, owners and review dates.

Accepting a request for service means the provider agrees to meet NDIA reporting requirements and may be recorded as the participant's my provider.

Specialist Support Coordinators must support participants to understand the plan in practical terms, including what each budget is for, what flexibility applies, what is stated, what requires quotes or approval, and what evidence may be needed for review.

Specialist Support Coordination often involves multiple systems. Staff must clarify roles, avoid duplication and document what each party is responsible for.

• Identify crisis patterns, triggers, protective factors, warning signs and current escalation pathways.
• Develop a practical risk and crisis plan that identifies what to do, who to contact, what information to share and when to call 000.
• Ensure providers understand the participant's support plan, behaviour support plan, communication needs, medical risks and emergency contacts.
• Escalate allegations or signs of abuse, neglect, exploitation, violence, sexual misconduct, serious injury or unsafe service delivery through Infinite Support incident and safeguarding processes.
• Ensure the participant's voice is included wherever safe and possible, including after incidents or service breakdowns.
• Monitor whether the plan, staffing model, provider capability or environment needs to change to reduce risk.

Where behaviour support or restrictive practices are relevant, Specialist Support Coordinators must support coordination and implementation without stepping outside their role.

• Support Coordinators must assist participants to use NDIS funds only for supports that are NDIS supports, related to disability and in line with the participant's plan.
• If a proposed support is not an NDIS support, it must not be arranged or claimed unless replacement support approval has been obtained before purchase or claiming.
• Funding periods must be monitored. The participant may need support to avoid spending too quickly, underusing critical supports or leaving high-risk needs unfunded later in the funding period.
• Where funds are likely to be insufficient due to changed circumstances or risk, staff should document evidence, discuss options with the participant and escalate through the appropriate NDIA pathway.
• Recommendations must be reasonable, necessary, goal-linked, evidence-based and clearly connected to risk, outcomes and participant capacity.

Specialist Support Coordinators must complete reports by the due date and in the format required by the NDIA, the request for service, the participant's plan or the relevant portal. Reports must be factual, evidence-based and prepared with the participant wherever possible.

Reports must be stored securely and submission dates recorded. Timing depends on plan circumstances, check-in or reassessment timing, request for service and portal due dates.

Infinite Support may provide more than one type of NDIS support. Specialist Support Coordinators must actively manage real, potential and perceived conflicts of interest.

• Declare conflicts to the participant and relevant decision-maker in accessible language.
• Provide multiple provider options wherever possible and document options offered.
• Do not imply that choosing Infinite Support direct supports is required to receive support coordination.
• Do not limit information about external providers or influence participant choice for organisational benefit.
• Where only one provider option is available, document the rationale, attempts made to source alternatives and the participant's decision.
• Keep service delivery responsibilities separate from support coordination decision-making wherever possible.
• Review conflicts at key points: intake, provider sourcing, service changes, incidents, complaints and plan review.

• Record case notes promptly in the approved client management system.
• Use factual language: what was reported, observed, discussed, agreed, declined, escalated or completed.
• Record consent, provider options, participant choices, risk decisions, care team actions, escalation and follow-up responsibilities.
• Do not store participant information on personal devices, personal emails or unapproved applications.
• Share information only with consent, lawful authority or where required for safety, duty of care, reporting or emergency response.
• Maintain evidence for NDIA reports, complaints, incidents, restrictive practice monitoring, conflict of interest management and audit.

Specialist Support Coordination should include a planned transition when the participant's situation has stabilised, complexity has reduced, goals have been progressed, funding ends or the participant chooses another provider.

I confirm that I have read and understood this Specialist Support Coordination Manual and agree to follow the procedures, role boundaries, escalation requirements and documentation expectations described in this document.

This manual was updated with reference to the following official guidance and legal frameworks. Staff must use the current version of each source at the time of applying this manual:

• NDIS — How to connect with participants as a support coordinator
• NDIS — What are support coordinator reporting requirements
• NDIS — Support coordinators and the my NDIS provider portal / new computer system
• NDIS — What are NDIS supports and replacement supports
• NDIS — Summary of legislation changes, including funding periods
• NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission — NDIS Code of Conduct
• NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission — Behaviour Support and Restrictive Practices guidance
• NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission — Mandatory registration reform hub
• NDIS (Restrictive Practices and Behaviour Support) Rules 2018
• NDIS (Incident Management and Reportable Incidents) Rules 2018
• NDIS (Provider Registration and Practice Standards) Rules 2018
• Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and relevant state/territory privacy, health records, guardianship and child safety legislation.