When you’re part of the NDIS world there are so many different people and roles to wrap your head around.
Support Coordinator. LAC. Plan Manager. Key worker. Allied health professional. Nominee.
It can feel like a full cast of characters is suddenly involved in your life. But who’s who in the NDIS… And what do they actually do? Whether you’re new to the NDIS or just need a quick refresh, we’ve got you. This blog breaks down the most common roles you’ll come across. And how each one helps bring your plan to life.
NDIS Participant
That’s you, or the person you’re supporting. An NDIS participant is someone who has been found eligible and has an approved NDIS plan.
Participants:
- Work towards personal goals
- Use funding to access supports and services
- Choose how their plan is managed
- Can change providers or request plan reviews
Support Coordinator
Your go-to person for making your plan work in real life. A Support Coordinator helps you understand your NDIS plan, connect with services, and build your capacity to manage supports more independently over time.
They can:
- Explain your funding and options
- Link you to providers that suit your needs
- Troubleshoot issues or gaps in support
- Help prepare for plan reviews
- Advocate on your behalf if things go wrong
Not everyone is funded for Support Coordination. But that’s okay, we’ve got a guide to help you get Support Coordination in your NDIS plan.
Plan Manager
Handles the money stuff, so you don’t have to. A Plan Manager pays your invoices, tracks your budget, and helps you make sense of your funding. Without you needing to use the NDIS portal yourself.
They can:
- Process invoices from providers
- Reimburse you for eligible purchases
- Send monthly budget statements
- Help you avoid overspending or underspending
Local Area Coordinator (LAC)
Works for the NDIA, helps with planning and connecting. LAC’s support participants through planning meetings, reviews, and community connections. They don’t manage your plan, but they help create and review it.
They might:
- Run your first or subsequent plan meeting
- Explain what supports the NDIS might fund
- Connect you with local services
- Check in during plan reassessments
Allied Health Professionals (Therapists)
Your clinical and therapeutic support team. This includes physiotherapists, occupational therapists (OTs), speech pathologists, psychologists, behavioural therapists, and more. If your plan includes Capacity Building funding, these are the people delivering assessments, therapy, and reports.
They can:
- Deliver therapeutic interventions
- Provide functional assessments
- Make recommendations for equipment
- Support applications for assistive technology or housing
- Contribute to review or reassessment reports
NDIS Provider
A business or person that delivers NDIS-funded services. This could be a support worker, cleaner, gardening service, therapy provider, or group program. Providers can be NDIS-registered (formal registration with the NDIA) or unregistered.
Participants can choose providers based on their plan management type:
- NDIA-managed → Registered providers only
- Plan-managed → Registered and unregistered
- Self-managed → Any provider that issues invoices
Nominee / Guardian / Advocate
Someone who helps manage a participant’s plan and decisions. Not all participants want (or are able) to manage their plan alone. That’s where nominees or guardians can step in.
- Nominee: Formally appointed by the NDIA to act on behalf of the participant
- Guardian: Legally appointed decision-maker through a state or territory tribunal
- Advocate: Independent support person who helps protect participant rights, without being the decision-maker
NDIA Planner
The person who approves your plan and funding behind the scenes. NDIA Planners work for the National Disability Insurance Agency and make the final decisions on plan funding — including approvals, reassessments, and major changes.
You may not always meet them directly (especially if you work with an LAC), but they play a key role in:
- Approving or denying supports
- Setting plan budgets
- Making changes after reassessments
Support Workers
Your day-to-day support crew. Support workers are often the people you spend the most time with. They provide direct, hands-on assistance with things like:
- Personal care
- Daily living
- Community access
- Social participation
- Skill-building
They might work independently or through an agency, and you can choose who you feel comfortable with.
Specialist Roles (for complex needs)
Some participants also work with specialists like:
- Behaviour Support Practitioners’
- Psychosocial Recovery Coaches
- SDA Assessors or Housing Coordinators
- Early Childhood Key Workers
- High Intensity Support Nurses
Psychosocial Recovery Coach
For participants with a psychosocial disability, a Recovery Coach provides support with mental health recovery, building capacity, and navigating the NDIS.
They:
- Work with participants to develop recovery-enabling relationships
- Support coordination of mental health and mainstream services
- Help build resilience, independence, and connection
NDIS Quality & Safeguards Commission (NQSC)
While not directly involved in daily support, the NQSC plays a role in:
- Regulating providers
- Managing complaints or reportable incidents
- Ensuring safety, rights, and quality care
NDIS Appeals Officer / AAT Liaison
If a participant disagrees with a decision made by the NDIA (e.g. denied funding), they may engage:
- An appeals support officer
- An advocate
- Or go through the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) process
Need help understanding your plan or team?
Each role plays a part in helping you achieve your goals, stay supported, and live with choice and control. The more you understand who does what, the easier it becomes to ask for what you need and make sure your plan is working for you. Book a Free 15-Minute call with our Support Coordination team.