Frequently Asked Questions: Get Answers
Frequently Asked Questions
NDIS Frequently asked questions
With NDIS Plan Management available all across New South Wales it can become overwhelming if you are unfamiliar with the bureaucratic terminology. Below curated list of terms and their meanings.
National Disability Insurance Scheme
The NDIS, ‘National Disability Insurance Scheme’, is the scheme that people with disability are part of, these people are called participants.. The NDIA, ‘National Disability Insurance Agency’, is the government body that is in charge of implementing and running the scheme.
A nominee is a person who is appointed by a participant to act or make decisions on behalf of a participant.
Nominees have a duty to determine the wishes of the participant and make decisions that are in their best interests for their personal and social wellbeing.
There are two types of nominees:
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Plan Nominee
A plan nominee can undertake all activities that a participant would undertake including, all activity relating to their plan and the management of their funds.
If there is anything specific that you don’t want your plan nominee to decide, you can ask for this to be noted when you appoint them.
2. Correspondence Nominee
A correspondence nominee can undertake all activities that a participant would undertake, except for:
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The preparation, review or replacement of the participants plan
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Managing the funds for supports in the participants plan
You may consider having a nominee in place for times when you are unavailable to make decisions or need someone to speak with the NDIS on your behalf. The unexpected can happen and it’s good to have a plan in place, just in case.
Reasonable and necessary are the words the NDIS use when talking about what the NDIS will fund.
Reasonable:
Means that something is fair.
Necessary:
means something you must have.
The NDIS pay for reasonable and necessary supports that will help you be more independent, join in the community and get the services and equipment you need.
A few questions you might want to consider in determining if a product or service is reasonable and necessary:
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Disability Related – Do I need this because of my disability?
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Goals – Does it help me reach/move towards my goals, objectives and aspirations in my plan?
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Value for money – Are the costs reasonable, thinking about both the benefits and the cost of other ways that might get similar results?
The NDIS is the National Disability Insurance Scheme, which is an Australian Government funded support. Creating Links is an approved registered NDIS provider of disability care services.
For more information, please contact our disability team on 1300 254 657 or email at ndis@creatinglinks.org.au
- Support Coordination
- Plan Management
- Transport
- Household Tasks
- Personal Care
- Social and Community Activities
- Improved daily living
For an individual to be eligible for the NDIS they must:
- Live in Australia and have Australian residency
- Be under 65 years of age
- Have a disability that is likely to be permanent (lifelong) and that prevents them from doing everyday tasks by themselves.
- Be a child under six years of age with disability or developmental delay. Developmental delay means the child usually needs more support with self-care, communication, learning or motor skills than another child of the same age.
Once you know that you or the person in your care can access the NDIS, you will be contacted by a NDIA Local Area Coordinator (LAC) to have an NDIS planning meeting. This will either be over the phone or in person.
They will talk with you about:
- Your goals or goals for the person in your care
- Supports you or they may have now
- Things you need because of your or their disability to reach identified goals.
After the planning meeting, the NDIA will put the plan together and send it to you.
A plan may have funding for something called ‘Support Coordination’. This is funding for someone who can assist to get your plan or the plan of someone in your care started. They can also assist with decision making about who to choose to provide supports for you or the person in your care.
If ‘Support Coordination’ is in the plan, a Creating Links Coordinator can work with you to get the plan up and running.
Foster Care Frequently asked questions
Common questions related to Foster Care
We welcome carers from all walks of life, cultural and religious backgrounds, married couples, single people, and same-sex couples. You don’t have to own your own home and you can live in an apartment or house.
For more information, please contact our CARTS team on 1300 254 657 or adminfostercare@creatinglinks.org.au
Creating Links is an inclusive organisation that welcomes carers from all cultural and religious backgrounds, married couples, single people, and same-sex couples.
Our experienced team understands your needs and the importance of providing practical and professional support. Each carer is allocated an experienced Carer, Assessment, Recruitment, Training and Support (CARTS) Coordinator that works closely with you to empower and assist you to navigate the carer system, whilst also developing and maintaining your skills throughout the journey.
As a foster carer you will receive:
- 24/7 on-call support
- Carer Training
- Respite
- Support Workers
- Carer Networking
- Cultural Support
- Financial Support
The safety of your family and any children placed with you will always come first when considering what information can be disclosed. Your consent will always be requested in writing before your personal information is disclosed and you can request a review of the decision.
Yes. We work with you to ensure the placement offered to you is suitable given your commitments. Carers can be retired, unemployed, work full-time or part-time and rent or own their own home.
Temporary or short-term care
This can be anything from overnight up to twelve months. At the end of temporary care, there is a strong focus the child may return to their family or be placed in long-term care.
Permanent or long-term care, adoption, or guardianship
Typically for children who cannot live with their families. This care lasts until their family circumstances change, or until they turn 18. We expect children will remain a permanent part of their foster family even if they’re no longer officially in foster care.
Respite care
This involves short stays on a regular basis; sometimes for a few days, a couple of weeks or for one weekend a month. Respite care provides stressed parents or foster carers with a much-needed break. It can relieve a sense of isolation for families, and provide a different, positive experience for a child.
Relative or Kinship Care
This is when a child or young person lives with a relative or someone they already know.
Child & Family Services Frequently Asked Questions
Our most common questions relating to our Child and Family Services
This is where you can speak with a client service officer and seek short term support over 1 -3 sessions. This will help with tasks such as understanding Department of Housing documents, how to apply for the childcare subsidy and where to find playgroups in the area. It is always recommended to ring and speak to one of the staff in the team on 1300 254 657.
We can always meet you in our office, or another location where you feel comfortable, such as your children’s school, a coffee shop, or the local library.
Yes. We offer a hybrid model of therapeutic intervention where you can access the service via phone, face-to-face or over ZOOM. It is always best to discuss this with your counsellor and your current needs.
It is always recommended you ring and speak to our intake officer who will help you fill in the referral form over the phone. Alternatively, we can email you the form for your convenience.
You can ring and speak to the facilitator of the program and book in over the phone. Alternatively, you can email admin@creatinglinks.com.au to make a booking or if you have a general enquiry about one of the programs on offer.