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A
- ABN Australian Business Number. Required to invoice NDIS supports — registered or unregistered.
- ABN Holder A person or business holding an Australian Business Number — self-employed status.
- Abuse Liability Cover Insurance specifically covering claims of physical, sexual or financial abuse against a provider.
- AEO Answer Engine Optimisation — optimising content for AI assistants like ChatGPT, Perplexity and Claude.
- Aged Care The federally funded support system for older Australians — distinct from NDIS but adjacent.
- Allied Health Therapy services delivered by qualified clinicians — physio, OT, speech pathology, exercise physiology, psychology.
- Allied Health Assistant A worker assisting a qualified allied health practitioner — may be a therapist support or exercise physiology assistant.
- Allied Health Rates NDIS price-guide rates for therapy services.
- Allowance Additional pay beyond the base award rate for specific conditions — overnight care, travelling, higher-need participants...
- Application Fee The fee paid to the NDIS Commission to lodge a registration application.
- Application Form The NDIS Commission online form to apply for provider registration.
- Approved Quality Auditor An audit firm authorised by the NDIS Commission to conduct provider audits.
- Archive Policy The documented process for moving older records to long-term storage and eventual destruction.
- Assistive Technology NDIS-funded equipment that helps a participant function — wheelchairs, communication devices, home modifications.
- Audit Body Another term for an Approved Quality Auditor — the firm conducting the audit.
- Audit Cost The fee charged by an Approved Quality Auditor for conducting a provider audit.
- Audit Findings Report The formal report from the auditor at the end of an audit, listing all non-conformities and observations.
- Audit Firm Casual term for an Approved Quality Auditor's company.
- Audit Plan The schedule the auditor sends ahead of an audit detailing which indicators will be reviewed and on which day.
- Audit Submission The package of evidence the provider submits to the auditor before Stage 1.
- Audit Trail The documented record of who accessed, changed or approved a file — essential for NDIS governance.
- Audit Travel Auditor travel charges, separate from the audit fee, for site visits outside metro areas.
- Audit Window The 90-day period after Stage 2 in which non-conformities must be closed for first-time registration.
- Auditor Independence The requirement that audit firms have no financial or operational conflicts with the provider being audited.
- Australian Privacy Principles The 13 principles in the Privacy Act that govern collection, use and disclosure of personal information.
- Authorised Restrictive Practice A restrictive practice that has been formally authorised under state law.
- Award Wage The minimum wage set by an industrial award — for NDIS, typically the SCHADS Award.
B
- Banning Order An NDIS Commission order preventing a person or organisation from working in NDIS — temporary or permanent.
- Behaviour Support Specialised positive behaviour support for participants with complex needs. Delivered by a registered Behaviour Support ...
- Behaviour Support Plan The formal plan setting out strategies for managing behaviour of concern, including any authorised restrictive practices...
- Behaviour Support Practitioner A specialist practitioner registered with the NDIS Commission to deliver behaviour support.
- Brand The provider's identity, values and visual presence — how the market perceives the business.
- Break-Even The point at which monthly revenue covers all costs.
- Broken Shift Allowance Extra pay (usually $5-10 per shift) for working split shifts with a large gap between morning and afternoon.
- Bulk Upload The PRODA function for submitting many claims at once via CSV.
- Bundled Pricing Charging a single price for a package of services rather than itemising hours.
- Burn Rate The monthly net cash outflow when expenses exceed revenue.
C
- CAC Customer Acquisition Cost — the marketing spend per new participant signed.
- Cancellation Fee The portion of the support cost a provider can claim when a participant cancels at short notice.
- Cancellation Policy NDIS rules for billing when a participant cancels a session — typically 100% claimable if cancelled within 7 days for sh...
- Capacity Building NDIS budget category for investments that build a participant's skills or independence — therapy, coordination, training...
- Capacity Building Daily Activities An NDIS support item focused on improving a participant's skills in core daily-living tasks.
- Capacity-Building Soft Skills NDIS-funded support that builds a participant's communication, decision-making or community-engagement skills.
- Capital Supports NDIS budget category for one-off equipment, home modifications or assistive technology.
- Care Plan A document setting out how supports will be delivered to a specific participant — risks, preferences, communication need...
- Case Study A detailed written or video account of a participant's journey with the provider.
- Casual Loading The additional pay (usually 25%) added to casual worker wages to compensate for lack of entitlements.
- Casual Worker An NDIS employee paid on hourly basis with no guaranteed hours, entitled to casual loading (typically 25%).
- Centre-Based Day Activities A structured group setting where participants attend regularly for day programs, recreation or skill-building.
- Certification Audit The full NDIS audit including a site visit. Required for higher-risk service types like SIL, behaviour support and thera...
- Choice and Control The NDIS Act principle that participants must be empowered to choose their own providers and supports.
- Clinical Governance The system of accountability for clinical-quality decisions and outcomes.
- Closing Meeting The final meeting between the provider and auditor at the end of Stage 2, discussing findings and next steps.
- Co-Design The practice of designing supports and services with participants and carers, not just for them.
- Code of Conduct The NDIS Code of Conduct sets minimum behaviour standards for all NDIS workers, registered or not. Seven principles cove...
- Communication Profile A document recording how a participant prefers to communicate — verbal, AAC, sign, written.
- Community Access NDIS-funded support that helps participants engage in social, recreational and community activities.
- Competency Check The assessment confirming a worker can safely perform the tasks of their role.
- Complaints Handling The required process for receiving, recording and resolving complaints from participants, families and staff.
- Complaints Register The live record of every complaint received, status and resolution.
- Compliance Health Check Provider Scale's free 15-minute review of a provider's current compliance position.
- Compliance Manager The person responsible for ensuring the provider meets NDIS Practice Standards, Code of Conduct and legal obligations.
- Compliance Notice A formal notice from the NDIS Commission requiring a provider to fix a specific compliance failing within a set time.
- Compliance Officer A staff role focused on managing the provider's compliance with NDIS Practice Standards and other regulations.
- Compliments Register A record of positive feedback alongside the complaints register.
- Confidentiality Agreement A written agreement staff sign confirming they understand privacy obligations and will not disclose participant informat...
- Conflict Disclosure The requirement for providers and staff to declare any conflicts of interest that might affect impartial judgment.
- Conflict of Interest A circumstance where a provider's interests diverge from a participant's — typically financial.
- Consumer Directed Care An aged-care funding model similar in spirit to NDIS plan management.
- Content Marketing Creating valuable content (articles, videos, guides) to attract and educate prospects.
- Continuous Improvement The required Module 2 process for tracking lessons learned, complaints trends and incident root causes.
- Contractor A self-employed service provider (allied health, behaviour support) who operates under their own ABN.
- Conversion The rate at which leads become signed participants.
- Conversion Rate The percentage of leads that become signed participants — or visitors who become leads.
- Cookie Banner The website notice that informs visitors about cookies and consent options.
- Coordinator of Supports An NDIS-funded role that helps participants choose providers, manage their plan, and connect with community supports.
- Coordinator Outreach The practice of building relationships with support coordinators to receive new referrals.
- Core Supports The flexible NDIS budget category covering everyday assistance — personal care, community access, transport and consumab...
- Corrective Action The fix a provider implements to close out a non-conformity raised in audit.
- Cost Per Lead The marketing spend divided by leads generated.
- Cost Per Participant The marketing spend divided by participants signed — not just leads.
- Crisis Plan A documented plan for responding to specific identified risks for a participant — behaviour escalation, medical episode,...
- Critical Incident An incident with serious harm potential — often overlapping with reportable incidents.
- CRM Customer relationship management software — for NDIS providers, this tracks leads, participants and coordinator relation...
- Cultural Safety The Practice Standards expectation that supports respect a participant's cultural identity, including First Nations, CAL...
- Cyber Liability Insurance covering data breach, ransomware and digital fraud incidents.
D
- Day Programme A structured group setting where participants attend regularly for skills-building, recreation or social engagement.
- Disability Provider Generic term for any organisation delivering supports to people with disability — registered or unregistered with NDIS.
- Disability Royal Commission The 2019-2023 federal inquiry into violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation of people with disability.
- Disability Support Worker A frontline worker delivering direct NDIS supports to participants under supervision.
- Document Control The Module 2 expectation that policies, forms and templates are managed centrally with version control.
- Document Review The auditor's examination of provider policies, procedures, registers and service-delivery records.
- Domain The web address of a provider's website — e.g. providerscale.com.au.
- Domestic Assistance NDIS-funded help with household tasks — cleaning, laundry, gardening (when linked to disability).
E
- Early Childhood Approach The NDIS pathway for children under 9, focused on building family capacity rather than direct funded supports first.
- Early Childhood Partner Community-based organisations contracted by the NDIA to support children under 9 with developmental delay or disability.
- Email Marketing Sending bulk informational or promotional emails to participants, families, coordinators.
- Evidence The documents, records and artefacts the auditor reviews to confirm a Practice Standard is met.
- Exercise Physiology Allied health discipline focused on prescribed exercise to manage chronic disease, injury and disability.
F
- Fair Work The federal regulator overseeing employment law in Australia, including the SCHADS Award.
- Family Carer An informal carer (parent, partner, sibling) supporting a participant alongside funded supports.
- Featured Snippet The Google answer box at the top of search results — owns the SERP for that query.
- Finding and Keeping a Job NDIS claim code for employment-focused supports — job coaching, workplace adaptation and job retention.
- Form Fill A website visitor submitting a contact form — turning anonymous visitor into known lead.
- Form Library The collection of all templates and forms a provider uses in service delivery — consent forms, risk assessments, goal pl...
- Foundational Supports Lower-intensity supports outside the NDIS that the federal government has committed to fund from 2026 — autism, mental-h...
- Functional Assessment A behavioural-science assessment that identifies the function (purpose) of a behaviour of concern.
- Functional Behaviour Assessment A more clinical version of functional assessment used in psychology and behaviour support.
- Functional Capacity Assessment An OT or physio-led assessment that documents how a participant's disability affects daily life — used for plan reviews ...
G
- Goal Setting The collaborative process where a provider and participant set short-term goals aligned to plan outcomes.
- Goal-Based Pricing A pricing model where provider payment is tied to outcome achievement, not just hours.
- Gross Margin The portion of revenue remaining after worker costs — before overhead.
- Group Programmes NDIS supports delivered to multiple participants simultaneously — day programs, classes, group therapy.
H
- Hazard Reporting The required process for staff to report potential hazards before they cause incidents.
- High Intensity Supports NDIS supports for participants with extreme disability requiring frequent, skilled assistance.
- Home Modifications Permanent structural changes to a participant's home funded under the NDIS — ramps, accessible bathrooms, hoists.
- Hourly Rate The maximum amount a provider can charge per hour for a support item.
- House Manager The person responsible for day-to-day management of a SIL home or shared accommodation.
I
- Improved Daily Living Claim code for supports that build independence in personal care, hygiene and domestic tasks.
- Improved Health and Wellbeing NDIS claim code for supports focused on physical and mental health outcomes.
- Improved Learning NDIS capacity-building category for supports focused on skill development, education or employment training.
- Improved Life Choices NDIS claim code for supports that expand a participant's autonomy and life options.
- Improved Living Arrangements NDIS claim code for supports related to housing, residential settings and daily living environment.
- Improved Relationships NDIS claim code for supports building family, social and community connections.
- Incident Management The required process for recording, investigating and reporting any incident that occurs during NDIS supports.
- Incident Register The live record of every incident, response and outcome.
- Increased Social and Community Participation NDIS claim code covering leisure, recreation, volunteering and community engagement.
- Industrial Award A federal industrial instrument setting minimum pay and conditions for an industry.
- Information Sharing The process and rules for disclosing participant information to third parties — families, other providers, health servic...
- Informed Consent The process of giving participants enough information to make a real decision about their supports.
- Initial Audit The first audit a new applicant goes through — the gate to registration.
- Innovative Community Participation NDIS claim code for novel or non-standard approaches to participant community engagement.
- Internal Audit A self-conducted review against the Practice Standards before the external auditor arrives.
- Invoicing The NDIS-specific process of submitting claims for delivered supports and receiving payment.
- Item-Based Pricing Charging per support item — the default NDIS pricing model.
J
L
- LAC Local Area Coordinator. The community-based partner organisation that helps people access the NDIS and develop their fir...
- Landing Page A focused web page designed to convert visitors into leads.
- Large Org Registration class for providers with over 50 staff or significant turnover.
- Lead A potential new participant who has expressed interest but not yet signed.
- Lodgement The act of submitting a registration application to the NDIS Commission.
- Lone Worker Safety The WHS obligation to manage risks for staff working alone with participants.
- LTV Lifetime Value — the total revenue a participant generates over their tenure with the provider.
- LTV-to-CAC Ratio The ratio of participant LTV to acquisition cost.
- Lumary Salesforce-based NDIS software favoured by larger providers and aged-care operators.
M
- Mailshake The cold-email tool Provider Scale uses to run coordinator outreach campaigns at scale.
- Major Non-Conformity A serious audit finding requiring corrective action before registration is granted.
- Mandatory Registration The NDIS reform that requires all providers in scope to be registered with the Commission. Phased rollout from July 2026...
- Mandatory Reporting Reporting obligations beyond NDIS — child safety, elder abuse, suspected criminal acts.
- Manual Handling The WHS expectation that workers can safely move people and equipment without injury.
- Margin The difference between sell rate and worker cost.
- Medium Org Registration class for providers with 11-50 staff or higher turnover.
- Medium-Term Accommodation NDIS-funded accommodation for participants needing temporary residential support — usually 1-6 months.
- Meta Ads Paid advertising on Facebook and Instagram (Meta's platforms).
- Mid-Cycle Audit An interim audit triggered by complaints, growth or scope changes — not part of the normal cycle.
- Minor Non-Conformity A less serious audit finding that can be closed within 90 days post-audit.
- Mock Audit A pre-audit dry run that simulates the real auditor's questions and document review.
- Module 1 Rights and Responsibilities. The first NDIS Practice Standards module — covers participant choice, privacy, dignity and ...
- Module 2 Provider Governance and Operational Management. Covers risk, complaints, incidents, human resources and continuous impro...
- Module 3 The Provision of Supports. Covers how supports are planned, delivered and reviewed with participants.
- Module 4 The Provision of Supports Environment. Covers the physical and procedural safety of where supports are delivered.
N
- Navigator A planned new role to help participants and families navigate both NDIS and foundational supports.
- NDIA The National Disability Insurance Agency. The federal agency that administers the NDIS — assesses access, builds plans a...
- NDIA Provider Portal The PRODA-linked NDIA portal where registered providers manage service bookings and payment requests.
- NDIA-Managed An NDIS plan where the NDIA pays providers directly. Only registered providers can be paid this way.
- NDIS The National Disability Insurance Scheme. A federally-funded Australian programme that provides individualised support p...
- NDIS Audit The independent quality review every NDIS provider must pass to be registered. Either Verification or Certification.
- NDIS Audit Cost 2026 Average audit fees for NDIS providers in 2026.
- NDIS Audit Cost 2027 Projected audit fees for the year mandatory registration expands.
- NDIS Booklet The introductory NDIS guide booklets distributed by the NDIA.
- NDIS Cancellation Rules The current NDIA rules for billing cancelled appointments.
- NDIS Code Casual term for the NDIS Code of Conduct.
- NDIS Commission The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. The independent regulator that registers providers, sets practice standards ...
- NDIS Commission Notice A formal notice from the NDIS Commission — could be compliance, banning or registration variation.
- NDIS Commission Provider Portal The login portal where registered providers manage their registration, lodge complaints and report incidents.
- NDIS Commission Reporting The portal-based reporting requirement for incidents, complaints and restrictive practices.
- NDIS Commissioner The federal officer leading the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. Sets enforcement priorities and policy direction...
- NDIS Compliance The umbrella term for everything a provider must do to meet NDIS Practice Standards and Code of Conduct.
- NDIS Growth The discipline of attracting new participants and increasing service hours per participant.
- NDIS Insurance Public liability and professional indemnity cover required for NDIS providers — typically $20M PL + $5M PI minimum.
- NDIS Lead Generation The discipline of attracting prospective participants through marketing channels.
- NDIS Marketing All marketing activities for NDIS providers — branding, content, ads, outreach.
- NDIS Mock Audit A pre-audit dry run to identify and fix issues before the real audit.
- NDIS Outcomes Domain One of the eight life domains the NDIS Outcomes Framework measures — daily living, work, social, health, etc.
- NDIS Plan The funded support package each participant receives. Sets out goals, funded supports and budget allocation.
- NDIS Plan Goals The participant-set objectives every NDIS plan is built around — short-term and medium-term.
- NDIS Plan Management Provider A registered NDIS provider that processes invoices and tracks budgets on behalf of plan-managed participants.
- NDIS Plan Reassessment The formal name for what most people call a plan review.
- NDIS Price Guide The annually-updated document that sets the maximum prices providers can charge for each support item.
- NDIS Pricing Arrangements The official NDIS document setting maximum prices, claiming rules and travel rules. Updated each July.
- NDIS Pricing Calculator A simple tool that calculates the right NDIS rate for a given service, time and region.
- NDIS Pricing Reform The annual review and adjustment of NDIS prices, delivered through the Annual Pricing Review.
- NDIS Provider An organisation or individual delivering NDIS-funded supports.
- NDIS Provider Insurance Specialised PL/PI insurance designed for NDIS providers, often bundled by industry-specific brokers.
- NDIS Provider Number The unique identifier issued to every registered NDIS provider — used in invoicing and the Provider Finder.
- NDIS Provider Pathway The end-to-end journey from unregistered to registered provider — application, audit, registration, ongoing compliance.
- NDIS Provider Reform 2027 The mandatory registration expansion taking effect July 2027.
- NDIS Provider Register The public-facing list of every registered NDIS provider, searchable by location and service.
- NDIS Quality Indicators The measurable indicators auditors check against the Practice Standards — e.g. "service agreements are in plain language...
- NDIS Quality Indicators Workbook The official document listing every indicator under each Practice Standard.
- NDIS Reform The package of changes following the Disability Royal Commission and the 2023 NDIS Review — covers participant pathways,...
- NDIS Review The 2023 federal review of the NDIS that recommended foundational supports, navigators and tighter provider regulation.
- NDIS Self-Audit A self-conducted review against the Practice Standards — usually as part of pre-audit prep.
- NDIS SEO Search engine optimisation tailored to NDIS-specific intent — registration, audit, services, location queries.
- NDIS Software Specialised practice-management software built for NDIS providers — covers rostering, invoicing, claims, compliance.
- NDIS Worker Check A clearance every paid NDIS worker must hold to deliver supports. Replaces the older Working With Children Check for NDI...
- NDIS Worker Pay The combined wages, allowances and on-costs paid to support workers.
- NDIS Worker Pay Rates Award rates for NDIS support workers, governed by the SCHADS Award.
- Net Margin What's left after worker costs AND overhead.
- Non-Conformity A finding raised during an NDIS audit when a Practice Standard isn't met. Classified as Major or Minor.
- Notifiable Data Breach A data breach that must be reported to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner within 30 days.
O
- Observation An audit finding that's not a non-conformity but worth noting for continuous improvement.
- Occupational Therapy Allied health discipline focused on enabling daily occupations — work, self-care, leisure.
- Offboarding The structured process for ending services with a participant.
- On-Costs The additional employment costs beyond wages — super, leave, workers comp, payroll tax.
- Onboarding In NDIS context, the structured process for bringing a new participant into your service.
- Opening Meeting The initial meeting between the provider and auditor to scope the audit, clarify processes and establish ground rules.
- Operations Manager The manager responsible for the daily systems and processes that run the provider business.
- Outcomes The measurable results of supports — closer to plan goals, increased independence, improved quality of life.
- Outcomes Framework The NDIA's measurement system that tracks participant progress against plan goals.
- Outcomes-Based Reporting Reporting that measures participant progress against goals rather than just hours of service delivered.
P
- Participant A person whose NDIS access request has been approved and who has an NDIS plan in place. Each participant chooses how the...
- Participant Capacity The maximum number of participants a provider can serve given current staff and rostering.
- Participant Feedback Structured collection of participant satisfaction and outcomes data — surveys, interviews, focus groups.
- Participant Goals The plan-set objectives a participant wants to achieve — formal alias for NDIS Plan Goals.
- PAYG Withholding The tax amount employers must withhold from employee wages and remit to the ATO.
- Penalty Rate Extra pay (typically 50-100%) for working outside standard hours — evenings, weekends, public holidays.
- Performance Review The structured staff review process that supports development and accountability.
- Permanent Worker An NDIS employee on a fixed contract with guaranteed hours and employment protections beyond casual.
- Person-Centred A philosophy that places the participant's voice and choices at the centre of service design.
- Personal Care NDIS-funded support with daily-living tasks — showering, dressing, toileting, meal preparation.
- Physiotherapy Allied health discipline focused on movement, mobility and pain management.
- Pipeline Tracker A simple CRM for tracking referrals through stages — new lead, qualified, matched, signed, billing.
- Plan Manager A registered NDIS provider that handles the financial side of a participant's plan — paying invoices and tracking spend.
- Plan Review The annual NDIA process where a participant's plan is renewed. Funded supports are recalculated based on goals and progr...
- Plan-Managed An NDIS plan where a registered Plan Manager pays the invoices but the participant chooses their own providers — registe...
- Policy Pack A bundled set of policies and procedures aligned to all four Practice Standards modules.
- Positive Behaviour Support An evidence-based approach to behaviours of concern that uses functional assessment, environmental change and skill-buil...
- Post-Incident Review The structured analysis after an incident to identify root cause and prevent recurrence.
- Practice Manual A controlled document containing all of a provider's policies and procedures.
- Practice Standards The four-module national quality framework every registered NDIS provider must meet. Covers rights, governance, service ...
- Pre-Application Review Provider Scale's free review of registration readiness before formal NDIS application.
- Pre-Audit Review Provider Scale's structured review of all evidence before submission to the auditor.
- Pricing Calculator Same as NDIS Pricing Calculator.
- Pricing Limits The maximum prices providers can charge per support item — set in the NDIS Pricing Arrangements.
- Privacy Act The federal law governing handling of personal information — applies to every NDIS provider.
- Privacy Breach An incident where personal information has been accessed, lost or disclosed without authorisation.
- Privacy Policy The published document explaining how a provider handles personal information.
- Procedure Document A step-by-step written description of how a specific process is executed.
- PRODA The Provider Digital Access portal — the federal government login that NDIS providers use to submit claims.
- Professional Indemnity Insurance covering claims arising from professional advice or services — relevant for allied health, behaviour support, ...
- Programmatic SEO The discipline of generating large numbers of SEO pages from templates and data.
- Progress Notes Records of each support session — what was done, by whom, and how the participant responded.
- Provider Code of Conduct The NDIS Code of Conduct as it applies to provider organisations — separate from the worker-level code.
- Provider Finder The NDIA's official online directory of registered NDIS providers.
- Provider Registration Package A bundled service offering policy templates, audit prep and submission support to help unregistered providers get regist...
- Provider Risk Profile The NDIS Commission's internal scoring of a provider's compliance risk.
- Provider Scale The Australian agency that helps NDIS providers grow and get registered. Founded by NDIS operators.
- Provider Travel NDIS-funded travel time providers can claim when supporting community-based participants.
- Psychology Allied health discipline delivering psychological assessment, therapy and behavioural intervention.
- Psychosocial Disability Disability arising from mental-health conditions like schizophrenia, bipolar or PTSD when functional impact is significa...
- Public Liability Insurance covering injury or property damage to third parties caused by your business activities.
Q
- Quality Audit A synonym for NDIS audit — verification or certification.
- Quality Auditor Casual term for an Approved Quality Auditor.
- Quality Manager A staff role focused on continuous improvement and audit readiness.
- Quality Manager The staff member responsible for continuous improvement, audit readiness and compliance documentation.
- Quality Manual The comprehensive document describing all policies, procedures and systems the provider uses to meet Practice Standards.
- Quote A formal estimate sent by a provider to a participant before delivering supports — required for any item over $1,500.
R
- Records Management The systems for storing, accessing, archiving and destroying participant and operational records.
- Recovery Coach A specialised support role for participants with psychosocial disability — focuses on recovery-oriented planning and sel...
- Referral A new participant introduced by a coordinator, plan manager, family member or another provider.
- Referral Source The category from which a new participant came — coordinator, family, website, ad.
- Registered Provider An NDIS provider that has passed an audit and is listed on the official NDIS Provider Register.
- Registration Class The category of provider — Single Person, Small Org, Medium Org, Large Org — that determines the audit scope and price.
- Registration Cost The total cost of becoming a registered NDIS provider — application, audit, and consultancy fees.
- Registration Group A category of NDIS supports a registered provider is approved to deliver — e.g. Group 0107 (allied health), Group 0115 (...
- Renewal Audit The repeat audit every registered provider must pass at the end of each registration cycle (3 years).
- Renewal Cycle The 3-year cycle between registration audits.
- Reportable Fringe Benefits Non-cash benefits provided to employees that have tax implications — vehicles, accommodation, gifts over $300.
- Reportable Incident Specific incident categories the NDIS Commission requires every registered provider to report — death, serious injury, a...
- Respite Care NDIS-funded temporary support giving carers a break from daily caregiving.
- Restrictive Practice Any practice that restricts a participant's rights or freedom of movement — physical, mechanical, chemical, environmenta...
- Retention Period The minimum time a provider must keep a record before it can be destroyed.
- Risk Management Plan A documented framework for identifying, scoring and treating risks across the business.
- Risk Register A live document tracking every risk to the business or participants, with controls and review dates.
- Root Cause Analysis A structured technique to identify the underlying cause of an incident or issue.
- Roster The schedule of which workers are with which participants when.
- Rostering The end-to-end process of scheduling shifts, ensuring qualifications match needs and tracking changes.
S
- Safe Work Australia The federal agency that oversees WHS legislation and codes of practice.
- Salary Sacrifice NDIS Workers An arrangement where an NDIS support worker forgoes wages in exchange for benefits like a vehicle or uniform allowance.
- SCHADS Award The Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award — the federal industrial instrument covering mos...
- Schema Markup Structured data added to web pages so search engines understand the content type — article, FAQ, product, etc.
- SDA Specialist Disability Accommodation. NDIS-funded purpose-built housing for participants with extreme functional impairme...
- Self-Assessment The first step of registration — completing the NDIS self-assessment against the relevant Practice Standards.
- Self-Directed Funding An umbrella term for any NDIS plan where the participant has direct control of how money is spent — covers self-managed ...
- Self-Managed An NDIS plan where the participant manages their own funding, pays providers directly and submits claims to the NDIA.
- Senior Support Worker An experienced support worker with leadership responsibilities — may supervise other workers or oversee complex particip...
- Service Agreement The written contract between a participant and a provider that sets out what supports will be delivered, when, and at wh...
- Service Agreement Template A pre-built service agreement document compliant with NDIS Practice Standard 1.5.
- Service Booking A reservation a participant or plan manager makes against a provider — locks in a portion of the plan budget.
- Service Delivery The actual provision of supports to participants — the core of NDIS work.
- Service Manager The operational manager overseeing service delivery across multiple participants, teams or locations.
- Shift A single instance of support delivered by a worker to a participant.
- ShiftCare NDIS rostering and invoicing software popular with small-to-medium providers.
- Short-Term Accommodation NDIS-funded temporary residential support — holiday respite, emergency placement or planned breaks.
- SIL Supported Independent Living. NDIS-funded shared accommodation where support workers help participants with daily life s...
- Single Person Provider The smallest registration class — typically a sole-trader support worker or solo allied health practitioner.
- Single Touch Payroll The ATO's system for real-time reporting of wages, super and tax via payroll software.
- Site Visit The auditor's in-person visit to the provider's office, homes and service locations.
- Skill Development NDIS claim code for any support aimed at building specific participant skills or independence.
- Sleepover Allowance Extra pay for support workers who sleep on-site during SIL or overnight respite care.
- Small Org Registration class for providers with up to 10 staff and modest turnover.
- SMS Automation Triggered SMS sequences that fire on lead actions — form fill, missed call, no-show.
- SMS Marketing Sending bulk informational or promotional SMS to a database.
- Sole Trader A self-employed support worker operating under their own ABN — no employer.
- Speak Up Channel The confidential mechanism (phone, email, online) through which staff can report concerns to management or external bodi...
- Specialist Support Coordinator A senior support coordinator with extra training to handle complex participants — typically those with mental-health, ju...
- Speech Pathology Allied health discipline focused on communication, language, speech and swallowing.
- Speed-to-Lead The time from first lead arrival to first response. Critical conversion factor.
- SSL Certificate The encryption certificate that turns a website from http to https.
- Staff Induction The structured onboarding process every new NDIS worker must complete before delivering supports.
- Stage 1 Audit The desk-review portion of an NDIS Certification audit. The auditor reviews your policies, procedures and registers befo...
- Stage 1 Pass Successful completion of the desk-review portion of a Certification audit.
- Stage 2 Audit The on-site portion of an NDIS Certification audit. The auditor visits the workplace, interviews staff and observes serv...
- Stage 2 Pass Successful completion of the on-site portion of a Certification audit, with all non-conformities closed.
- Stakeholder In NDIS context, anyone with an interest in a participant's supports — family, plan manager, GP, support coordinator.
- Strengths-Based Approach A practice philosophy that builds on what participants can do rather than focusing on deficits.
- Subcontracting Agreement A written contract between a provider and subcontractor outlining scope, standards and indemnities.
- Subcontractor A third-party provider delivering supports on behalf of the registered provider — remains the provider's responsibility.
- Superannuation Guarantee The compulsory employer contribution to employee superannuation — currently 11.5% of wages.
- Supervision The structured oversight of staff practice, particularly in clinical and behaviour-support roles.
- Support Coordinator An NDIS-funded role that helps participants choose providers, manage their plan and connect to community supports.
- Support Item A specific service line in the NDIS Price Guide, identified by a unique code.
- Support Plan A more granular version of the care plan focused on day-to-day support delivery.
- Surveillance Audit An interim audit during the registration cycle triggered by concerns or scope changes.
T
- Temporary Transformation Payment A surcharge registered providers can claim on certain support items to fund quality and compliance investments.
- Testimonial A statement from a satisfied participant or family member endorsing the provider.
- Therapeutic Support Worker A support worker with specialized training in mental health, behaviour support or recovery approaches.
- Therapy Umbrella term for allied health and behaviour support services delivered to NDIS participants.
- Training Register The live record of every staff member's training and competency status.
- Transport Services NDIS-funded provision of transport to enable participation in community activities or appointments.
- Trauma-Informed Care A practice approach that recognises and responds to the impact of trauma on participants.
- Travel Allowance Reimbursement or allowance paid to workers for transportation costs — fuel, vehicle maintenance, public transport.
- Travel Time NDIS-claimable time spent travelling between participants.
- Triennial Audit The 3-yearly full audit that renews NDIS provider registration.
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- Verification Audit The simpler of the two NDIS audits — a desk audit checking documents only. Required for low-risk service types like home...
- Version Control The system for tracking document revisions, approval dates and current status.
- Video Content Short and long-form video used in marketing — testimonials, explainers, ads.
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- Webinar A live online presentation, typically delivered to many attendees.
- Website The provider's online presence — increasingly the first thing prospects research.
- Whistleblower Policy The documented process staff can use to raise concerns about unsafe or unlawful practice without fear of retaliation.
- WHS Work Health and Safety. The federal/state framework that governs workplace safety obligations.
- Work Instruction A detailed guide for staff on how to perform a specific task or follow a procedure.
- Worker Matching The process of matching support workers to participants based on personality, skills and preferences.
- Worker Orientation Module A free 90-minute online module every new NDIS worker must complete before delivering supports.
- Worker Screening A clearance every NDIS worker must hold before delivering supports. Issued by each state's clearance unit.
- Workers Compensation State-mandated insurance covering workplace injury to employees.
- Working With Children Check State-issued clearance required to work with people under 18. Some NDIS roles need both a Worker Check and a WWCC.