The NDIS has seen some of its most significant changes in years, with the 2026 reforms reshaping how plans are built, reviewed and managed. For many participants, this has meant uncertainty — but it has also brought new opportunities to access more flexible, person-centred supports.
One of the biggest changes is the introduction of the new 'needs assessment' framework, which replaces the previous functional capacity assessment process. Under the new framework, participants work with an independent assessor to identify their support needs across seven life domains, including daily living, community participation, relationships and employment.
Plan budgets are now structured differently too. Rather than three broad support categories, participants now have a single 'flexible' budget alongside a smaller 'stated' budget for specific high-cost items. This gives most participants more freedom to choose how they use their funding — but it also means more responsibility for tracking spending.
If your plan is due for review in the next six months, now is a great time to start preparing. Document how your current supports are working, note any gaps, and think about your goals for the next plan period. Our support coordinators can help you prepare for your review — contact us to book a planning conversation.
Robyn T. joined Together in Motion Services three years ago after a decade in human resources across the health and community services sectors. She came to us, she says, because she wanted to work somewhere where the values weren't just on a poster on the wall.
"What I've found here is that people genuinely care," Robyn says. "Not just about the participants we support, but about each other. That's rare, and it's something we work hard to protect as we grow."
Robyn oversees recruitment, onboarding, training and staff wellbeing across all four states. She's particularly proud of the organisation's approach to psychological safety — the idea that every team member should feel safe to speak up, ask questions and make mistakes without fear of judgment.
"If a support worker feels unsafe raising a concern, that concern doesn't go away — it just goes underground," he explains. "We've built systems and a culture where people feel heard. That's good for our team, and it's good for the people we support."
Choosing a Supported Independent Living (SIL) home is one of the most important decisions a participant and their family will make. It affects not just where you live, but who you live with, how your days are structured and the quality of support you receive every single day.
Before you visit a SIL home, prepare a list of questions. Ask about the staffing ratio — how many support workers are rostered per participant, and what happens when a regular worker is sick or on leave? Ask about the house rules and how decisions are made about shared spaces, meals and activities.
Ask about the other residents. You have a right to know who you'll be living with, and whether the house is a good fit for your personality, interests and support needs. A good provider will welcome these questions and give you time to visit more than once before deciding.
Finally, ask about complaints and feedback. How does the provider handle concerns raised by participants or families? What's the process if something goes wrong? The answers to these questions will tell you a great deal about the culture of the organisation.
When people hear 'community participation', they often think of day programs or group outings. But the NDIS definition is much broader — and much more meaningful — than that.
Community participation is about supporting people with disability to be active, valued members of their communities. That might mean joining a local sports club, volunteering, attending a place of worship, taking a class, or simply having the support to catch public transport independently.
The research is clear: social connection and community participation are strongly linked to mental health, wellbeing and quality of life. For people who have experienced isolation — which is common among people with disability — the impact of meaningful community participation can be profound.
If you have community participation funding in your plan and aren't sure how to use it, talk to your support coordinator. Together, you can identify activities that align with your goals and interests — not just what's available, but what genuinely matters to you.
Cultural safety is not a training module you complete once and tick off a list. It is an ongoing commitment — a way of being and working that centres the experiences, knowledge and self-determination of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
In the disability sector, cultural safety means recognising that for many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, disability is understood differently. It means understanding the impact of colonisation, intergenerational trauma and systemic racism on health and wellbeing. It means listening more than you speak.
At Together in Motion Services, we have embedded cultural safety into our recruitment, training, service delivery and governance. Every staff member completes cultural safety training, and we have a Cultural Safety Advisory Group that guides our practice and holds us accountable.
But the most important thing we do is listen to the communities we serve. If you are an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander participant or family member and you have feedback about our services, we want to hear from you. Your voice shapes how we work.
Your NDIS plan review is one of the most important conversations you'll have about your supports. It's your chance to tell the NDIA what's working, what isn't, and what you need to achieve your goals. Here are five things to do before your review meeting.
First, review your current plan and track how you've used your funding. Which supports have you used? Which haven't you been able to access? Are there gaps between what your plan funds and what you actually need? Bring evidence — invoices, service agreements, reports from allied health professionals.
Second, update your goals. Your goals should reflect what matters to you right now — not what mattered two years ago. Think about what you want to achieve in the next 12 months across all areas of your life: daily living, relationships, employment, health and community participation.
Third, get reports from your allied health team. Occupational therapists, physiotherapists, speech pathologists and psychologists can provide evidence of your functional capacity and support needs. These reports carry significant weight in the review process.
Compassion fatigue is real, and it's common in the disability support sector. When you spend your days giving — emotionally, physically, practically — it can be hard to recognise when your own reserves are running low. The first step is simply acknowledging that your wellbeing matters too.
Setting boundaries is not the same as not caring. It means being clear about what you can and cannot do, and communicating that clearly with your team and your participants. Boundaries protect the quality of your support — when you're depleted, the people you support feel it too.
Supervision and debriefing are essential, not optional. Regular check-ins with your team leader or supervisor give you a space to process difficult situations, celebrate wins and get support when things are hard. If you're not getting regular supervision, ask for it — it's part of your entitlement as a support worker.
At Together in Motion Services, we take staff wellbeing seriously. We offer an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) with free, confidential counselling, regular team wellbeing check-ins and a culture where it's safe to say 'I'm not okay today.' If you're struggling, please reach out to your team leader or our Human Resources Manager.
When we talk about independent living in the disability sector, we're not talking about doing everything alone. We're talking about having the supports in place that allow you to make your own choices — about where you live, who you live with, how you spend your time and what matters to you.
For some participants, independent living means moving out of the family home for the first time. For others, it means transitioning from a group home to a shared house with housemates they've chosen. For others still, it means staying in their own home with the right level of daily support.
The NDIS funds a range of supports that make independent living possible: Supported Independent Living (SIL), Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA), Assistance with Daily Life, and more. The key is finding the right combination for your individual needs and goals.
If you're thinking about independent living options, our team can help you explore what's available and what might suit you best. We'll take the time to understand your goals, your preferences and your support needs — and work with you to find a solution that genuinely fits your life.