Everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. For people living with disability, having a say in your own life is a big part of building confidence, independence and wellbeing.
Knowing your NDIS participant rights, and what you can expect from your providers and support workers, is a big part of making that work for you. The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) exists to help eligible people with disabilities work towards their goals and take part in everyday life. Knowing your rights, and what you can expect from your providers and support workers, is a big part of making that work for you.
Whether you’re brand new to the NDIS or have been part of it for years, understanding your NDIS participant rights makes it easier to make informed decisions, speak up about what you want and feel confident in the support you receive.
At Songbird, we believe that quality disability support begins with listening, respecting individual choices and recognising that every person has their own goals, preferences and aspirations.
What Does Choice and Control Mean Under the NDIS?
Choice and control simply means having a say in the decisions that affect your life and your supports. It’s one of the most important NDIS participant rights.
As an NDIS participant, you should be supported to make informed decisions about your services and work towards goals that matter to you. Your preferences, communication needs and circumstances should shape how your supports are planned and delivered.
Choice and control can include:
- Having a say in the type of support you receive.
- Being involved in decisions about your daily routines and activities.
- Expressing your preferences about how support workers assist you.
- Working towards goals that are meaningful to you.
- Asking questions before agreeing to services.
- Having information explained in a way you can understand.
- Being involved in decisions about changes to your support arrangements.
Every person’s circumstances are different. Some people make decisions on their own. Others prefer help from family, a trusted person or an independent advocate, which the NDIS calls supported decision making. Either way, your voice, preferences and rights should stay at the centre of decisions about your life.
What Are Your NDIS Participant Rights?
The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission has a helpful page on your rights as an NDIS participant. Here’s what they can look like day to day.
Your Right to Be Treated With Dignity and Respect
You should always be spoken to and supported in a way that makes you feel valued. That includes being called by the name you prefer, having your culture, beliefs and identity respected, and being treated as the expert on your own life.
Your Right to Make Decisions About Your Daily Life
From what’s for dinner to how you spend your weekend, everyday decisions are yours to make. Support workers are there to help you carry out your choices, offering information and encouragement where you want it, not to make those choices for you.
Your Right to Privacy and Confidentiality
Your personal information belongs to you. Providers should only collect what they need, store it securely and share it with people you’ve agreed to, unless the law requires otherwise or someone’s safety is at risk. Your personal space and dignity should also be respected, especially when you’re getting help with personal care.
Your Right to Safe and Quality Support
You deserve support that is delivered safely, skilfully and with care. All NDIS providers and workers must follow the NDIS Code of Conduct, and the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission oversees quality and safety. If something doesn’t feel right, it’s okay to say so.
Your Right to Choose Supports That Suit Your Needs
It’s your plan, and choosing your provider is one of your NDIS participant rights. You can ask questions, compare your options and take the time you need to decide. If the support isn’t the right fit, you can change providers, keeping in mind any notice period in your service agreement.
Your Right to Express Concerns and Make Complaints
If you feel your NDIS participant rights aren’t being respected, you can say so without worrying about it affecting your support. A good first step is talking to your provider. If you’d prefer to go elsewhere, you can make a complaint to the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. You can also ask a family member, friend or independent advocate to help. The best providers welcome feedback and use it to improve.
Your Right to Work Towards Your Own Goals
Your goals might be big or small, from learning to catch the bus to moving into a home of your own. They’re yours, and your supports should be built around them. As your goals change, your supports can change too.
Your Right to Have Your Voice Heard
Everyone communicates differently, whether through speech, gestures, pictures, devices or with help from someone you trust. You have the right to be understood and to have information shared in a way that works for you. If you’d like someone to speak up with you, you can bring along a family member, friend or independent advocate.
How Can an NDIS Provider Support Your Participant Rights?
NDIS providers play a big part in upholding NDIS participant rights and helping participants feel respected, safe and in control. Good support is about more than getting tasks done. It means recognising that every person is an individual and treating their rights as part of everyday life.
A person-centred approach looks like:
- Listening to participants and learning what they prefer
- Supporting informed decisions and genuine choice
- Respecting privacy, dignity and personal boundaries
- Communicating clearly, in a way that works for each person
- Encouraging independence wherever it suits
- Responding to feedback and complaints with respect
- Taking safety and wellbeing concerns seriously
- Working with participants towards their goals
When providers respect NDIS participant rights, trust grows. That makes for a better experience for participants, their families and their support networks. When providers respect NDIS participant rights, trust grows.
For us at Songbird, every shift, every conversation and every plan is a chance to show respect and back someone’s choices.
Your Rights, Your Choices, Your Life
Knowing your NDIS participant rights can help you feel more confident, informed and involved in decisions about your support.
Choice, control and respect aren’t just ideas. They’re NDIS participant rights, and they should show up in everyday moments, from the way a support worker speaks with you to how your preferences are considered when activities are planned.
Everyone deserves support that recognises who they are, protects their dignity and invites them into decisions about their own life.
That’s what we aim for at Songbird: respectful, person-centred support that puts people first, honours individual preferences and backs participants as they work towards their goals.
Looking for NDIS support that respects your choices?
Chat with our friendly team about what you’re looking for. We’re happy to listen, answer your questions and talk through support options that respect your NDIS participant rights.
Call (02) 4048 4220 or visit songbird.com.au
Because everyone deserves to be heard, respected and supported to live life their way.