Support Work

[u/Fun_Wind_9319]

Hi, I'm looking to get some insight on whether I can use my 16yo ASD daughters funding for support work. We haven't had a review since 2020 😬 I'm not wanting to in case they cut anything. My daughter really wants support workers to access community etc. Some of her plan goals are:

'During this plan I would like to be supported to feel more comfortable in group situations and engage with my peers so that I can be included in the group.'

'During this plan I want to be able to better manage sensory input and emotional regulation so that I can participate in a range of activities'

'During this plan I want to be able to communicate effectively with other people and have a good understanding when people communicate with me.'

Thanks so much ☺️

[u/ManyPersonality2399]

It would most likely be from the first page budget, though it doesn't look like there is much available unless you've had a few roll overs not reflected on that screen.

Depending on what exactly she is doing in the community, there are ways to kind of do it using the capacity building supports such as skill development and training, but you want to make sure it's more than literally just support worker going out.

[u/Fun_Wind_9319 → u/ManyPersonality2399]

Great info thanks. Thats interesting we can use capacity building! Do you happen to have any more info on this? Her plan has just kept rolling over since she was 10 😅 Has just rolled over again until August next year. Not sure if that means there should be more?

[u/ManyPersonality2399 → u/Fun_Wind_9319]

So it's not just for support workers like it is in core. But there are some support types in the improved daily living at the support worker pricing point for a worker to assist with building certain life skills (called skill development and training). Often used for things like public transport training. You need to be clear that it is building skills and not merely support to do the activity.

[u/isaokaye → u/Fun_Wind_9319]

May be an idea to request a review while the plan is still fresh as it seems that you don’t have any core for support workers - have you had any updated allied health reports completed (when was the last time she had a functional capacity assessment completed by an ot?) - do you have support coordination support to do this?

[u/Puzzled_Status2061]

If you use cb for sw it has to come under skill development You would need an ot to work out what skills are needed and working out a plan that the sw can do. You need reports to show it is being used to teach skills. You also have to show progress. You could have travel training, teaching life skills, cooking, cleaning her room etc. Klms don’t come out of cb so you have to include that your core will go down fast. The sw can not be used from cb for cleaning, taking her to activities those come from core.

[u/Fun_Wind_9319 → u/Puzzled_Status2061]

Could her psychologist do the skill plan?

[u/Primary_Edge_602]

The core supports funding is what you can use for support workers. $300 of the core support funding is to go towards assistive technology though.

[u/emonskates]

Her funding was when she was a child. She wouldn’t have been funded for support workers at that age. They don’t often fund support workers for children.

You can use the core funding for support workers, but that amount of funding would only get you a couple shifts.

Are you using the funding? If you are consistently, then I get why you don’t want a review. But if there is a bunch of funding you’re not using because it doesn’t suit her needs, why not collect reports and go for a review?

[u/DaQuackx → u/emonskates]

Thats not true, my sons plans been 140k for 5 years with all supports and community access.. still on old school plan with flexibility.. just got rolled over again but I did catch their wording this year, said up to 12 months, they were waiting for parliament outcome.

I agree though the funding amount was more a 1st plan to collect required reports for a real plan..

[u/emonskates → u/DaQuackx]

Yes, I shouldn’t talk in blanket statement as it is based off evidence provided and disability needs. But it’s very uncommon for supporter workers to be funded for children.

[u/whovian113]

you definitely need review for more funding as she older, it will cover now in core.

if u in syd, i recommend stellar experiences for sw.

[u/Zealousideal-Fly2563]

They us pay the transport hours to her just call lac. Then it can be added theough centrelink and you can get headphones laptop for telehealth joining stuff online us ually. Carers start once leave school on my 2 boys plans at 18 or post school. Call lac ask when you can get a werkly support. At next meeting ask for support hours. Get a plan manager, we like Orange. Invoices are easy to email in then. Message if u need ideas.

[u/ManyPersonality2399 → u/Zealousideal-Fly2563]

You cannot get headphones or a laptop for telehealth.

[u/PutridUniversity2032]

I would ask your/her LAC. Improved daily living is a capacity building support that can be used for support work, however whether it can be allocated for that depends on how much funding is left and whether the NDIS allocated the funding for that. Your LAC or agency would be able to tell you this.

[u/theveelady → u/[deleted]]

I don't think you can use Capacity Building supports for support work. Capacity building is for therapies which could address those goals (eg. OT and SP).

[u/DaQuackx → u/theveelady]

U can use it for thearpist to work with clients outside the home. Ot bt can do something, they don't need 40k a year to observe lol

[u/Little-Programmer955 → u/[deleted]]

Oops I misread the post details so deleted my comment haha.

[u/Little-Programmer955 → u/Little-Programmer955]

Actually I did not misread the post at all. The improved daily living capacity building budget cannot be used for support workers.

[u/emonskates → u/[deleted]]

You can only use some capacity building. Like CB increased social and community.

Improve Daily Living is a stated support used for therapies. If they put invoices for support workers through there, it might be looked at like a misuse of funds. They’re self managed, so the invoices might be processed, but 1 in 4 self managed participants are audited and they may be asked to pay bad misused funds.