"Best Practice" means different things to different people. Something that is important to one NDIS Participant will likely be very different to another NDIS Participant. Similarly, NDIS Providers are also likely to hold different opinions on what is important in their service delivery.
“Compliance” means to follow a set of rules or standards. In the case of the NDIS, NDIS Providers have to follow the NDIS Quality and Safeguarding Framework. If they do this really well and are always trying to improve, they are probably doing “best practice compliance”.
In the NDIS, “best practice compliance” is focused on putting NDIS Participants at the centre of their service delivery. The way supports and services are designed and delivered always consider NDIS Participants. Likewise, the methods NDIS Providers use to maintain their compliance also consider and utilise the experience of the NDIS Participants their business supports.
Person-Centred refers to the focus of something (such as a business’ service delivery) being placed upon individuals themselves as a person with individual wants and needs.
NDIS Providers have a responsibility to ensure their daily operations and service delivery practices are centred around the NDIS Participants they support. Businesses should include the perspective and input from NDIS Participants across various aspects of their service delivery, such as complaints and feedback, to comply with their NDIS obligations and support their continuous improvement practices.
In the NDIS, compliance refers to the processes that NDIS Providers have in place to ensure they adhere to and comply with the NDIS Quality and Safeguarding Framework and other laws and regulations that apply to them.
Registered NDIS Providers who are unable to remain compliant risk losing their registration unless appropriate changes are made to their business operations. Unregistered NDIS Providers also face consequences if they don’t comply with their obligations, such as being subject to an investigation or action by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.
Best Practice refers to the practices that business shape their daily operations around, that are based upon processes that the relevant industry has deemed to be the most update to date, effective or evidence based.
NDIS Providers, regardless of whether they are Registered or not, should strive to implement best practice approaches to their service delivery for NDIS Participants. This will assist them to provide high quality and safe supports and services for NDIS Participants, while at the same time upholding their safety and wellbeing.
It is important for NDIS Participants to be aware of the NDIS Code of Conduct, as it outlines the expectations that all NDIS Providers are expected to uphold. It is equally important for NDIS Participants to be mindful of the differences in compliance requirements that their NDIS Provider is bound by.
NDIS Participants using Registered NDIS Providers can expect to receive supports and services that align with the NDIS Practice Standards and hold their safety and wellbeing at the forefront of their service delivery. NDIS Participants using Unregistered NDIS Providers should also expect to receive quality supports and services that respect their privacy and safety but should also be aware that Unregistered NDIS Providers are only required to adhere to the NDIS Code of Conduct.
See Topic 1 for more information.
Unfortunately, a simple list of ‘Best Practice Compliance’ providers doesn’t exist. However, there are other tools you can use to help you find an NDIS Provider that is right for you.
The NDIS has Provider Lists for each State and Territory. NDIS Participants are also able to search within the NDIS myplace Provider Portal. These lists are lists of Registered NDIS Providers, who are required to comply with the NDIS Practice Standards.
Part 2 of the NDIS Provider Register provides a list of NDIS Providers and Workers that the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission has taken compliance and enforcement actions against, including banning orders, compliance notices, and suspensions of registration.
You can also find Registered and Unregistered NDIS Providers by searching online, getting recommendations from others and referrals. In any case, you can use the resources on this website to help you determine if an NDIS Provider is right for you – and to help you address any issues that arise.
Alternatively, you can search for a specific NDIS Provider on the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission’s website.
The most effective way to address non-compliance is by providing feedback – sometimes an NDIS Provider might not know where they aren’t doing well. See Topic 4 for more information on complaints and incident management, including advocacy and making a complaint to the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.
This resource has been developed through a co-design process with NDIS Participants. It is designed to be an easy reference for NDIS Participants to understand what NDIS Providers need to do to meet compliance requirements with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. It can be used by NDIS Providers to help educate NDIS Participants about NDIS compliance and include them in compliance-related processes.
This resource has been developed through a co-design process with NDIS Participants. It is designed to accompany the Fact Sheet of the same name and can be displayed by NDIS Providers to help NDIS Participants understand compliance in the context of the NDIS.
This video discusses what including people with disability in compliance looks like every day.
All NDIS Providers, regardless of whether they are Registered or not, must be aware of their NDIS obligations as these form the foundation of their everyday practice. NDIS Providers should also keep up-to-date with industry and legislative changes to promote best practice within their service delivery for NDIS Participants.
The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission has created a Compliance and Enforcement Policy that details the importance of monitoring and compliance. This is a useful document for NDIS Providers to use to ensure they are and remain compliant.
Verification Audits are usually conducted for NDIS Providers delivering lower risk/lower complexity NDIS supports and services, while Certification Audits are conducted for NDIS Providers who will be delivering more complex or higher risk NDIS supports and services. The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission will advise you of the type of audit you require. More detailed information about what is required in both of these types of audits is provided on the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission’s Registered Provider Requirements webpage.
The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission keeps a list of Approved Quality Auditors on its website.
There are a range of ways NDIS Providers can work to prevent non-compliances. These include, but are not limited to:
This infographic is a quick and easy reference for NDIS Providers that contains tips for actions businesses can take daily to support their everyday compliance.
This resource has been developed to support NDIS Providers who have a non-compliance identified, either through its internal processes, during audit or by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. It includes tips on how businesses can manage non-compliance.
This factsheet provides detail on the balance NDIS Providers need to keep between giving NDIS Participants Dignity of Risk while still maintaining their Duty of Care for the people’s safety and wellbeing. Effective management of Dignity of Risk vs Duty of Care is a prominent feature of “Best Practice Compliance” NDIS Providers.
In this video, NDIS Providers share their tips on how they remain compliant every day.
This video discusses what not complying with NDIS obligations means for NDIS Providers and NDIS Participants.