National Disability Insurance Scheme referral pathway

Employment supports

NDIS supports can include employment related skill building and on-the-job assistance for participants who need ongoing support in the workplace to obtain and retain employment. NDIS supports can assist participants to become ready to start a Disability Employment Services (DES) program.

Employment assistance

Individualised support to:

• build essential foundation skills for work
• manage or eliminate barriers to obtaining and sustaining employment.

Employment related assessments

Assist participants to successfully engage in work. Supports can include:

• vocational assessment
• functional assessment
• education and support for the participant, the employer and other people in the workplace
• vocational counselling.

Supports in employment

Regular, day-to-day support to participate in work. Supports can include:

• job customisation, also known as workplace adjustments
• on-the-job training and support with daily work tasks
• supports to manage complex needs at work
• non-face-to-face activities that directly relate to supporting the participant’s employment.

School leaver employment service

Individualised support to help participants transition from school to employment to prepare, look for and gain employment. Supports can include:

• work experience opportunities
• employability and/or vocational-specific skills development
• other foundation skills needed to sustain employment.

NDIS and Disability Employment Services interface

NDIS participants are eligible to access DES to help find employment. Generally NDIS-funded supports are greater than what may be reasonably provided with the support through DES.

Managing NDIS funding

There are three options to manage NDIS funding: self-managed, plan-managed and National Disability Insurance Agency-managed. Plan-managed and self-managed options provide clients with more flexibility and provider choice. Clients who are National Disability Insurance Agency-managed can only choose providers registered with National Disability Insurance Agency to provide employment supports.

Further information

NDIS participant employment strategy (PDF)

NDIS: Finding, keeping and changing jobs