Frequently asked questions

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) funds supports for Australians with a permanent and significant disability. It is run by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA). The funding is in your own NDIS plan, and you choose which providers you use.

To apply you generally need to: be aged 0 to 64 when you apply; live in Australia and be an Australian citizen, a permanent resident or a Protected Special Category visa holder; and have a permanent disability that significantly affects your daily life, or need early intervention supports. Children younger than 9 can get help through the NDIS early childhood approach. You can check your eligibility on the NDIS website or by calling the NDIS on 1800 800 110.

You can call the NDIS on 1800 800 110, or contact a Local Area Coordinator (or an early childhood partner for children younger than 9). You'll need evidence about your disability from your doctor or other health professionals. If you'd like help understanding the process, call us on 1300 810 006.

Your NDIS plan lists your goals and the funding the NDIA has approved for your supports. Funding is grouped into budgets: Core supports (everyday help like personal care and community participation), Capacity Building supports (like support coordination and skill development) and Capital supports (like equipment and home modifications).

There are three ways your funding can be managed. NDIA managed: the NDIA pays providers directly, and you can only use registered providers. Plan managed: a plan manager pays your invoices and you can use registered or unregistered providers. Self managed: you pay providers and claim from the NDIS yourself. Care Cove works with all three, and we also offer plan management.

A Local Area Coordinator works with the NDIA to help people understand the NDIS, apply, put their plan in place and connect with community and mainstream services. Children younger than 9 are usually supported by an early childhood partner instead.

You can ask the NDIA for an internal review within 3 months of receiving the decision. If you still disagree after the internal review, you can ask the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) for an external review within 28 days. An independent disability advocate can help you, and our support coordinators can help you prepare evidence.

Before your plan ends, the NDIA checks how your plan is going and makes a new one. It helps to have reports from your therapists and providers showing your progress and what support you still need. If you have support coordination, your coordinator can help you prepare.

A registered provider is registered with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. Registered providers are audited against the NDIS Practice Standards and must follow the NDIS Code of Conduct. Care Cove Support Services is a registered NDIS provider, so we can support NDIA managed, plan managed and self managed participants.

You can call us on 1300 810 006, email admin@carecovesupport.com.au or use our online referral form. Participants, families, support coordinators, plan managers and hospital teams can all refer. We usually reply within one business day.

It depends on the service you need and where you live. Once we've met you and agreed your service agreement, we start as soon as we have the right workers ready. Call us on 1300 810 006 to check current availability.

Yes. We match you with workers based on your needs, interests, language and personality, and we try to keep a small, consistent team. You can ask for a change at any time.

Our head office is in Bundoora, Victoria, and we support NDIS participants across Australia. Support coordination can also be done online. See our service areas or call 1300 810 006 to check your area.

Yes. Our team speaks a range of languages and we'll try to match you with a worker who speaks yours. We can also use a free interpreter through TIS National on 131 450.

We provide personal care and daily living support, Supported Independent Living (SIL), community participation, skill development, transport and travel support, in-home and overnight support, nursing support and NDIS support coordination and plan management. See all our services.

SIL is NDIS funding for help with daily tasks in a shared home, usually with two to four housemates. Support workers are rostered day and night to help with personal care, meals, medication and routines. SIL pays for the support, not rent or food. Read more about SIL at Care Cove.

A support coordinator helps you understand your NDIS plan, find and connect with providers, set up service agreements, keep track of your budget and prepare for plan reassessments. You need 'Support Coordination' funding in your plan to use it. Read our support coordination page.

Yes. As your plan manager, we check and pay your provider invoices, claim from the NDIS for you and send you a clear statement every month so you can track your budget. Plan management is funded by the NDIS in its own part of your plan, so it doesn't reduce the money for your other supports. Read about plan management at Care Cove.

Yes, our team includes nursing support for NDIS participants. Please call us on 1300 810 006 to talk about your health support needs so we can make sure we're the right fit.

Not at the moment. Care Cove currently focuses on NDIS supports for people with disability. If you're over 65 and need aged care, My Aged Care can help on 1800 200 422.

Our prices follow the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits, and supports are paid from your NDIS plan. Before support starts, we give you a written service agreement that lists the supports, the prices and any travel or cancellation charges, so there are no surprises.

Services are paid from your NDIS plan. If you're plan managed, we send invoices to your plan manager. If you're self managed, we invoice you. If you're NDIA managed, we claim directly from the NDIA because we're a registered provider.

A service agreement is a written agreement between you and Care Cove. It sets out what supports we'll provide, when, the prices, and how either of us can change or end the arrangement. You get a copy before support starts.

Yes. You have choice and control over your providers. Your service agreement explains the notice period. We'll always try to fix any problem first, so please tell us if something isn't working.

Talk to us first on 1300 810 006 or email admin@carecovesupport.com.au. You can also contact the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission on 1800 035 544 at any time. See our feedback and complaints page.

We collect only the information we need to provide safe supports, store it securely, and share it only with your consent or where the law requires. Read our privacy policy.