CIRCLE UPDATES
New brand! 💚
We have unveiled our fresh new look as part of our rebranding journey — all to better support NDIS participants and providers 💜
Same commitment. New vibe. Excellent support. 🙌
We also deliver valuable resources on TikTok! Follow us for more updates and help you navigate the NDIS!
@dan.ndis Starting an NDIS business isn’t easy — from registration, marketing and most important providing high quality support. To help you succeed... See more
RESOURCES
Food and Meal Prep Under the NDIS
Food prep and meal delivery are important supports — but navigating what's actually funded by the NDIS can be confusing.
DSC has put together a super handy FAQ to clear things up!
In this guide, you'll learn:
✅ What food-related supports the NDIS does and doesn’t fund
✅ When you can claim the cost of meal preparation or delivery
✅ The difference between 'reasonable' and 'daily living' costs
✅ Tips for making strong claims under your plan
Whether you're a participant, carer, or provider, this resource helps you understand your options and make informed choices around food supports.
RESOURCES
Supporting participants and managing NDIS funding
Providers, plan managers and support coordinators play a key role in helping participants manage their NDIS funding. It’s important to ensure participants use their funding correctly and manage their budgets to avoid running out of support before their plan ends.
NDIS supports lists
As of October 2024, participants can only purchase supports from the NDIS ‘In’ list. There is also a separate list of things NDIS funding cannot be used for and these are described on the ‘Out’ list. Providers must ensure they guide participants to make purchases from the correct list.
Spending within the plan
Providers must ensure all claims reflect the participants' actual support needs as outlined in their plan. Recent changes to the NDIS Act mean funding must be paid in line with the approved plan. If a participant uses their funding faster than expected, they cannot request additional funds to top up their plan.
Stated and flexible supports
Not all supports need to be stated for a participant to purchase them, but spending should always align with the approved funding category in the plan.
Flexible supports allow participants to decide how to use their funding within the approved support category but must stay within the same fund management type.
Some supports in a participant’s plan are listed as stated supports, meaning they must be purchased exactly as described. If you’re unsure check with the plan manager, or support coordinator before delivering or claiming for a support.
The below NDIS FAQ was updated 28.04.2025 to reflect new guidance from the NDIA however has now appears to have been taken down off the NDIA website
We are still seeking clarity on the flexibility within budgets such as improved daily living (therapy) such as prioritising OT, Speech Pathology or Physiotherapy based on participants needs and we hope to provide clarity as soon as possible.
What’s the role of us as providers? -Ensure supports align with the NDIS supports lists before delivery. -Assist participants in managing their budget by offering guidance based on the information they share. -Educate participants on effective budget management and recommend tools and resources they can use to track their spending and manage their funds. -Act ethically and transparently in all interactions.
CIRCLE COMMUNITY
Finding Confidence and New Opportunities
When Laura first connected with Circle SC in early 2023, she needed help navigating her next chapter as an adult; transitioning out of the family home for the first time. With the right support around her Laura has blossomed and is enjoying her new life in the community as an independent adult!
💼 Maintained her job that she looks forward to
🙌 Building her independence skills and gaining lasting confidence in her abilities
🫶 Built solid meaningful friendships with her housemates
Her journey is a beautiful reminder that with the right support network, even daunting goals are possible!
CIRCLE INSIGHTS
Appendix H and SDA: Supporting Families Living Together
We’ve had a few questions recently about Appendix H — which enables family members to live with an NDIS participant in Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA). Here are some real-world examples where it’s come up:
👨👦 A single dad moving into SDA with his young adult son with Cerebral Palsy
👩👧👦 A single mother (and NDIS participant) with physical and psychosocial disabilities moving into SDA with her two teenage children
👨👩👦 A man with Motor Neurone Disease living with his mother in an SDA
The process:
A Home & Living (H&L) decision is made following an H&L request (e.g., SDA High Physical Support-3 residents).
To implement Appendix H, you need to submit a Section 48 Change of Situation form. NDIA will then adjust the SDA funding accordingly.
Important: If the family member moves out — using one of the above examples where teenage children will become adults and move out of home — Appendix H no longer applies.
The original H&L decision (e.g., "SDA-3 residents") then stands, meaning the participant may need to:
Explore shared living with other NDIS participants
Negotiate a new arrangement with the SDA provider
Consider an alternative housing solution
We’d love to hear from you!
If anyone in our network has helped a family successfully implement Appendix H, please share your experiences and insights. 🙏
CIRCLE INSIGHTS
Growing Our Understanding: Motor Neurone Disease
At Circle SC, we’re proud to be supporting a growing number of people living with Motor Neurone Disease (MND), a complex, rapidly progressive condition that requires a thoughtful, responsive, and flexible approach.
As a team, it’s important we stay aware of four key areas:
A — Adaptability: Needs can change quickly. Flexible, responsive planning is critical.
B — Balance: Respecting autonomy while providing necessary supports.
C — Communication: Clear, compassionate conversations, particularly as speech and mobility may be affected.
D — Decision-making: Empowering participants to make choices early while they have capacity, including around future care and living arrangements.
By building our knowledge and staying proactive, we can provide the best possible support during every stage of the journey.
Thank you to everyone who continues to bring care, skill, and heart to people living with this condition 💙
NDIS UPDATES
Introduction of OPA Service Agreements
After a period of consultation with providers during February and March 2025, the Office of the Public Advocate has introduced OPA specific Service Agreements (initially named ‘Deeds’) for Represented People with legally appointed public Guardians. These Service Agreements are a legally binding way of recording what has been agreed between the service provider and the Public Advocate as guardian on behalf of the participant about the purchase and delivery of NDIS services. These are required for all new services being provided to a Represented Person.
OPA’s Service Agreements are not to be completed by the general public. Service providers can select the appropriate service agreement as follows:
Service agreements must align with the goals and budget set out in the NDIS plan. The agreement must also be discussed with the Support Coordinator and receive coordinator confirmation in writing prior to being signed by the Guardian.
OPA have reiterated that they are not authorised to approve overspends of NDIS funds and for providers seeking over-utilisation due to a change in circumstances or needs they need to contact the NDIA for these requests.
OPA has provided the below list of information for providers to include in emails for faster response times.
Always include the participants full name
Always include the NDIS number and date of birth if your email involves contacting the NDIA
Attaching the guardianship order also greatly assists with emails that need to go to [email protected]
If the email is about provider PACE endorsement, make sure that the Provider number, business name and trading name are prominent in the email really helps as this provides context on what manner of endorsing is required (e.g. to view plans, PBS, SC to receive an RFS)
Highlight any specific questions that requires a Guardian's response
NDIS UPDATES
Total funding amounts, funding component amounts and funding periods
From the middle of May 2025, and in accordance with recent legislation changes, all new plans approved will include total funding amounts, funding component amounts and funding periods.
Total funding amounts – is the total sum of funding in all support categories in a plan.
Funding periods – define how often a participant can access a portion of their total budget or funding component amounts.
Funding components – are the supports categorised into groups and will align to support categories.
Providers will see changes to the way plan and budget information is displayed in the my NDIS provider portal, in line with the current consent and visibility settings for providers. The provider learning environment has been updated to include new tutorials.
These changes impact new and existing participants upon new plan approval, it will not be retrospectively applied to existing plans.
Learn more about the changes to NDIS legislation.
Review latest events to attend a provider information session on these changes.
