What supports are actually out there?

One of the things I find myself thinking about a lot in my work is who supports the people who don’t have much support around them?

I recently wrote a letter to support a client’s request for an NDIS plan review. She has limited informal supports in Adelaide and had not been funded for Support Coordination in her initial plan. I wrote the letter to outline her NDIS goals, the progress she had made and her ongoing support needs. I didn’t charge for writing it. I wrote it because I was concerned about what was happening for her.

I then saw the response from the NDIS, which rejected the request for a review and included comments criticising me as her counsellor for advocating for her. My first reaction was fear. The language was very official, and being called out by a federal government agency is intimidating. Then I started thinking, oh my word, what have I done? Am I going to be investigated? Could this affect my business?

I take my professional responsibilities seriously, and I absolutely agree that professionals should be accountable for the information they provide. What felt difficult was that while trying to support a vulnerable person, I suddenly felt vulnerable myself. I have written many NDIS reports and support letters over the years and have never had feedback suggesting that advocating for a client in this way was inappropriate. I genuinely don’t know whether I approached this particular letter in the right way from an NDIS perspective.

It did make me think about what happens to people who don’t have someone in their corner.

What happens when you don’t know how to advocate for yourself? When you have limited family or other informal supports? When you don’t have someone who understands the NDIS or knows where to start?

I am not saying that the NDIS doesn’t provide valuablesupport. As a mum, I am incredibly grateful for the support my own children have received. I have seen first-hand how life-changing the right professional support can be. I also understand that the NDIS has rules, processes and responsibilities. I don’t expect every request for funding to be approved.

What concerns me is what happens to people who don’t have the support around them to navigate these changes.

So I want to know what is actually out there. I’d like to build a referral list that I can give to clients when they need support that sits outside my role as a counsellor. I want to know who provides advocacy, legal advice and help navigating the NDIS so I can point people in the right direction.

If you have used an advocacy service or organisation that you would recommend, please let me know. I’d particularly like to hear from people who have actually used these services themselves.

I want to know what support is available for people who don't have someone else to help them find it.