General practitioners and paediatricians are often the first professionals a family speaks to when a child’s health needs go beyond everyday care. If you’re a GP or paediatrician wondering how to refer a child toward NDIS-funded nursing support, this guide walks through the general pathway in plain language.
Disclaimer: This article is general information only. NDIS processes and requirements can change, so please confirm current details directly with the NDIS at ndis.gov.au or by calling 1800 800 110 before acting on anything below.
Why GPs and Paediatricians Play a Key Role
As a treating health professional, you’re often a child’s first point of contact on their NDIS journey. Your role can include helping the family understand NDIS eligibility requirements, connecting them with the NDIS or an NDIS partner, and providing evidence of the child’s impairment and its functional impact. This clinical input is often central to whether an access request is successful.
What Is NDIS Nursing Support for Children?
NDIS nursing supports are funded when they’re considered reasonable and necessary for a child’s disability-related needs, as part of an approved plan. Depending on the child’s circumstances, this may include support with:
- Medication management and administration
- Complex health care needs, such as tube feeding or tracheostomy care
- Continence assessment and management
- Wound care
- Monitoring of chronic or complex health conditions in the home or community
Nursing supports are assessed individually. Funding is based on the child’s specific needs as set out in their NDIS plan, not a standard package applied to every participant.
Understanding the Referral Pathway for Children
The referral pathway generally depends on the child’s age.
Children Younger Than 9
Younger children are supported through the NDIS early childhood approach. Referrals are generally made to an early childhood partner, a local organisation with professionals experienced in child development. A referral to an early childhood partner can be completed by a family or carer, with support from a professional, or directly by a treating professional such as a GP or paediatrician, with the family’s consent.
Children Aged 9 and Older
Older children are generally supported through a local area coordination partner rather than an early childhood partner, though the family will usually already be connected with the right pathway if your patient has an existing NDIS plan.
What Evidence Should Be Included in a Referral
Clear, specific evidence helps the NDIS understand a child’s support needs. As the treating professional, you can contribute by:
- Completing the treating professional section of the access request form
- Attaching relevant reports, letters, or assessments from other treating professionals
- Preparing a letter or report that states the diagnosis or nature of the impairment, explains why the condition is unlikely to improve with known evidence-based treatment, outlines the functional impact on the child’s daily life, and describes the type of support required
If you don’t have complete information about the child’s treatment history or functional impact, input from other treating professionals, such as specialists, nurses, or allied health providers, may help round out the picture.
Step-by-Step: Referring a Child to NDIS Nursing Support
- Discuss the referral with the family: Explain what the NDIS is, what nursing support may involve, and get the family’s consent to proceed.
- Gather the child’s clinical history: Bring together relevant diagnoses, treatment history, and any existing reports from specialists or allied health professionals.
- Complete the relevant form: For a new applicant younger than 9, this is generally the referral to an early childhood partner. For an access request more broadly, it’s the access request form, with the treating professional section completed by you.
- Detail the functional impact: Describe, in practical terms, how the child’s condition affects their daily life and why nursing support is likely to help.
- Submit the referral: Send the completed form and supporting evidence to the NDIS or the relevant early childhood partner, following the family’s consent.
- Support the family through follow-up: The family may have questions as the process continues. Being available for follow-up, or referring them to a support coordinator, can ease the process.
Common Questions from GPs and Paediatricians
Does the child need a confirmed diagnosis before I can refer them?
Not always. For younger children, particularly those under 6, support for developmental delay can often be accessed without a formal diagnosis. For nursing-specific supports, a clear description of functional impact is generally just as important as the diagnosis itself.
Who is responsible for completing the access request form?
The family, carer, or guardian generally submits the access request, but your input as the treating professional, particularly Section 2, is often a key part of the evidence used to assess it.
Can I refer a child directly, or does the family need to apply themselves?
For children younger than 9, a treating professional can complete a referral to an early childhood partner directly, provided the family or carer has given consent. For broader access requests, the family is generally the applicant, with your evidence supporting their application.
What happens after the referral is submitted?
The NDIS or early childhood partner will review the referral and supporting evidence to determine eligibility. If the child is found eligible, the family will be guided through the planning process to discuss goals and support needs, which may include nursing support if it’s assessed as reasonable and necessary.
Working with ABE Nursing & Support Services
At ABE Nursing & Support Services, our team supports children and families across Adelaide with community nursing and complex care needs once a plan is in place. We’re glad to work alongside GPs, paediatricians, and other treating professionals to help make the transition from referral to ongoing support as smooth as possible for the families you care for.
A Final Note for Referrers
NDIS processes are reviewed and updated over time, and individual circumstances vary considerably. This guide is intended as a general starting point, not a substitute for the NDIS’s own guidance for health professionals or advice specific to an individual child. For the most current requirements, visit ndis.gov.au or speak with an NDIS early childhood partner or local area coordinator.
Get in Touch
If you’d like to discuss nursing support for a patient you’re referring, our team is happy to talk it through.
Contact ABE Nursing & Support Services
Website: lightsteelblue-gerbil-369999.hostingersite.com/
Email: info@abenursing.com.au
Phone: 0412 065 750
Location: Paralowie, South Australia
Disclaimer: This article is general information only and does not constitute medical or legal advice. It is not a substitute for guidance from the NDIS or advice specific to an individual patient. All services are subject to an individual needs assessment, funding arrangements, a service agreement, staff availability, and ABE Nursing & Support Services’ scope of practice.
