COURSE OVERVIEW:

Welcome to the Apply Professional Work Practices in NDIS Plan Management Services course. This program has been designed to build your knowledge, discipline, and professional judgement to carry out Plan Management functions in a way that is legally compliant, ethically sound, and fully aligned with participant choice and control under the NDIS.

Plan Management is a specialised financial and administrative role with clearly defined responsibilities and limitations. This course begins by clarifying the scope of Plan Management under the NDIS, including how it differs from Support Coordination and direct service provision. It explores how the NDIS Code of Conduct applies to daily work, how to operate in a way that upholds participant autonomy without providing financial advice or directing service choices, and how to distinguish between NDIA funding allocation responsibilities and the Plan Manager’s role in managing funding utilisation within approved budgets.

Effective participant engagement relies on clear communication and transparent agreements. This section examines how to establish participant agreements and consent processes, explain budgets and funding categories in plain language, and respond to participant queries accurately and promptly. It also explores how to provide neutral, non-directive information, manage communication with nominees and guardians, and maintain professional boundaries when discussing financial matters and service costs.

Accurate interpretation of NDIS plans is fundamental to compliant Plan Management. This section focuses on reading and understanding participant plans, identifying funded support categories and restrictions, and applying the rules for Core, Capacity Building, and Capital budgets. It also covers recognising key plan dates, extensions, and review periods, and mapping invoices to the correct funding categories so that payments align with plan intent and NDIS requirements.

Day-to-day Plan Management hinges on robust invoice management and verification practices. This section explores how to receive and log invoices, check them for completeness and accuracy, verify services against participant plans and budgets, and ensure charges align with the NDIS Pricing Arrangements. It also addresses how to identify ineligible or incorrect claims, manage duplicate or late invoices, and resolve disputed billing in a way that is fair, transparent, and well documented.

Sound payment processing and financial control are critical to safeguarding participant funds. This section examines how to process payments in line with participant authorisation, maintain segregation of duties, ensure timely payment to providers, and keep clear audit trails of all financial transactions. It also addresses preventing unauthorised or incorrect payments, managing exceptions and payment holds, and applying internal controls that reduce the risk of error or misuse.

Monitoring funding utilisation is central to responsible Plan Management. This section focuses on tracking expenditure across Core, Capacity Building, and Capital budgets, monitoring monthly and cumulative spend, and forecasting usage across the plan duration. It explores how to identify early signs of over- or under-utilisation, maintain accurate utilisation records, and support participants and other stakeholders to understand how spending trends may affect future service access.

Transparent reporting helps participants remain in control of their plans. This section explores how to prepare regular participant statements, provide clear budget summaries, and explain remaining funds and spending rates in accessible language. It also covers responding to participant concerns about spending and ensuring reports are designed so that participants, nominees, and guardians can easily understand and use them in decision-making.

Safeguarding and financial risk management are integral components of compliant practice. This section examines how to identify unusual spending patterns, monitor for potential exploitation or inappropriate claims, and manage conflicts of interest. It also outlines how to escalate safeguarding concerns, document risk-related actions, and ensure that Plan Management practices contribute to the broader safeguarding responsibilities within the NDIS environment.

Compliance with NDIS Practice Standards provides the formal framework for Plan Management operations. This section explores the specific requirements of the Plan Management Module, governance and operational management expectations, and the evidence needed for audits and reviews. It also examines how to respond promptly to compliance issues and embed processes that support continuous adherence to regulatory requirements.

Protecting participant information is a core obligation. This section focuses on privacy, confidentiality, and information security, including safeguarding financial and personal data, managing system access, and sharing information only with appropriate consent. It addresses compliance with relevant privacy legislation and outlines how to recognise, respond to, and document data breaches or suspected breaches.

Accurate documentation and record keeping underpin accountability and audit readiness. This section examines how to maintain complete financial records, record participant consent and authority, document decisions, actions, and communications, and ensure records remain current and complete. It also covers consistent file management practices that support transparency, retrieval, and long-term compliance.

Plan Management work is dynamic and often affected by changes and exceptions. This section explores how to manage plan reviews, reassessments, extensions, and changes to funding categories or amounts. It also addresses processing backdated or adjusted invoices, supporting smooth transitions at the end of a plan period, and managing rollover and close-out processes in a way that remains accurate, timely, and participant-focused.

Collaboration with other stakeholders is essential to effective Plan Management. This section examines how to work professionally with providers, liaise appropriately with Support Coordinators, manage provider disputes or billing issues, and maintain neutrality in provider relationships. It also explores how to escalate systemic issues through appropriate channels and contribute to better outcomes across the broader service system.

Finally, the course concludes with a focus on audit readiness and quality assurance. This section covers preparing for internal and external audits, responding to audit requests and findings, participating in internal reviews, and identifying opportunities for process and system improvement. It emphasises the importance of maintaining continuous audit readiness so that compliant, transparent, and participant-centred Plan Management practices are sustained over time.

By the end of this course, you will be equipped with the knowledge, systems awareness, and practical tools required to ensure compliant work practices in NDIS Plan Management, supporting participant choice and control while upholding high standards of financial integrity, governance, and accountability.

Each section is complemented with examples to illustrate the concepts and techniques discussed.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

By the end of this course, you will be able to understand the following topics:

1. Introduction to NDIS Plan Management Practices

·       Understanding the Plan Management role under the NDIS

·       Maintaining clear role boundaries

·       Applying the NDIS Code of Conduct in daily work

·       Operating within participant choice and control

·       Avoiding financial advice and service direction

·       Understanding funding allocation vs funding utilisation

2. Participant Engagement & Communication Practices

·       Establishing clear participant agreements and consent

·       Explaining budgets and funding categories in plain language

·       Responding to participant queries accurately and promptly

·       Providing neutral, non-directive information

·       Managing communication with nominees and guardians

·       Maintaining professional boundaries in financial discussions

3. NDIS Plan Interpretation Practices

·       Reading and interpreting participant NDIS plans accurately

·       Identifying funded support categories and restrictions

·       Understanding Core, Capacity Building, and Capital budget rules

·       Recognising plan dates, extensions, and review periods

·       Mapping invoices to correct funding categories

4. Invoice Management & Verification Practices

·       Receiving and logging provider invoices

·       Checking invoices for completeness and accuracy

·       Verifying services against participant plans and budgets

·       Ensuring pricing aligns with NDIS Pricing Arrangements

·       Identifying ineligible or incorrect claims

·       Managing duplicate, late, or disputed invoices

5. Payment Processing & Financial Control Practices

·       Processing payments in line with participant authorisation

·       Maintaining segregation of duties

·       Ensuring timely payment to providers

·       Maintaining clear payment audit trails

·       Preventing unauthorised or incorrect payments

·       Managing exceptions and payment holds

6. Funding Utilisation Tracking Practices

·       Tracking expenditure across Core, Capacity Building, and Capital budgets

·       Monitoring monthly and cumulative spend

·       Forecasting funding usage across the plan duration

·       Identifying early indicators of over- or under-utilisation

·       Maintaining accurate utilisation records

7. Participant Reporting & Transparency Practices

·       Preparing regular participant statements

·       Providing clear budget summaries

·       Explaining remaining funds and spend rates

·       Responding to participant concerns about spending

·       Ensuring reports are accessible and understandable

8. Safeguarding & Financial Risk Practices

·       Identifying unusual spending patterns

·       Monitoring for potential financial exploitation

·       Managing conflicts of interest

·       Escalating safeguarding concerns appropriately

·       Documenting risk-related actions

9. Compliance with NDIS Practice Standards

·       Applying the Plan Management Module requirements

·       Meeting governance and operational management expectations

·       Maintaining evidence for audit and review

·       Responding to compliance issues promptly

·       Supporting continuous compliance improvement

10. Privacy, Confidentiality & Information Security Practices

·       Protecting participant financial information

·       Managing secure access to systems and records

·       Sharing information only with appropriate consent

·       Complying with privacy legislation

·       Responding to data breaches or suspected breaches

11. Documentation & Record-Keeping Practices

·       Maintaining accurate financial records

·       Recording participant consent and authority

·       Documenting decisions, actions, and communications

·       Ensuring records are current and complete

·       Applying consistent file management practices

12. Managing Changes & Exceptions

·       Handling plan reviews, reassessments, and extensions

·       Managing changes to funding categories or amounts

·       Processing backdated or adjusted invoices

·       Supporting smooth end-of-plan transitions

·       Managing rollover and close-out processes

13. Collaboration & Stakeholder Interaction Practices

·       Working professionally with providers

·       Liaising appropriately with Support Coordinators

·       Managing provider disputes or billing issues

·       Maintaining neutrality in provider relationships

·       Escalating systemic issues through appropriate channels

14. Audit Readiness & Quality Assurance Practices

·       Preparing for internal and external audits

·       Responding to audit requests and findings

·       Participating in internal reviews

·       Identifying opportunities for process improvement

·       Maintaining continuous audit readiness

COURSE DURATION:

The typical duration of this course is approximately 3-4 hours to complete. Your enrolment is Valid for 12 Months. Start anytime and study at your own pace.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

You must have access to a computer or any mobile device with Adobe Acrobat Reader (free PDF Viewer) installed, to complete this course.

COURSE DELIVERY:

Purchase and download course content.

ASSESSMENT:

A simple 10-question true or false quiz with Unlimited Submission Attempts.

CERTIFICATION:

Upon course completion, you will receive a customised digital “Certificate of Completion”.