Advocacy

Our Individual Advocacy service provides self-advocacy support for people with a disability as well as advocacy support for carers and guardians. There are no age limits to this service and it is provided at no cost for those eligible, however Individual Advocacy is currenlty only available in New South Wales.

If you live outside NSW, please contact our Information and Referral team to find Advocacy services in your area.

The individual advocacy service can help with a broad range of matters, including:

• Asking for more suitable services
• Navigating services and systems
• Supporting a person at important meetings
• Helping you to make a complaint
• Representing your needs to government agencies, service providers, hospitals etc

This may include helping you with concerns about your access to or the level of service you are receiving through, the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). See below for more information about our NDIS Appeals Service.

There are matters that the advocacy service cannot help with, such as:

• Providing legal, medical or clinical advice
• Providing advocacy for a person when a more appropriate service is available
• Making decisions on the behalf of a person with a disability

If you have received an unsatisfactory or inappropriate NDIS plan outcome from the NDIA, or have been denied access all together, we can offer you advice and support.

Our team’s specialist disability advocacy knowledge allows us to advocate for you and support you through the appeals process. We understand the NDIS application and appeals process in detail, know what information to look for and how to develop an approach that best represents you and your desired outcomes.

NDIS Appeals can be accessed by anyone who:

• Has made an NDIS application
• Has been denied NDIS access
• Is unsatisfied with NDIS plan inclusions

We will be with you at every step of the process from initial consultation through to NDIA internal reviews and Administrative Appeals Tribunal hearings. This involves:

• Assisting you in gathering information that will support you in your NDIS Appeal
• Advocating for you or assisting you to advocate for yourself
• Attending hearings and review meetings with you
• Assisting you to access legal assistance and funding if required during the NDIS Appeals process.