Reading and Following Support Plans

People often use the word plan for very different documents. This lesson explains the participant's NDIS plan, which the National Disability Insurance Agency approves and which sets out the participant's goals and the funding for their supports, and our support plan, which we develop with the participant to describe how we will deliver our supports day to day. Key points: the NDIS plan belongs to the participant and sets what is funded, our support plan tells you how to support the person on your shift, and both are built around the participant's own goals, preferences and choices.

Some participants have specialist plans written by qualified practitioners for particular needs. This lesson introduces the main ones: behaviour support plans developed by NDIS behaviour support practitioners, mealtime management plans often based on a speech pathologist's assessment, health management plans such as epilepsy, diabetes or asthma plans, and risk assessments for things like falls, community access or manual handling. Key points: specialist plans must be followed exactly, you must not change them, any regulated restrictive practice may only be used as the behaviour support plan and authorisation allow, and you need training for any high intensity support before providing it.

You cannot follow a plan you have not read. This lesson explains where plans are kept, usually in our secure client management system or app, and why you must read them before working with a participant, especially the first time or after time away. It gives a practical way to read a plan before a shift: check it is the current version, read the parts about the person, the supports for your shift, risks and specialist plans, and emergency steps. Key points: read before you start, check for recent changes and handover notes, and ask your team leader about anything you do not understand.

Following a plan means delivering supports the way the participant and their team have agreed, while still responding to the person in front of you. This lesson explains how to work within the plan: provide the supports described, respect the person's choices on the day, stay within your role and training, and avoid doing tasks the plan does not include. Key points: the plan is not a script, since a participant can make different choices on the day, but you should not add or change supports without approval, and you must follow specialist plans exactly. Tell your team leader when the person's wishes and the plan do not match.

Plans are living documents, and they are only useful when they match the person's current needs. This lesson explains how to recognise when a plan is unclear, out of date or not working: instructions that contradict each other, a review date that has passed, a person whose health or abilities have changed, or strategies that no longer help. Key points: do not guess or work around the plan, keep the person safe using the current plan and your training, tell your team leader promptly, and if a situation is urgent or unsafe, call triple zero or follow the emergency steps and then report.

Your records and feedback are how plans get better. This lesson explains how to write progress notes that show how the plan is working: what supports were provided, how the person responded, their choices, progress toward goals and any concerns. It covers giving feedback in team meetings and reviews, and supporting the participant to have their say. It also explains privacy: plans contain personal and health information, so access them only for your work, never share or photograph them, keep paper copies secure, and discuss them only with people involved in the person's support. Key points: record factually, give feedback, protect privacy.

This case study follows Zoe, a new support worker, through her first shift with Marco, a man with an intellectual disability and epilepsy. Zoe reads his full plan before the shift, including his epilepsy management plan and his preferences. During the shift, a family member asks her to give Marco a medication that the plan says is managed by a nurse. The lesson shows how reading the plan, respecting choices on the day and staying within your role and training work together. Key points: read it all, follow specialist plans and check before doing anything outside the plan.

This case study follows Mr Abebe, who has a behaviour support plan and recently moved to a new shared home. The strategy in his plan for when he is anxious, a walk around the block, no longer works in the new neighbourhood, and he has started trying to leave the house at night. A colleague suggests locking the back door. The lesson explores why workers must not create their own restrictions, how to keep him safe using the current plan, and how specific records lead to a useful plan review with Mr Abebe involved. Key points: never improvise restrictions, record and report.