If you have just received your NDIS plan, the funding can feel like a locked door with no obvious key. You can see there is support available, but working out which providers to call, what your funding actually covers, and how to turn a plan into real help in your home is a lot to carry on your own. This is the exact problem a support coordinator is there to solve.
At Solve Care, we support people across Wollongong, the Illawarra and the South Coast, including Nowra and the Shoalhaven. This guide explains what support coordination is, the different levels of it, and how to tell whether it is right for you, in language anyone can follow. No jargon dump, we promise.
What is NDIS support coordination?
Support coordination is a funded service that helps you understand your NDIS plan and put it into action. A support coordinator is a real person whose job is to help you connect with the right providers, make sense of your funding, and build a set of supports that work for your life, not someone else’s idea of it.
Think of your coordinator as a knowledgeable guide. You are the one making the decisions and living your life; they are the person who knows the system, knows the local providers, and helps you get more out of your plan than you would working it out alone. A good coordinator also helps you prepare for your next plan review, so your funding keeps matching your goals as life changes.
The three levels of support coordination
Not everyone gets the same type of coordination. The NDIS funds it at three levels, and the one in your plan depends on how complex your situation is.
1. Support Connection (Level 1)
This is the lightest-touch level. It is short-term help to build your confidence and skills so you can connect with providers and use your plan yourself. It suits people who mostly need a hand getting started.
2. Support Coordination (Level 2)
This is the most common level. Your coordinator helps you choose and connect with a mix of supports, negotiate services, and keep everything working together. They also help you handle changes, like a provider falling through or a support that is no longer the right fit.
3. Specialist Support Coordination (Level 3)
This is for people in more complex situations, where there are higher risks or several services that need to work closely together, such as health, housing and daily support all at once. A specialist coordinator usually has a clinical or allied health background and takes a more hands-on role in keeping everything safe and on track. Because Solve Care is led by a Clinical Nurse Consultant and our managers are medically trained, complex coordination is an area we are genuinely built for.
What a support coordinator does, day to day
The word “coordination” can sound abstract, so here is what it looks like in practice. A support coordinator will typically:
- Sit down with you to understand your goals, your routine and what good support actually looks like for you.
- Explain your plan in plain English, including what each part of your funding can and cannot be used for.
- Find and shortlist providers who suit your needs, and help you compare them rather than just handing you a list.
- Set up services and make the introductions, so you are not chasing phone calls and emails on your own.
- Keep an eye on how things are going and step in early if a support is not working.
- Help you get ready for your plan reassessment, with evidence that reflects how your needs have changed.
One of the quiet benefits people tell us about is simply having one reliable point of contact. Instead of holding the whole system in your head, you have someone who knows your situation and picks up the phone when you need them.
How much does NDIS support coordination cost, and who pays?
This is one of the most common questions we hear, and the good news is simple: if support coordination is funded in your plan, you do not pay for it out of your own pocket. The cost comes from your NDIS funding. Support coordination sits in the Capacity Building part of your plan, under a category labelled “Support Coordination” (sometimes called “Coordination of Supports”), and the NDIS sets the hourly price a provider can charge. It is kept separate from your Core supports (your everyday, day-to-day help), so using a support coordinator does not eat into the funding you rely on for daily living.
If you are not sure whether you have support coordination in your plan, you do not have to work it out alone. Send us a copy of your plan or give us a call, and we will help you read it. Funding amounts, hourly rates and eligibility are set by the NDIS and can change at a plan reassessment, so it is always worth checking the current figures rather than assuming.
How do I get support coordination added to my NDIS plan?
Support coordination has to be funded by the NDIS before you can use it. The best time to ask for it is at your planning meeting or plan reassessment: explain why you need help connecting your supports, and the NDIA decides whether to include it. It is usually funded for a set period, on the basis that you will grow more confident using your plan over time. If you think you need it and it is not there, that is worth raising at your next review, and we are happy to help you think through what to say.
Signs support coordination would help you
You might benefit from a support coordinator if any of these sound familiar:
- Your plan feels overwhelming and you are not sure where to start.
- You are spending hours ringing providers and getting nowhere.
- You have several services that do not seem to talk to each other.
- Your needs have changed and your supports have not kept up.
- A family member has been carrying the load and needs the pressure taken off.
If you are a carer or family member reading this, that last point matters. Coordinating someone else’s care is exhausting and often invisible work. Bringing in a coordinator does not push you out; it gives you a knowledgeable partner so you can go back to being family.
How to find and choose a support coordinator in the Illawarra
Many people start by searching for a “support coordinator near me,” or by asking their Local Area Coordinator or plan manager for names. You are allowed to choose who provides your support coordination, and it is worth choosing well. However you find them, a few things are worth looking for:
- Local knowledge. A coordinator who knows providers across the Illawarra and South Coast can connect you faster and more accurately than someone working from a generic national list.
- Genuine independence in your interest. Your coordinator should help you find the best supports for you, and be upfront and transparent about choices, including when another provider is the better fit.
- Clinical understanding. If your situation involves health or complex needs, a medically-informed team can spot risks and coordinate care that others might miss.
- Clear communication. You should never feel left in the dark. Regular, honest updates are the baseline, not a bonus.
Solve Care is a female-owned, NDIS-registered provider offering expert support with a heart. Our team is medically trained and deeply local, and we coordinate alongside our own clinical and daily-living services where that helps, while always keeping your goals and your choices at the centre. You can read more on our Support Coordination service page, or explore our wider disability support services, including community nursing and Supported Independent Living.
For Support Coordinators and referrers
If you are a Support Coordinator, Local Area Coordinator or hospital discharge planner looking for a provider you can trust with a participant, we would love to work alongside you. We combine medically-trained, expert support with genuinely responsive communication, so you are never left chasing an update. Referring is simple: send the participant’s details and plan goals, we arrange a free, no-pressure consultation to confirm we are the right fit, and you receive clear, regular progress updates. You can start a referral any time through our referral page.
Frequently asked questions
Is support coordination the same as plan management?
No. Plan management handles the money side, processing and paying your provider invoices. Support coordination is about the people and services, helping you find and connect with the right supports. Many participants have both, and they work well together.
Do I have to pay for support coordination myself?
If support coordination is funded in your NDIS plan, it is paid from that funding, not from your own pocket. The first step is simply checking whether it is included in your plan, which we are happy to help you do.
Can I change my support coordinator?
Yes. You have the right to choose and to change your provider if the relationship is not working. The right coordinator should feel like a good fit for you.
Do you provide support coordination outside Wollongong?
Yes. We support people across the Illawarra and the South Coast, including Nowra and the Shoalhaven. The best way to check we cover your area is to get in touch.
Talk to a local team who will actually pick up the phone
Your plan should open doors, not add to your to-do list. If you would like a hand understanding your support coordination funding or getting started, we are here to help, with no pressure and no jargon. Reach out through our contact page or call us on (02) 8358 7682, and a real person from our local team will talk it through with you.
Solve Care — NDIS Registered Provider. Wollongong · Illawarra · South Coast.