How TIS National bookings work for NDIS supports
TIS National is the Translating and Interpreting Service, run by the Department of Home Affairs. It provides interpreters for people who do not speak English and for the agencies, businesses and providers that need to communicate with them.
How TIS National bookings work for NDIS supports
TIS National is the Translating and Interpreting Service, run by the Department of Home Affairs. It provides interpreters for people who do not speak English and for the agencies, businesses and providers that need to communicate with them.
The NDIA has a partnership with TIS National so that registered NDIS providers can book funded interpreting for participants. TIS National has interpreters in more than 150 languages. An unregistered provider can use the service too, but pays for it itself.
How a booking works
- The provider registers for a TIS National client code online. Under the NDIS arrangement it chooses the Commonwealth Government Agency category, the National Disability Insurance Agency subcategory and the section name NDIS, and waits for the welcome email before booking.
- For immediate phone interpreting, call 131 450 from within Australia. It runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- Pre-booked phone, on-site and video remote interpreting are booked online through TIS Online. Bookings can be accepted up to 90 days ahead, and TIS National suggests booking at least a week in advance.
- Have the details ready: the client code, the language, the participant’s NDIS number and postcode, and the relevant support category.
- A booking made for an NDIS participant automatically asks for an interpreter who holds an NDIS Worker Screening Check.
- To cancel, use TIS Online with at least 24 hours’ notice. Without that, cancellation charges can apply.
- A participant can ask for a specific interpreter. TIS National may agree where it keeps quality and continuity of care, benefits the participant, or the interpreter has worked with the participant before.
As a participant or family member you do not normally book TIS National yourself under this arrangement: the NDIS says it is the provider’s responsibility to offer interpreting. Ask the provider before you start whether it will book an interpreter for the first meeting and for going through the service agreement.
Official information
- NDIS: how providers access interpreting services for participants
- TIS National (Translating and Interpreting Service)
- NDIS: information in other languages
Providers that list TIS National Bookings
No SolDirectory member provider lists TIS National Bookings at the moment. Providers supply their own language information, so confirm the specific worker, fluency, dialect, communication method and availability directly.
Questions to ask before support begins
- Ask who arranges and books TIS National Bookings for the person, and who pays for it.
- Confirm which information needs to be accessible (spoken, signed, written, Easy Read) and by when.
- Ask when a qualified independent interpreter or translator will be used instead of a family member or a bilingual worker.
- Check current availability, funding, privacy and the written service agreement.
How bilingual support, interpreters, privacy and funding differ is explained on the language support guide.
Frequently asked questions about TIS National Bookings
Does a listing prove that a provider can arrange TIS National Bookings?
No. Providers supply their own information. Confirm what they can arrange, how it is booked and who pays before support begins.
Is a bilingual worker the same as an accredited interpreter?
No. A bilingual worker may communicate directly during support, while an accredited interpreter has a separate interpreting role. Ask what is appropriate for important, technical or consent-related discussions.
Official sources
- NDIS information in other languages
- TIS National: interpreting services (call 131 450)
- NAATI practitioner directory
- NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission
Browse other language and communication guides
Helpful reading
- Registered or unregistered? What it means when you choose an NDIS provider: Registered and unregistered providers can both be legitimate, but the rules, checks and options for your plan are not the same. Here is how to think about the difference.
- Making a complaint about an NDIS provider or worker: where to start: Raising a concern can feel daunting. Here is a clear order of steps, who deals with what, and how to keep a record as you go.
- How to choose an NDIS provider: 12 questions to ask before you commit: A practical checklist for comparing providers, from how a service fits your plan to what happens when something goes wrong.