Translated information and documents
The NDIS publishes information in a number of languages other than English, and in Auslan. When this page was checked, its Languages page listed Arabic, Assyrian, Burmese, Chinese (simplified and traditional), Dari, Dinka, Farsi, Hakha Chin, Hazaragi, Karen, Khmer, Korean, Nepali, Somali, Swahili and Vietnamese. It also says that anyone who needs help contacting the NDIS can call the Translating and Interpreting Service on 131 450.
Translated information and documents
The NDIS publishes information in a number of languages other than English, and in Auslan. When this page was checked, its Languages page listed Arabic, Assyrian, Burmese, Chinese (simplified and traditional), Dari, Dinka, Farsi, Hakha Chin, Hazaragi, Karen, Khmer, Korean, Nepali, Somali, Swahili and Vietnamese. It also says that anyone who needs help contacting the NDIS can call the Translating and Interpreting Service on 131 450.
Translating a document is different from interpreting a conversation. TIS National runs a Free Translating Service for people settling permanently in Australia and for some temporary or provisional visa holders, who can have up to 10 personal documents translated if they are eligible.
Choosing what you need
- Check the NDIS Languages page first: official information may already exist in the person’s language.
- For a meeting or phone call, ask for an interpreter rather than a translated document.
- For a personal document, such as a certificate, check whether the person is eligible for the TIS National Free Translating Service.
- When others will rely on a translation, ask whether the translator holds a NAATI credential, and use the NAATI directory to find one.
- Ask a provider for its service agreement in the person’s language, or to have it explained by an interpreter, before it is signed.
Do not sign a document you cannot read. Ask for it to be explained first.
Official information
- NDIS: information in other languages
- TIS National (Translating and Interpreting Service)
- NAATI: find a credentialed translator or interpreter
Providers that list Translated Documents
No SolDirectory member provider lists Translated Documents 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 Translated Documents 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 Translated Documents
Does a listing prove that a provider can arrange Translated Documents?
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.