Training for carers and parents

NDIS support

Training to help family members and carers understand a person’s needs and learn practical ways to support them.

The short answer

Training for carers and parents helps family members understand a person's needs and learn practical ways to support them.

About Training for carers and parents

Family and carers provide much of the support people receive, often without formal training. Learning about a condition, communication, behaviour, health tasks and how to look after yourself makes caring more sustainable and helps the person you care for.

Training comes in many forms: courses, workshops, coaching from a therapist, hands-on demonstrations and peer groups where carers share experiences. A therapist or nurse can show you specific techniques, such as safe lifting, feeding or communication strategies for the person you care for.

Carers also need support for themselves. Carer organisations and helplines provide information, counselling and connection, and your support coordinator may know about local options. Looking after your own health and taking breaks are part of caring well.

Who is this service for?

Family members and carers who want to understand a person's needs and learn practical ways to support them.

What a typical session looks like

Training for carers and parents helps the people who support a person with disability to do so with skill and confidence. It may be a workshop, a series of sessions or one-to-one coaching, and covers topics such as understanding the disability, communication, managing behaviour, safe handling, medication, navigating services and looking after your own wellbeing.

Sessions are practical, drawing on real situations, and there is often time to talk with others in a similar position. Trainers may be therapists, nurses, psychologists or experienced parents, and they help you build skills you can use at home right away.

Who delivers this support

Training is delivered by health professionals, community organisations and peer support groups. Parent and carer organisations often provide sessions from a lived experience perspective. Ask about the trainer's background, whether the content can be tailored to your situation and what follow-up is available.

How to choose a provider

• Ask what topics the training covers and whether it suits your situation.
• Find out whether it includes hands-on practice.
• Check whether it is one-to-one, in a group or online.
• Ask whether there is follow-up support.
• Look for training that also addresses carer wellbeing.

Questions to ask a provider

• What topics will the training cover, and can it be tailored to our situation?
• Who delivers it, and what is their background?
• Will there be practice and time to ask questions?
• Is there follow-up support if we need it?
• Can other family members attend?
• Is there support for carers' own wellbeing?

Common mistakes to avoid

• Trying to cope alone rather than seeking training and support.
• Choosing training that is too general for your situation.
• Not involving other family members.
• Neglecting your own health and rest.
• Not practising new skills after the session.

Getting started

1. Write down the situations where you would like more skills or confidence.
2. Ask the person's therapist or coordinator about training.
3. Look into carer organisations in your area.
4. Plan time for your own rest and support.

How it fits with the rest of your plan

Carer and parent training complements therapy, respite and counselling. It helps the whole family work in the same direction and can reduce stress. It is worth thinking about your own needs as well, since looking after yourself is essential to being able to keep caring.

Eligibility

You can use NDIS funding for Training for carers and parents if it is included in your NDIS plan. The NDIS funds supports that are reasonable and necessary: they relate to your disability, help you pursue your goals and represent value for money. Not sure whether it is in your plan? Check your plan, or ask your planner, Local Area Coordinator or support coordinator. You can also arrange it privately.

Funding

Which part of an NDIS plan pays for Training for carers and parents depends on the specific support and on how your plan is set up. Your planner, Local Area Coordinator or support coordinator can confirm where it fits, and providers can give you a quote to check against your budget. Many NDIS supports have price limits, so ask providers for a quote and check it against the current NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits. Whether your plan is managed by the NDIA, by a plan manager or by you, ask for a written quote and a service agreement before you start. If your plan is plan-managed or self-managed you can use providers who are not registered with the NDIS. If it is NDIA-managed you generally need a registered provider.

What it costs

Supports such as Training for carers and parents that are funded by the NDIS are paid at rates that follow the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits, which the NDIA reviews regularly. Many items have a maximum price, and some prices are higher in remote areas. Before you start, ask for a written quote that lists each support, the hours and the price, and check it against the current NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits on the NDIS website. A provider may charge less than a limit. If you pay privately, the provider sets its own fees. Plan-managed and self-managed participants can also use providers who are not registered, and those providers set their own prices.

Checking credentials

• Check registration Search the NDIS Commission's register of registered providers to see whether a provider is registered and for which types of support. Plan-managed and self-managed participants can also use unregistered providers.
• Ask about worker screening Ask whether workers hold a current NDIS Worker Screening Check where their role requires one, and how the provider checks its workers' identity and qualifications.
• Get it in writing Ask for a written quote and a service agreement that describes the support, the prices, how to change or end it and how to make a complaint.

Regulation and safeguards

NDIS providers and their workers must follow the NDIS Code of Conduct, and registered providers are regulated by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.

• NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission Regulates NDIS providers and handles complaints about the quality and safety of NDIS supports. Phone: 1800 035 544.
• National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) Runs the NDIS. Contact them about your plan, your funding and eligibility. Phone: 1800 800 110.

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• Assistance animals
• Community nursing care

Frequently asked questions

What kind of training is available?

Courses and coaching on topics such as understanding a diagnosis, communication, managing behaviour, health tasks and looking after your own wellbeing.

Can it include hands-on training?

Often, yes. Therapists and nurses can show carers practical techniques for the person they care for.

Where else can carers get support?

Carer organisations and helplines offer information, counselling and peer support. Your support coordinator may also know local options.

Where can carers get support?

Carer organisations and national helplines offer information, counselling and peer support.

Can siblings take part?

Often. Ask organisers about resources for siblings.

Is training available online?

Yes, in many cases. Ask providers.

Is training for carers only for parents of children?

No. Carers of adults and older people can also benefit from training in areas such as safe handling, communication and managing health needs.

Can training help with my own stress?

Many programs include support for wellbeing, and meeting other carers can help you feel less alone.

How do I find training in my area?

Carer organisations, therapists and your support coordinator can suggest options.

Can I use my NDIS plan to pay for Training for carers and parents?

If Training for carers and parents is in your NDIS plan and is reasonable and necessary for you, then yes. Check with your planner, Local Area Coordinator or support coordinator. You can also arrange it privately.

How do I find a Training for carers and parents provider near me?

Browse providers on SolDirectory, or send a free enquiry with your location and what you need and suitable providers will review it. Then ask each one about availability, a quote and a service agreement before you decide. Details come from providers and registers, so confirm them directly.

Sources and further reading

• NDIS: how the NDIS works, plans and price limits
• NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission: find a registered provider, make a complaint

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