Choosing disability support is personal. The right provider for one person can be wrong for another, even with the same NDIS plan. This guide suggests questions to ask when choosing support services in Adelaide, so that the decision rests on the participant’s needs rather than on marketing.
What should you decide before you start looking?
Before comparing providers, get clear on what the support is for. It helps to write down:
- the goals in the NDIS plan that the support relates to
- the tasks the participant needs help with, and the ones they want to keep doing
- days, times and places where support is needed
- what matters most in a worker, such as patience, language, gender or shared interests
- what has and has not worked with previous supports
The NDIS Commission suggests a similar starting point: think about what supports you need, whether the provider can deliver them, whether your supports need a registered provider, and whether the provider will put you first and listen to you.
Does the provider need to be registered?
It depends partly on how the plan is managed. If funding is NDIA-managed, the providers must be registered. Plan-managed and self-managed participants can choose registered or unregistered providers.
Some supports now need a registered provider regardless of plan management. For example, the NDIS says all providers delivering supported independent living (SIL) must be registered from 1 July 2026. Kindora Connect is a Registered NDIS Provider; you can read about registered and unregistered NDIS providers to decide what matters for you.
What questions should you ask a provider?
- Which of the supports we need do you deliver, and in which suburbs?
- Who would the workers be, and can we meet them first?
- How are workers screened, trained and supervised?
- What happens if a worker is sick or running late?
- How much notice do you need to change or cancel a shift?
- How do you keep the participant, and the family if they want, informed?
- How do we raise a concern, and what happens then?
- What will the service agreement cover, and can we take it home to read?
Good providers answer these plainly. Be cautious of anyone who promises everything, guarantees outcomes or pushes you to sign quickly.
How do you check worker screening?
Registered providers must make sure workers in risk-assessed roles hold an NDIS Worker Screening clearance. Unregistered providers are not legally required to, although the NDIS Commission recommends it. Ask any provider directly whether their workers are screened.
How do you judge whether support is working?
In the first few weeks, notice whether:
- workers arrive on time and know the plan before they start
- the participant feels respected and listened to
- the provider responds to feedback and makes changes
- you get clear invoices that match the service agreement
Every NDIS provider and worker, registered or not, must follow the NDIS Code of Conduct. It includes respecting people’s rights and privacy, providing supports safely and competently, acting with integrity and raising concerns about quality and safety. If something is not right, raise it with the provider first. You can also contact the NDIS Commission.
How do you compare prices and agreements?
Ask each provider for its prices in writing, including any travel or cancellation charges. The NDIS sets price limits for many supports, and self-managed participants can negotiate prices above or below them. The NDIS Code of Conduct also says providers must not charge NDIS participants higher prices than other customers without a reasonable justification.
Before you sign a service agreement, check that it covers:
- when and where each support will be provided
- how the provider will be paid, and by whom
- what each side will do if responsibilities are not met
- how to raise a concern, and who to contact if it is not resolved
- how long the agreement lasts, when it is reviewed and how to end it
The NDIS also says the agreement should be in a format and language you understand. Ask for a plain-language version if you need one.
Where does local knowledge help?
A provider that knows your area can plan around the things that matter day to day: which bus gets to the interchange, where the accessible parking is at the hospital, which community centre runs the group you want to join. In Adelaide’s north-east, for example, our Modbury page lists local places we support people to visit.
When you are ready, our guide to preparing for an initial support discussion helps you get the first conversation right. You can also browse our NDIS personal care and life skills development pages.