Will my child lose NDIS funding?

The NDIA looks at how the current plan has been used, whether the funded supports were reasonable and necessary, and whether the child's goals and support needs have changed. This is based on evidence: reports from therapists, school, support workers or other professionals, along with the family's own account of daily life.

Funding changes are meant to reflect a genuine change in circumstances, not a default assumption that needs shrink over time. If a family disagrees with a plan decision, they have the right to ask for an explanation and, if needed, request a formal review.

It helps to remember that a review is a conversation about the child's current reality, not a test the family can fail. The NDIA is trying to build an accurate picture — the more complete and honest that picture is, the more likely the resulting plan is to actually fit. Vague or incomplete information at review time is far more likely to cause an unwanted outcome than an honest account of ongoing difficulties.

Good preparation makes the biggest difference. Families who bring clear, current evidence to a review tend to have an easier time than those who rely on the previous plan alone. It's also worth remembering that preparation isn't about presenting a worst-case picture — it's about presenting an accurate, representative one.

Every family has the right to ask the NDIA to explain a decision, and to request an internal review if the outcome does not reflect the child's actual needs. This process has formal timeframes and steps set out by the NDIA — it is worth checking the current process on ndis.gov.au, since procedures are periodically updated, rather than relying on advice that may be out of date.

A Support Coordinator, if the plan includes one, can help gather evidence and navigate this process. Even without a Support Coordinator, families can request this help directly from the NDIA, and disability advocacy organisations can also assist with an internal review request at no cost.

It's worth acting reasonably promptly if you disagree with an outcome — while formal review pathways exist, delays can make it harder to gather fresh, relevant evidence, and some review pathways have time limits attached.

Valencea is not a Support Coordinator or plan management service, but as a support provider working with plan-managed and self-managed families in Western Sydney, we can share what we have observed about a child's support use in day-to-day life — which can help build the evidence picture for a review. If you would like to talk this through, call 0494 733 201, Monday to Friday, 9:00am–5:00pm. We respond to enquiries within 24 hours.

For the current, official position on how reviews and reassessments work, ndis.gov.au remains the most reliable source, since these processes are updated periodically. If something in this article ever seems out of step with what you're told directly by the NDIA, trust the direct advice — this is general information, not a substitute for your specific plan's terms.