NDIS Supported Decision Making Policy
People with disability have the right to make their own decisions. They have the right to dignity, autonomy, decision making, and recognition of legal capacity. The NDIS has now developed a Supported Decision Making Policy that is focused on ensuring the rights of people with disability to make their own decisions.
What is supported decision making?
Supported decision making is the process of providing support to people to make decisions
to remain in control of their lives. It involves building the skills and knowledge of people, their
families, carers, peers and professionals.
Key Principles
- All adults have an equal right to make decisions that affect their lives and to have those decisions respected
- There must be access to support for people who need help communicating and participating in decisions
- Decisions are directed by a person’s own will, preferences and rights
- Include appropriate and effective safeguards against violence, abuse, neglect or exploitation.
Key Areas of the Policy
- The role of the NDIA and NDIS in supporting people with disability to make decisions
- How the NDIA can help children, young people and adults with disability understand their rights to make decisions, and support them to make decisions
- The role of nominees, guardians, family members and others in supporting people with disability to make decisions about the NDIS.
How can NDIS Service Providers support this Policy?
- Give the person relevant information
- Respect the persons individual rights to freedom of expression, including the right to make decisions that involve risk
- Explain information in a way that’s easy for them to understand
- Implement processes to identify when a person with disability needs support to make a decision
- Implement an online business management system like iCare to help automate and manage the decision making process
