Your first National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) planning meeting is coming up. If you're feeling nervous about it, you're not alone. Many families tell us they worry about forgetting important documents, not articulating their family member's needs clearly, or getting the plan "wrong" from the start.

Here's what we've learned: preparation makes a real difference. When you prepare for your NDIS planning meeting with clear documents, well-thought-out goals, and an understanding of what to expect, the conversation flows more naturally. You'll feel more confident, and your planner will have what they need to understand your family member's situation.

This guide focuses on practical preparation steps you can take before your first NDIS planning meeting. For an overview of the entire planning process, read our complete guide to the NDIS planning process.

Why Preparation Matters for Your First NDIS Planning Meeting

Your first NDIS planning meeting sets the foundation for your family member's plan. It's where you'll discuss their goals, current supports, and the funding they'll need to live the life they want. The better prepared you are, the more effectively you can communicate what matters.

Preparation helps in three key ways. First, it reduces anxiety. When you know what documents to bring and what questions you'll be asked, the meeting feels less overwhelming. Second, it helps you articulate needs clearly. Having everything written down means you won't forget important details in the moment. Third, families who prepare together often feel more confident going into the meeting, knowing they've thought through their family member's goals and gathered the evidence to support them.

This isn't a test or an exam. It's a conversation about your family member's needs and aspirations. But like any important conversation, thinking through what you want to say beforehand makes it go more smoothly.

How to Prepare for Your NDIS Planning Meeting: 7 Key Steps

Preparing for your first NDIS planning meeting doesn't need to be overwhelming. Break it into manageable steps over the weeks leading up to your meeting date.

Step 1: Gather Your Medical and Assessment Reports

Your planner will want to understand how your family member's disability affects their daily life. Medical reports, allied health assessments, and specialist letters provide that evidence.

Collect reports from the past 12-24 months from occupational therapists, physiotherapists, psychologists, speech pathologists, and any medical specialists involved in your family member's care. These reports should describe functional impact, not just diagnosis. How does the disability affect daily activities, mobility, communication, or participation in community life?

Step 2: List Your Current Supports and Costs

Write down all the supports your family member currently receives, whether funded or not. Include therapy sessions, support workers, equipment, transport assistance, and any modifications you've made at home. Note the costs where possible.

This helps your planner understand what's already working and what gaps need to be filled. If you're paying out of pocket for supports, bring evidence of those costs. If family members are providing unpaid support, note the hours and what tasks they help with.

Step 3: Write Down Your Goals (Short-Term and Long-Term)

Goals drive your NDIS plan. We'll discuss goal-setting in more detail below, but start thinking now about what your family member wants to achieve in the next 12 months and beyond.

Think beyond medical needs. Goals can include things like "live in appropriate housing near family", "participate in community activities independently", or "maintain employment". The NDIS funds supports that help achieve these life goals, not just manage disability.

Step 4: Identify Your Support Person

You can bring someone to your planning meeting. Many families bring a support coordinator, family member, or trusted friend who understands their family member's needs.

Support coordinators can be particularly helpful at planning meetings. They know what planners are looking for and can help articulate needs in NDIS language. If you don't have a support coordinator yet, you can request support coordination funding in this first plan.

Step 5: Prepare Your Questions

Write down any questions you have about how the NDIS works, what will be funded, or how the plan review process works. Your planner expects questions, particularly at first planning meetings.

Common questions families ask include: How long will my plan last? What happens if our circumstances change? Can we request a plan review? What support categories are available? Don't hesitate to ask for clarification during the meeting if something doesn't make sense.

Step 6: Confirm Meeting Logistics

A few days before your meeting, confirm the details. Is it in person, by phone, or video call? How long will it take? (Most first planning meetings run 60-90 minutes.) What's the planner's contact information in case you need to reschedule?

Make sure you have your myGov login details handy if it's a phone or video meeting. Have all your documents organised in one place so you can reference them easily during the conversation.

Step 7: Do a Practice Run (If Helpful)

Some families find it helpful to do a practice run. Talk through your family member's goals and needs with your support person or family members. This can help identify anything you've missed and make the actual conversation feel more natural.

For some people, rehearsing makes them more anxious. Only do this if it genuinely helps you feel prepared.

Documents Checklist for Your NDIS Planning Meeting

The NDIS provides an official planning meeting checklist with additional preparation guidance. Here's what you'll want to bring:

Medical and assessment evidence:

• Reports from occupational therapists, physiotherapists, psychologists, speech pathologists
• Letters from medical specialists and GPs
• Assessments describing functional impact of disability
• Any diagnoses or medical records relevant to your family member's needs

Current supports documentation:

• List of current therapies and support services
• Names and contact details of current providers
• Costs of current supports (including out-of-pocket expenses)
• Equipment currently used and any equipment needs

Goals and aspirations:

• Written short-term goals (next 12 months)
• Written long-term goals (2-5 years)
• Notes on what your family member wants to achieve

Practical information:

• myGov login details
• Proof of identity documents
• Notes on daily routine and what support is needed when
• List of questions you want to ask

Support person:

• Contact details for your support coordinator (if you have one)
• Name of the person attending with you

Have these documents organised before the meeting. You don't need to present everything formally, but having them ready to reference makes the conversation smoother.

Setting Goals Before Your Planning Meeting

Goals are the heart of your NDIS plan. Your funding will be structured around helping your family member achieve these goals, so it's worth spending time thinking them through.

The NDIA's preparation guide covers what to expect. Goals should reflect what your family member wants for their life, not just their disability management needs. Think about participation in community, relationships, employment or education, daily living skills, health and wellbeing, and housing.

Short-term goals are things you want to work towards in the next 12 months. Examples: "Attend community activities twice a week independently", "Improve cooking skills to prepare simple meals", "Maintain current employment with workplace modifications". Long-term goals look 2-5 years ahead. Examples: "Live in appropriate housing near family and community", "Travel interstate to visit relatives independently", "Participate in a regular community sporting activity".

If housing is part of the picture, your planning meeting is where to raise it. State goals clearly: "Live in specialist accommodation that meets accessibility needs and is located near family". If your family member may need Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) in future, mention it now. Understanding SDA eligibility criteria before your planning meeting helps you know what evidence the NDIA looks for.

Be specific where possible, but don't stress about perfection. Goals can evolve at plan reviews. What matters is giving your planner a clear picture of what your family member wants to achieve and what supports they'll need to get there.

Preparing as a Family: Involving Your Loved One

This is your family member's plan, and their voice should be central to preparation. How you prepare together depends on their communication style, decision-making capacity, and preferences.

Where possible, involve your family member in every step. Talk through what goals matter to them. Ask what supports would help them live the life they want. Discuss what's working with current supports and what isn't. Their perspective is what the planner needs to hear.

For families supporting someone with limited verbal communication, think about other ways they express preferences and choices. Do they respond positively to certain activities? Do they have routines or people they're particularly connected to? Bring examples that show what matters to them.

This preparation can be emotional for families. You're talking about big life decisions and acknowledging that your family member needs significant support. That weight is real. Take the time you need to have these conversations without pressure.

The balance families navigate is supporting their loved one while respecting their autonomy. Your role might be helping articulate goals your family member has expressed, providing evidence about support needs, or advocating for their preferences. But this is fundamentally about their life and their choices.

Reducing Anxiety Before Your First Planning Meeting

It's completely normal to feel nervous about your first NDIS planning meeting. Many families tell us they worry about saying the wrong thing, forgetting important details, or not getting the plan their family member needs.

Here's what helps: remember that this isn't a test. The planner's job is to understand your family member's needs and goals. They want this conversation to work. They expect that families are learning the system and may not know all the NDIS language yet.

You're allowed to ask the planner to repeat something, slow down, or explain what they mean. You're allowed to take breaks if the meeting is running long or if you need time to think through a question. You're allowed to say "I don't know" and offer to provide additional information later.

The NDIS system can feel overwhelming. We won't pretend it's simple. But preparation helps you feel ready, even if you're still uncertain about some aspects. Bring your support person who understands your family member's needs. They can help fill in details if you're finding it hard to articulate something in the moment.

Your first planning meeting is the start of the journey, not a one-time decision that locks everything in. Plans can be reviewed, funding can be adjusted, and goals can evolve. If something doesn't work in your first plan, you'll have opportunities to change it.

How Planning Meetings Connect to SDA and Housing Goals

If housing is part of your family member's future, your first NDIS planning meeting is where to start that conversation. While SDA funding isn't guaranteed and the assessment process is separate, stating housing goals clearly in your planning meeting establishes the foundation.

Housing goals might sound like: "Live in appropriate specialist accommodation near family", "Access housing with full wheelchair accessibility features", or "Live independently in accommodation designed for high physical support needs". Be specific about why standard housing doesn't meet your family member's needs.

The planning meeting doesn't determine SDA eligibility, but it's where you raise the need. Your planner can note housing as a goal and include initial SDA assessment in your plan if appropriate. Learn more about the SDA assessment process if housing is part of your goals.

Remember that SDA eligibility and funding decisions are made by the NDIA, not housing providers. Our role at Paramount Disability Homes is helping find the right home after SDA is approved in your plan. We focus on locations near family and community, because we know those connections matter.

If you're still working through the NDIS access request, this planning meeting guide will be helpful once access is approved.

Conclusion

Preparation makes your first NDIS planning meeting feel less overwhelming and helps you communicate your family member's needs clearly. Focus on what you can control: gathering documents, thinking through goals, identifying your support person, and writing down questions.

The meeting itself is a conversation, not a test. Your planner wants to understand what supports your family member needs to achieve their goals. When you've prepared the evidence and thought through what matters, that conversation flows more naturally.

This is the start of your NDIS journey, not a one-time decision. Plans evolve, goals change, and you'll have opportunities to adjust funding at reviews. What matters now is being as prepared as you can be, while acknowledging that you don't need to have all the answers.

If SDA housing is part of your family's future, we're here to talk through what that looks like once your plan includes housing funding. We focus on helping families find homes near each other, because proximity to family and community is what creates real independence.

Got questions? Call us on (03) 9999 7418 or email admin@paramounthomes.com.au. We're happy to talk through your situation.