The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) planning process can feel like a maze when you're starting out. What actually happens in a planning meeting? What do you say? What do they ask? These are the questions families ask us most.

One thing worth clarifying up front: this guide covers the planning process itself, specifically the meetings, preparation steps, goal setting, and plan reviews. If you're looking for information about how your NDIS funding is administered day-to-day, that's a separate topic covered in our guide to NDIS plan management options. The two are often confused, but they're quite different.

By the end of this guide, you'll understand each step of the NDIS planning process and what to expect along the way.

What is the NDIS Planning Process?

The NDIS planning process is the structured sequence of steps through which the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) develops a funded plan for a participant. It follows a clear cycle: access approval, planning meeting, plan creation, plan use, and then plan review.

Planning begins after a participant has been approved for NDIS access. If your family member is still working through that step, our guide to the NDIS access request process covers that in detail.

Once access is approved, three different people might conduct the planning meeting: an NDIA planner (employed directly by the agency), a Local Area Coordinator (LAC), or an Early Childhood Partner (for participants aged under 9). The role is the same regardless of who fills it: to gather information about your family member's goals, current supports, and daily needs, then use that to develop a funded plan.

Timelines vary, but here's what's typical: the planning meeting is usually scheduled 2 to 8 weeks after access is approved, and the plan itself takes a further 2 to 4 weeks to be approved after the meeting. From submitting the initial access request to receiving an approved plan, most families are looking at 3 to 4 months in total. It takes longer than most people expect.

One important note for 2026: the NDIS is transitioning to a "new framework planning" model from mid-year. The core process remains similar, but some of the terminology and evidence requirements are changing. For the latest detail, refer to the official NDIS guidance on the planning process.

Preparing for Your NDIS Planning Meeting

Preparation makes a real difference. Families who come to a planning meeting with clear ideas about what their loved one wants from life, not just a list of supports, tend to walk away with plans that actually reflect those needs.

Here is what to gather before the meeting:

• Reports and assessments from relevant health professionals (GP, occupational therapist, physiotherapist, specialist)
• Letters from anyone who provides current support (formal or informal)
• A list of existing supports and what they cost
• Notes on what is working and what is not
• Your family member's goals for the next 12 months

The NDIS provides an official preparation checklist that covers documents and questions worth thinking through beforehand.

Think carefully about who will attend. Your family member can bring a family member, friend, support coordinator, or disability advocate to the meeting. We strongly recommend bringing someone. Having a second person in the room means less pressure on your family member to remember everything, and someone else to take notes or ask follow-up questions.

Practical details matter too: confirm in advance whether the meeting is in person, by phone, or via video. Find a quiet space where your family member feels comfortable. Have myGov login details handy in case the planner needs to access anything online.

From what we've seen, the families who feel most prepared are the ones who've written down what their loved one wants from their life, not just their disability-related needs, but their genuine aspirations.

What Happens During the NDIS Planning Meeting?

The meeting is a conversation, not an exam. That's worth saying clearly, because many families come in braced for something far more formal than it actually is.

The planner or LAC will ask about your family member's current situation: what supports they use, what's working, what isn't, and what they want to achieve over the next plan period. They'll ask about daily activities, independence, community participation, and any goals for work or education. The meeting typically runs 1 to 2 hours, depending on how complex your family member's needs are.

Something that surprises many families: the plan itself isn't written during the meeting. The planner uses the conversation to gather information, then develops the plan document afterwards. You walk away from the meeting without anything finalised.

After the meeting, the plan takes 2 to 4 weeks to be approved. You can request to see a draft before it's finalised, which is worth doing. Reviewing a draft gives you the opportunity to raise anything that was missed or misunderstood before the plan becomes active.

An honest note: the process from meeting to approved plan can feel like a long wait, particularly when your family member's support needs are pressing. NDIS processing times vary and there's no way to reliably predict how long yours will take.

Setting Goals in Your NDIS Plan

Goals are the foundation of every NDIS plan. The supports funded in your family member's plan exist to help them achieve those goals, so goal-setting matters more than it might appear.

Goals can be broad ("I want to live as independently as possible") or specific ("I want to use public transport to get to work three days a week"). They generally fall across three areas: daily activities and self-care, independence and community connection, and work and education.

When it comes to housing, this is where the planning conversation really matters. If SDA (Specialist Disability Accommodation) is part of the picture, the planning meeting is where housing goals are established. A goal like "live in appropriate housing near my family" or "access housing with the specialist design features I need" becomes the foundation for any future SDA assessment process.

A common worry is that goals need to be perfectly articulated at the first planning meeting. They don't. Goals evolve across plan reviews as your family member's situation changes and their confidence in the process grows. Getting something reasonable in the plan is more useful than waiting for the perfect phrasing.

Help your family member think about what matters to them in everyday life, not just what they need medically. What does a good week look like? Who do they want to stay connected to? Where do they want to live? Those answers make the best goals.

What is an NDIS Plan Review?

An NDIS plan review is the process by which a participant's plan is reassessed and updated. Most plans run for 12 months, though participants with stable and well-understood needs may receive plans of up to 3 years.

The NDIA typically contacts participants about 6 weeks before their plan is due to expire to schedule a reassessment. The plan review follows a similar process to the original planning meeting: a conversation about what's working, what's changed, and what goals matter most going forward.

There are two types of review. A scheduled review happens before the plan expires. An unscheduled review can be requested at any time if your family member's circumstances change significantly, such as a major change in health, housing situation, or support needs.

A few things worth knowing:

• If the new plan isn't ready when the old one expires, the current plan automatically extends for up to 12 months. Funding continues uninterrupted.
• Plan reviews are an opportunity, not just an obligation. If supports in the current plan aren't meeting your family member's needs, or if new needs have emerged, the review is the time to raise them.
• For families pursuing SDA, this is important: SDA can be added to a plan at review if it wasn't included originally. A change in housing needs or a new occupational therapy assessment can support that request.

Yes, plan reviews can feel repetitive. You may find yourself explaining circumstances you feel you've already described. That's a real frustration of the system. Good preparation, including updated reports from health professionals, makes reviews go more smoothly.

How the NDIS Planning Process Connects to SDA Housing

If your family member's disability means they need specialist housing, the planning process is where that housing journey begins.

SDA is a Capital Support, meaning it requires specific goals and supporting evidence before it can be included in an NDIS plan. The planning meeting is the right place to raise housing goals and discuss the need for specialist accommodation. Goals stated clearly at this stage, with supporting evidence from an occupational therapist or other professional, form the basis for the NDIA's SDA assessment.

For families who think SDA may be relevant, understanding SDA eligibility criteria before the planning meeting helps enormously. Knowing what evidence the NDIA looks for means you can ensure the right documentation is gathered in advance.

We're not involved in the planning process itself. That's between your family member, their support coordinator, and the NDIA. Eligibility and funding decisions are made by the NDIA, not by us. But once a plan includes SDA funding, we can help find the right home in the right location.

Conclusion: Taking the NDIS Planning Process One Step at a Time

The NDIS planning process has a clear structure once you understand it: access approval, planning meeting, plan creation, plan use, and plan review. Preparation genuinely matters at each stage. Families who go into meetings knowing what they want to achieve tend to come out with plans that reflect those needs more accurately.

It's a system that can feel frustrating and slow, especially when you're waiting on timelines you can't control. But each step is navigable, and you don't have to navigate it alone.

If SDA housing is part of your family member's plan or something you're exploring, we're happy to talk through what that looks like in practice. Call us on (03) 9999 7418, email admin@paramounthomes.com.au, or visit www.paramounthomes.com.au. We can't influence NDIS decisions, but we know the housing side of the process well and we're here to help.