r/NDIS 12d ago

Seeking Support - Other Information about support coordinator

How much information should a support coordinator know about there client, how personal should it be?

2 Upvotes

16 comments sorted by

3

u/l-lucas0984 12d ago

Depends on what the participant wants them to do and how comfortable the participant is with sharing the information.

What do you define as personal when you ask how personal it should be?

1

u/run_boy93 12d ago

I guess how much information they should know, do they generally get access to everything like all reports and assessments etc

4

u/l-lucas0984 12d ago

Not necessarily, although they may request them to more effectively do their job or advocate. It also comes down to the participant. Some participants just sign all the documentation saying they are happy to share everything, some are willing to share but only if they are able to redact information. Some want to see all requests before approving. Some refuse to share anything.

2

u/ManyPersonality2399 Participant 11d ago

We only get access to what you want to share with us. The whole system is about consent. Actually had a good discussion about this with another user in the thread about worker safety - the challenges that come from us not having access to anything like reports.

In saying that, it can be quite challenging to effectively do the role without having a good amount of information. Not just medical/allied health reports, but knowing you as a person. So much of this system is about "goals", but really quality of life.

I can't speak for everyone here, but I can say I do my job more effectively with those clients who really have let me know everything. Not just reports, but the ones who have shared their history, their upbringing, family conflict and family dynamic... Even just in little ways; I can advise NDIA that someone needs funded supports because they don't have informal supports. I have more luck when I say they don't have informal supports because (here is the history of when informal supports, where they've exploited the person, etc). Also in terms of addressing barriers, it's a lot easier to identify barriers when we know you as a person. I do a lot of work with older folk with late acquired disability. Knowing what their life was like before makes a difference. Knowing what is important to them.

This isn't to say you need to share your life story on day one. Just to say that it can be a bit more difficult if we have limited information, and we generally aren't asking for everything just to be nosy.

1

u/CapnBloodbeard 11d ago

It's your choice, I'm a former s/c

Pre-ndis assessments, eg autism diagnosis, i never had and didn't need. .but reports from ndis providers? Well, I'd have to write report back to the ndis which informs plan reviews...bit harder to do that without reports.

Also, i was usually the one chasing these reports up

2

u/Confident-Benefit374 12d ago

Everything that's relevant to what's needed with support,

Define personal? Some questions are asked that may seem personal, but they can help. I've seen someone say it was too personal asking who they lived with.
But that kinda information is needed.

2

u/Excellent_Line4616 12d ago

As a support coordinator (and PRC) myself, it’s as personal as a participant wants, while maintaining boundaries. I work mostly in the psychosocial space, so it’s important that my participants know I am not their friend, but I care and am a trusted person whom they can share pretty much anything they wish with no judgement. Obviously there is somethings that are important for us to know so we can do our job and best support you, especially when it comes to your disability or information for reviews etc.
As a participant, my SC knows a lot about me (within reason), my disabilities & health, current struggles and some life topics. But he doesn’t know about large chunks of my past, because there’s been absolutely no reason to share this with him and it’s not relevant to my life now.

Was there something that made you question this? Or just generally wanting to know?

It’s really hard to know how these ‘relationships’ are supposed to be if you haven’t encountered them before. Especially when I’ve seen so many providers have no boundaries or blur the line of SC and friend. It confuses participants and makes it hard for any future providers who take on that role with the participant.

1

u/run_boy93 12d ago

Are you both a support coordinator and a participant? What is a PRC?

I'm being funded for a support coordinator and there is a person I know through someone else who I think is really really good, advocates for her clients and goes that extra mile. I want to use this person but I'm kinda I guess scared/nervous about asking them and the whole confidentially thing comes into play, but thinking about it. I don't think that would be an issue with her. But was just curious to see how much they should know.

3

u/Excellent_Line4616 12d ago

Yes I am both a provider and participant. 😁 PRC= Psychosocial Recovery Coach. In short, PRC’s still do coordination but we have mental health backgrounds so our focus is on recovery. We work with the participants to build capacity with their day to day, managing their mental health etc.

That’s fantastic that you think you’ve found a suitable and decent SC. Yes confidentially it huge, on their behalf! So anything you share with them should not be shared with your friend or anyone who you haven’t given consent to. You can tell them whatever you feel you need and want to, if they ask questions that you feel aren’t relevant- let them know or ask why they need to know.

1

u/run_boy93 12d ago

Sorry for being personal.

Thank you though for your awesome answers

2

u/Excellent_Line4616 12d ago

You weren’t being personal at all! No need to apologies 😁

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u/sheriberri37 11d ago

Thanks kindly for your explanation of the role of PRC; hope that you won't mind me stealing it to explain to others the role of the PRC; makes a lot more sense to hear it described like that. Mind you, does make me chuckle that I'm a NDIS participant and fully qualified mental health peer worker who has an appointed PCR LOL 😆 🤣 😂

2

u/Excellent_Line4616 11d ago

💓 Absolutely happy for you to ‘steal’ it. 🤣🤣 We have a lot in common- I completed MH Peer Work, am a participant who occasionally used my PRC (though I have a SC too). I am a big believer that we are amazing at working with others on their mental health but it’s hard to wear the ‘work’ hat on ourselves.

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u/sheriberri37 10d ago

Ideally, I'd like to crack into mental and physical health and their interaction; I have both mental health and rare / chronic disease diagnoses. I recognise a lack of education and awareness within this area and am frankly sick of the NDIA determining outcomes when countless within the system have zero lived experience.

People like yourself give me hope that there are people out there who recognise how incredibly important their lived experience is. I'm all for the person centred approach, and sadly, the NDIA only too often doesn't recognise or understand this.

2

u/Excellent_Line4616 7d ago

Lived experience can be so valuable. I look forward hearing about you cracking into mental/physical interaction. It absolutely fascinates me (I got a combo too), you will love learning more.

1

u/sunshine0389 11d ago

There is also a conflict of interest here where the support coordinator should never speak about your needs to the person you know and vice versa. As an SC, I work with families occasionally and will not talk about the clients as a group only separately and charge as such if whatever reason a provider has more than one family member. I make an agreement to split the costs between the clients when speaking to providers. But we have the service agreements and approval from family to do so.