NDIS ILO Providers: What They Do and How to Choose One
An ILO provider works with the person to explore and design their individualised living option, helps write the service proposal, then sets up the arrangement, drafts the agreements, sorts out problems, and monitors and adjusts it over time. You choose your ILO provider. If your ILO funding is agency-managed, the provider has to be registered with the NDIS.
What Does an ILO Provider Do?
The NDIA describes the provider's role across both stages.
| Stage | What the provider does |
|---|---|
| Stage 1: exploration and design | Helps the person explore where and how they want to live, understand their strengths, choose who they live with and how they're supported, work out how family, community and paid supports fit, and assess and manage risks. Helps complete the service proposal and the quote. |
| Stage 2: ILO supports | Builds and puts the support arrangements in place, helps draft agreements for supports, resolves disputes and solves problems, and monitors and adjusts the arrangement. |
The NDIA says that ideally the stage 2 provider is involved in exploration and design and contributes to the service proposal. The provider also coordinates the monitoring plan and helps the person make changes.
What Rules Do ILO Providers Follow?
NDIS law, NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission requirements and the NDIS Code of Conduct.
The NDIA's guide for ILO providers says ILO supports must be delivered in line with these. Providers also have to keep to the NDIS pricing arrangements for exploration and design, and quote stage 2 through the service proposal.
Whether the provider has to be registered depends on how the funding is managed. Agency-managed funding can only pay registered providers. Self-managing participants can use registered or unregistered providers, though some supports, like behaviour support, still need a registered provider.
Looking for an ILO Provider?
We'll connect you with a registered ILO provider who may be able to help.
How Do You Choose an ILO Provider?
Talk to more than one, and look at how they'd design, set up and support the arrangement over time.
- Their experience with the kind of arrangement you want: a host, housemates or something else
- How they find, check and match hosts and housemates, and how you get to know someone first
- What back-up they arrange when a host or housemate is away
- How often they'd check in, and how you raise a problem between check-ins
- Whether they'd also run stage 2, if they help with exploration and design
- What's in their service agreement, and what happens if you want to change provider
Our guide to questions to ask an ILO provider turns these into a checklist. Your my NDIS contact or support coordinator can also help you find providers.
Do You Need a Service Agreement?
The NDIA says it's a good idea to have a written service agreement with your ILO provider.
It makes sure you and the provider are clear about what support you'll get and how. While the ILO is being set up, the provider should also talk with you about how much they'll need to claim from your funding.
Questions People Ask
How do I find an ILO provider near me?
Ask your my NDIS contact or support coordinator, or tell us what you need. We pass your details to a registered ILO provider who may be able to help, one at a time.
Can I change ILO providers?
Under the NDIS you choose your providers. Check the notice period in your service agreement, and talk to the NDIA if the change affects your service proposal.
Do ILO providers charge for exploration and design?
Yes, by the hour from the stage 1 funding in your plan, up to the price limits in the NDIS pricing schedule.
Are ILO providers the same as SIL providers?
They can be the same organisation, but ILO and SIL are different supports. ILO providers design and run individualised arrangements; SIL providers roster support workers in the home.
Keep Reading
- Questions to ask an ILO providerQuestions to ask an NDIS ILO provider before you choose: exploration and design, hosts and housemates, back-up support, monitoring, costs and agreements.
- The ILO support modelStage 2 of an ILO: primary supports, supplementary supports, and monitoring and adjustment.
- Exploration and designILO stage 1, exploration and design: what it's for, how the NDIA decides on 30, 50 or 100 hours, what a provider does in that time, and how it ends.
- How we choose providersThe checks every provider has to pass before we connect them with anyone.
- For ILO providersRegistered providers taking on new ILO participants.
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