Responsibilities of Disability Support for Older Australians Program service coordinators

Responsibilities to clients

When providing DSOA Program services to clients, you must make sure:

• your services are effective, efficient, and properly targeted
• you apply duty of care standards
• special needs groups have equal and just access to your services
• you use best practices.

Quality and safeguards

The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission regulates the DSOA service coordinators and subcontracted providers under the DSOA Program.

All DSOA service coordinators must be registered with the Quality and Safeguards Commission under the NDIS unless we have provided a written exemption.

As part of your quality responsibilities as service coordinators with the DSOA Program you must:

• meet the quality standards outlined in the National Disabilities Insurance Scheme Act 2013, NDIS Rules and NDIS Guidelines
• meet the quality standards outlined in the outlined in the NDIS Code of Conduct
• meet the quality and safeguard requirements outlined in your grant agreement
• support your clients’ rights and understand your responsibilities as outlined in the NDIS Practice Standards and Quality Indicators
• work to improve the quality and safety of services and supports provided to DSOA clients
• investigate and resolve problems
• plan and deliver services that are open to diversity
• have regular quality reviews
• provide audit reports when requested.

Program principles

The DSOA Program principles are:

• simple administration – this reduces the workload on service coordinators and helps with performance reporting
• minimal disruption – to both clients and service coordinators.

Laws that apply

Service coordinators must comply with the relevant Commonwealth, state and territory laws. This includes working with vulnerable people.

Relevant laws are noted in the terms and conditions and the supplementary conditions and include the:

• National Disabilities Insurance Scheme Act 2013
• NDIS Rules
• NDIS Guidelines
• NDIS Code of Conduct.

Program resources