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Client Onboarding Preparation Guide
Prepare everything before you open the NDIS intake form
This page is designed for the responsible staff member, coordinator, intake officer, or delegated family representative to gather the correct participant information, supporting documents, support details, and agreement information before starting the onboarding form.
Purpose of this page
Use this page as the pre-intake checklist so staff can collect accurate information before entering it into the onboarding form.
Who should complete it
The participant, nominee, guardian, family member, support coordinator, or provider representative can help complete the intake where appropriate.
Why preparation matters
Correct details reduce delays, avoid missing documents, support service matching, and help the service agreement reflect the participant’s needs accurately.
Information to gather before starting
- Confirm participant identity details, date of birth, contact details, address, and NDIS plan number.
- Collect guardian, carer, nominee, advocate, and emergency contact information if relevant.
- Review the participant’s support needs, routines, communication needs, mobility, behaviour supports, cultural practices, and medical information.
- Prepare service agreement details including support type, duration, funding management, communication preferences, and review frequency.
- Check which file documents are already available and which still need to be collected or signed.
Before submitting the onboarding form
- Make sure the participant or representative has agreed to share the information.
- Confirm spelling of names, email addresses, mobile numbers, and addresses.
- Check if there are allergies, medication requirements, safety risks, or behaviour supports that staff must know immediately.
- Ensure the funding type is correct: self-managed, nominee-managed, NDIA-managed, or plan-managed.
- Confirm which documents need follow-up after the form is submitted.
Detailed intake preparation checklist
| Section | What the responsible person should prepare | Examples / notes |
|---|---|---|
| Participant details | Given name, family name, DOB, address, phone, email, language, cultural background, NDIS plan number, referral source. | Use the participant’s NDIS record or ID documents where available. |
| Guardian / carer / advocate | Names, phone numbers, relationship to participant, email, organisation, address. | Include nominee or advocate details if they help make decisions or attend meetings. |
| Medical contacts | GP, clinic, specialist, medical conditions, allergy details, medication needs, medically related aids. | Have medication plans, diagnoses, or clinical notes ready if relevant. |
| Support profile | Likes, dislikes, strengths, areas for improvement, communication style, physical restrictions, hearing/vision issues, mealtime risks. | This helps match the participant with the right staff and support style. |
| Behaviour and safety | Wandering risk, safety awareness, behaviours of concern, triggers, existing strategies, BSP or related plans. | Important for safe service commencement and rostering. |
| Routine and services | Weekly routine, preferred support times, current providers, requested services, community access, domestic assistance, personal care, overnight support. | Include frequency, ideal days, and any participant preferences. |
| Service agreement | Support description, duration, start date, end date, communication methods, review schedule, payment/funding responsibility. | Make sure this matches the participant’s plan and intended services. |
| File checklist | Referral form, acknowledgement, consent, assessment, emergency/disaster plan, service agreement, support plan, risk assessment, induction, review and exit forms. | Mark which items are received, pending, or not applicable. |
Documents to have on hand
- Participant incoming referral form, if applicable.
- Participant acknowledgement form.
- Participant consent form.
- Participant assessment form or review assessment form.
- Emergency and disaster management plan.
- NDIS service agreement draft or signed version.
- Support plan and person-centred planning information.
- Activity-based risk assessment.
- Induction book handover confirmation.
- Participant support review and exit/transition records where relevant.
Questions staff should ask before filling the form
- Who is the main contact person for communication and approvals?
- How does the participant prefer to communicate and receive information?
- Are there religious, cultural, gender, or privacy considerations that affect support delivery?
- What support times, worker preferences, and routines are most important?
- Are there urgent safety, health, medication, or behaviour concerns staff must know before services begin?
- Who manages payment and invoices under the NDIS plan?
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Now you can go forward and start onboarding
Prepare everything before you open the NDIS intake form
In the next form you can fill up details about the participants as much as you can. PDF documents and other ID documentation are advised to send via email.