Greater support from Service-For-One 

Have you heard of services-for-one? 

A service-for-one is a way of setting up disability support. In a service-for-one scenario, a person or their family employ staff directly to support them using their NDIS funding. 

It was pioneered by Inclusion Australia and designed to meet the needs of families and individuals concerned about how the rollout of the NDIS would impact them – especially with regards to restrictive practices. 

“Many feared their family member might be forced into a group setting, which would not meet their support needs,” Inclusion Australia CEO Catherine McAlpine said. 

“The introduction of new provider registration rules in 2020-21 brought these concerns into focus, where families were effectively being asked to navigate compliance requirements designed for providers with much greater resources. Disability advocacy organisation VALID raised these concerns directly with the NDIS Commission, which led to further engagement and funding to produce resources with Inclusion Australia that clarified when registration is required, and how families can continue to deliver innovative supports to their family member. These resources are available through our website,” she added. 

Services-for-one allow support plans to be tailored directly to a person, she said, giving them more control over how their support needs are met and allowing those supports to change if needed. 

McAlpine describes the service-for-one resources on the Inclusion Australia website as “a platform to share knowledge, challenge assumptions, and raise awareness of bespoke, highly individualised, family-led approaches to support”. 

It’s also a place for education, not just for families, but for those in the sector too, especially about how non-traditional provider structures can benefit people with disability. 

And the community has been “overwhelmingly positive” about that, she said. “Families report feeling relieved to know that options outside of group settings exist, and that these options can lead to meaningful, inclusive lives. This work has helped families increase their understanding of what’s possible, while also addressing fears around future planning, safeguarding, and sustainability.” 

Now, the model is recognised more widely too, including in policy circles. But the project isn’t over. 

Changes to the NDIS, regulation and registration are impacting people with complex needs. There is now more awareness of restrictive practices too, and McAlpine said self-management under the NDIS has become “more complex and at times more challenging”. 

“At the same time, these changes have also highlighted the value of services-for-one, including their demonstrated impact on the use of restrictive practices. Anecdotally, we hear there is a significant reduction or even a complete elimination of restrictive practices in service-for-one arrangements,” she said. 

“Our advocacy continues, particularly through the lens of regulatory and registration reform. 

“We’ve made detailed submissions calling for fit-for-purpose registration pathways that can also support families who are offering high-quality, rights-based support outside of traditional provider models.  

“We’re also exploring the intersection between individualised supports and bespoke employment models, including how services-for-one can create conditions for people with complex needs to unlock opportunities for economic inclusion that other, more traditional approaches may overlook.” 

Read more about Service-For-One on the Inclusion Australia website.