What Happens at Your First Meeting With a Support Coordinator?
Your first meeting with a support coordinator can feel like a bit of a mystery. You've got your NDIS plan, you've chosen a coordinator (or been referred to one), and now you're sitting down together for the first time.
What actually happens? What should you bring? What if you don't know what to say?
Let's walk through it so there are no surprises.
Before the Meeting
Once you've chosen a support coordinator, they'll get in touch to set up a time. This might be a phone call, email, or text, depending on the provider.
A few things they should sort out before you meet:
Where to meet. This is up to you. Most first meetings happen at your home, at the coordinator's office, at a cafe, or over video call. Pick wherever you'll feel most comfortable. There's no rule that says it has to be face-to-face.
Who should be there. You can bring anyone you want. A family member, a carer, a friend, or your plan nominee. If you'd rather meet alone, that's fine too. It's your call.
How long it'll take. Most first meetings run between 45 minutes and an hour. Some are shorter, some go a bit longer. A good coordinator won't rush you.
What to Bring
You don't need to prepare a presentation. But having a few things on hand will help the conversation:
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Your NDIS plan. If you have a copy (digital or printed), bring it. If you can't find it, don't stress. Your coordinator can access the details through the NDIS portal.
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A list of your current providers. Anyone already delivering services to you, like therapists, support workers, cleaners, or transport providers. Even a rough list helps.
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Any reports or assessments. If you have recent reports from an occupational therapist (OT), psychologist, speech therapist, or GP, these give your coordinator useful background. Not essential for the first meeting, but helpful.
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Your questions. Write them down beforehand if that helps. There's no such thing as a silly question at this stage.
What You'll Talk About
The first meeting is mostly about getting to know each other. Your coordinator is trying to understand your situation, your goals, and what support you need. You're trying to figure out if this person is someone you can work with.
Here's what a typical first meeting covers:
Your Goals and What Matters to You
This isn't a formal goal-setting exercise. Your coordinator will ask about what you want to get out of your NDIS plan. That might be:
- Living more independently
- Finding work or volunteering
- Getting out and about in your community
- Managing your health better
- Learning new skills
- Staying connected with people
Be as honest as you can. If your main goal right now is just getting reliable support workers who actually show up, say that. Not everything has to be a big life goal. The practical stuff matters too.
Your Current Supports
Your coordinator will want to know what's already in place. Are you happy with your current providers? Is anything missing? Are there services you've been trying to access but haven't been able to?
This is also a good time to flag any problems. If a provider isn't working out, or you've been on a waitlist for months, your coordinator needs to know.
Your NDIS Plan
Your coordinator will go through your plan with you. They'll explain:
- What funding you have and which categories it sits in
- What's been used so far (if anything)
- What you can spend it on
- Any time limits or conditions
If your plan feels confusing, this is exactly the right time to ask questions. A big part of what a support coordinator does is translating the NDIS into plain English.
How You'll Work Together
This is where you sort out the practical stuff:
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How often will you meet? Some people meet their coordinator monthly, others every few weeks, others only when something comes up. It depends on your needs and how much support coordination funding is in your plan.
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How will you stay in touch between meetings? Phone, email, text, video call? A good coordinator will work with whatever method suits you.
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What's their response time? This is worth asking directly. "If I send you a message, how quickly can I expect to hear back?" It sets clear expectations from the start.
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What will they actually do for you? Get specific. Will they research providers? Book appointments? Help with paperwork? Attend meetings with you? Coordinate between your different services?
The Service Agreement
At or after your first meeting, your coordinator will give you a service agreement to sign. This is a document that sets out:
- What services they'll provide
- How much they'll charge (usually the NDIS price guide rate)
- The notice period for ending the arrangement
- How complaints are handled
Read it before you sign. If anything is unclear, ask. We've written a full breakdown of what to look for in a service agreement if you want to check it over at your own pace.
You don't have to sign it on the spot. It's perfectly fine to take it home and think about it.
Questions Worth Asking
Here are some questions that are genuinely useful to ask at your first meeting:
- "How many participants do you currently support?" (This gives you a sense of how stretched they are.)
- "Have you worked with people with similar needs to mine?" (Experience matters, especially for complex situations.)
- "What happens if I need help urgently? Is there someone I can reach outside business hours?"
- "Will I always deal with you, or might I be handed to someone else?"
- "Can you help me prepare for my plan review?"
What If It Doesn't Feel Right?
Sometimes you walk out of a first meeting and something just feels off. Maybe the coordinator talked more than they listened. Maybe they seemed rushed. Maybe they didn't really understand your situation.
Trust that feeling. You don't have to commit after one meeting.
If you signed a service agreement, most have a cooling-off period or a short notice clause that lets you leave early. And even if you didn't click with this coordinator, changing to a different one is straightforward.
The right coordinator for you is someone who listens, follows through, and makes you feel like you're in the driver's seat. If the first one you try doesn't tick those boxes, keep looking.
What Happens After the First Meeting
After your first meeting, your coordinator will usually:
- Set up a service booking in the NDIS portal so they can start claiming from your plan
- Write up notes from your conversation, including your goals and priorities
- Start working on your immediate needs, whether that's finding a new provider, sorting out a waitlist issue, or preparing for an upcoming plan review
- Schedule your next meeting or check-in
You should hear from them within a few days of the first meeting. If a week goes by with no contact, follow up. And if following up becomes a pattern, that's useful information too.
A Note for Family Members and Carers
If you're attending the first meeting on behalf of someone else, or supporting them at the meeting, try to let the participant lead the conversation where possible. It can be tempting to jump in and explain everything, especially if you've been managing their supports for a while.
But the meeting is about building a relationship between the participant and their coordinator. The coordinator needs to hear directly from the person they'll be supporting. You're there as backup, not as the main speaker.
If the participant has communication needs, let the coordinator know beforehand so they can plan accordingly.
For more on how the NDIS works for families, see our guide on NDIS for families and carers.
Ready to Book Your First Meeting?
If you've got an NDIS plan with support coordination funding and you're looking for a coordinator in Adelaide or across South Australia, get in touch with us.
We'll have a chat first to make sure we're the right fit, and then we'll set up a proper first meeting at a time and place that works for you.
No pressure, no jargon, no mystery. Just a straightforward conversation about how we can help.
Learn more about our support coordination services.
Ready to Make Sense of Your NDIS Plan?
Whether your plan just arrived or your review is coming up, we help NDIS participants across Adelaide and South Australia actually use their funding. No confusing jargon, no run-around, just clear support from a registered provider who gets it.
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