What is a Service-for-One?
The term Service for One was came about in 2020 when Inclusion Australia partnered with VALID, the NDIS Quality and Safety Commission (NDIS Commission) and families of people with complex support needs to develop resources for people and families who were directly engaging support staff.
A Service-for-One refers to a team of disability supports hired directly by an individual with a disability, their family, a microboard or a circle of support that is aimed at assisting one person or family group.
This model operates similarly to traditional disability service providers but focuses exclusively on one person. Sometimes a family may have more than one ndis participant and they use this model to support these family members.
Benefits of a Service-for-One
Typically, a Service-for-One is more cost-effective than standard providers operating at NDIS capped rates, allowing for potentially more hours of support or additional resources within the same NDIS budget.
This approach is particularly beneficial for individuals with complex support needs, which may be physical, behavioural, or related to mental health.
Families of these people often struggle to recruit and retain quality support workers, but the Service-for-One model enables them to offer:
- the opportunity to build a deep knowledge of the person with disability
- to be part of a collaborative team
- competitive, stable salaries, which can attract skilled professionals
Do I Need an Australian Business Number?
It’s not a requirement. However, when employing staff there is risk that you may get sued by a worker. Having a separate legal entity such as a company, trust or incorporated association gives you some protection from losing your personal assets in a law suit.
You will need to comply with fair work obligations just like any regular business.
Does this comply with the NDIS Act?
The NDIS has a guide on directly engaging your own staff.
Section 2.6 of this guide on page 12 refers to using a microboard and an ABN – these are key aspects of the Service for One model.
Section 80.4 of the NDIS Act 2013 states:
Duties of nominees to participant
(4) The National Disability Insurance Scheme rules may prescribe other duties of a nominee, including duties requiring the nominee:
(a) to support decision making by the participant personally; or
(b) to have regard to, and give appropriate weight to, the views of the participant; or
(c) to inform the CEO and the participant if the nominee has, acquires, or is likely to acquire, any interest, pecuniary or otherwise, that conflicts or could conflict with the performance of the nominee’s duties.
So services for one must have conflict of interest policies and procedures to ensure that decisions are made in the best interests of the person with disability.
Directors of the service for one are not paid for their role as directors.
Who Oversees a Service-for-One?
A Service-for-One can involve hiring a team leader and manages much of the organizational work, which can be especially useful for aging parents who may feel overwhelmed.
When parents can no longer manage the Service-for-One, they can transition the oversight to a governance role on a board comprised of family members and friends of the person with disability who know and love them to take over the responsibilities.
What Expenses Can Be Claimed?
Individuals can claim various expenses related to running a Service-for-One through their NDIS plan. This includes costs for ongoing training, HR, payroll support, legal assistance, necessary software and equipment, accounting fees, superannuation, and workers’ compensation insurance. Only the necessary expenses for operating the service are eligible for claims.
You can also claim the price guide rate for the hours worked and use the extra amount remaining after paying staff to cover your costs to employ.
Do I Need NDIS Registration?
Some Service-for-One arrangements, particularly those involving restrictive practices, choose register as NDIS providers, undergoing audits in the process. The costs associated with these audits can be claimed from the NDIS plan.
An alternative is to partner with a registered provider to help you oversee and meet the NDIS Quality and Safeguards requirements for restrictive practice.
However, if there are no restrictive practices involved, at the moment, registration is not required.