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
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.