Some providers of services are registered with the NDIS, and some are not.
Why?
It really depends. To be registered, a provider has to go through an audit process and demonstrate that they have dozens of policies and procedures, so that all their staff will (in theory) operate according to strict rules. The thinking behind this is that is prevents injury and/or abuse, whether deliberate or accidental, and ensures high qulaity care.
The huge cost and massive workload to get registered is intended to make sure all goes well. However, there are plenty of sad examples of registered companies not getting it right.
Some people argue that the best thing an audit shows, however, is how good you are at handling audits.
There are many fine companies and individual providers that choose not to go through a long, painful and expensive registration but instead concentrate on delivering a high quality service. And these companies, according to some, are “unregistered”.
We actually operate an advisory company, helping others to get registration, as a separate business. However, at this time, we’ve chosen to keep Heartfelt Support as a small, one-on-one business to which registration offers no real advantage.
Unregistered? We prefer “independent”. We still have to abide by the NDIS Code of Conduct, and we are committed to providing the best services we can, so that’s the best way to judge us.