A child representative role is different to a nominee. As a child representative, you have some important duties and responsibilities. You need to give us information about the child and work with us to create the child’s plan or make changes to the child’s current plan.
You must:
- talk to and listen to the child and make sure you know their wishes
- help the child take part in deciding things, where possible
- do things that are in the best interest of the child
- encourage the child to do things in life and in the community.
When practical, you must consult with:
- the child’s guardian (if the child has one)
- other child representatives, or persons with parental responsibility for the child
- another person who helps the child to make decisions and manage day-to-day activities.
If you’re a child representative, you should always consider the best interests of the child. This means your decision-making is guided by the need to:
- protect the child from harm
- help them grow and develop in life
- help them work towards becoming as independent as possible
- strengthen, preserve and promote positive relationships in their life.
We'll work with you to create a NDIS plan with NDIS supports for the child.
You can read more about NDIS plans in Our Guidelines – Creating your plan.
If you manage the funding in the child participant’s plan, you'll be responsible for spending the funding according to the child’s plan. Learn more about plan management options.
Only one child representative can manage the funding in the child's NDIS plan. If you want to change who can manage funding in the plan, you can contact us . We'll then make a decision about who manages the funding in the plan.
We’ll set up regular check-ins with you to discuss how the child's plan and supports are going.
You'll:
- attend planning meetings
- take part in regular check-ins for the child
- receive and respond to letters and emails from the NDIS and service providers about the child
- communicate with us and service providers
- request how you'd like NDIS supports to be managed.
Learn more about how a child representative helps us to create a child participant’s plan.
How long does the role of child representative last?
The role of child representative usually lasts until the child turns 18 years old.
There may be times when a child representative role ends sooner than the child’s 18th birthday. The role may end sooner if:
- A Court or Tribunal decides you don’t have parental responsibility for a child anymore. Learn more about who can be a child representative.
- We decide to change a child’s representative for the purposes of the NDIS.
- We decide to revoke a child’s representative we previously appointed in writing.
- The Agency decides that the child doesn’t need a representative anymore and can represent themselves.
What happens when the child participant turns 18 years old?
We know that for many people turning 18 is a big step. The role of a child representative will automatically end on the child participant’s 18th birthday.
Most people will be able to make decisions as an adult, but they may still need help. We'll talk with the participant about how to get support with decision making. If an adult participant can’t make decisions, even with help, we may look at appointing a nominee. But we do this in limited circumstances.
We'll contact you and the child participant before they turn 18. We'll talk to you about how we can support you and the participant with this transition.