NDIS Rights: Clear Consent & Privacy in Everyday Choices

Consent in plain English: what “yes” actually covers

In the NDIS, “consent” means you agree to what will happen to you, and you understand it. A “yes” is not a blank cheque. It should be specific to the support, the purpose, who is involved, and when it will happen. If something changes (for example, a different person, a different task, or a new support approach), you should be asked again or reminded clearly so you can choose.

Sometimes you might be asked for consent once, such as for a care plan or a shared communication method. That consent should still be understandable and limited to what’s needed. If a provider says “sign here for everything”, it’s worth pausing and asking: What exactly am I agreeing to? You can also say “yes” to some parts and “no” to others. If you’re using plan management, tools like MyMoney NDIS (www.planmanager.net.au) can help you keep track of funded supports and provider details, which makes it easier to spot mismatches between what’s planned and what’s delivered.

Consent also affects privacy. Sharing information about you (with family, other services, schools, allied health, or another provider) should be tied to an identified purpose and only involve what’s necessary. If you don’t want information shared, you can ask for privacy settings to be applied, or for identifying details to be limited. If you’re comparing providers, My Care Finders can be a helpful starting point for understanding how different organisations explain consent and privacy in everyday situations.

Key takeaway: A real “yes” means you can clearly describe what you agreed to—and you can change your mind if the support, purpose, or people involved are different.

• Ask for clarity: “Can you tell me what you’ll do, why, who will be there, and how often?”
• Keep it ongoing: Consent can be reviewed at any time, not just at the start.
• Check privacy: “Who will receive my information, and what will they use it for?”
• Use supports to decide: If you need communication supports, request them before decisions are made.