NDIS Orders

LATEST UPDATE:

Regarding the purchase of our products using NDIS funding, the official word we received in writing from the NDIA is:

"it is advised for the participant (or their representative) to contact the appointed planner as sensory items can be case by case and would need further clarification from them. The planner can be reached by contacting the National Contact Centre on 1800 800 110 and requesting a referral to be sent in relation to these enquiries."

We spoke to a 'legislation-trained agent' at the NDIA on 6th November and she said that 'sensory items' are not in either of the support lists. As in, they are not in the yes category and are not in the no category, and that is why it is possible for them to be approved on a case-by-case basis (as long as the participant has a Consumables budget).

The feedback we are getting from the Autistic community is that:

you must have a report from an allied health professional (usually an OT) stating that the product is necessary for the participant
you should obtain this report before you request a quote from a supplier, then you submit both of these to your Plan Manager or directly to the NDIA for approval
most approval requests are being knocked back even with the above
an exception is when the sensory product is already written into the plan

Understanding the New NDIS Rules:

As of October 3, 2024, new NDIS laws aim to clarify what NDIS funding can and cannot cover. While some rules are already in effect, others will be phased in as the NDIA fine-tunes the guidelines.

Key Points:

participants can only use their NDIS funds for items listed as approved NDIS supports
there is also a list of items that are excluded from NDIS funding
The NDIA has promised not to pursue compliance actions for small mistakes for 12 months, as long as the support is under $1,500 and participants haven’t received more than two warnings.

How We’re Here to Help

Our team is dedicated to advocating for clarity and positive change within the NDIS framework. If you have questions or would like a “mum-to-mum” chat, please reach out. We’re holding onto hope for a positive outcome for all families in need.

For more details, visit the NDIS pages on What NDIS Funds and Changes to NDIS Legislation.

How do I do an NDIS order?

SELF MANAGED:

First you must have a report from an Allied Health professional, usually an Occupational Therapist. The report should state: 1) that the product (specifically) is appropriate for the participant from a safety point of view; 2) that it is necessary for the participant for therapeutic and behaviour modifying benefits, and 3) that it has been trailed or tested (even if this is just at the clinic).
It is recommended that you then seek approval in writing from the NDIA before going ahead with a purchase. You can do this by sending an email to your LAC or directly to the NDIA with both your report and a quote from us for the product/s.
Keep in mind that the NDIA has promised not to pursue compliance actions for small mistakes for the first 12 months (until Oct 2025), as long as the support is under $1,500 and participants haven’t received more than two warnings.

How to request an invoice from us:

During checkout, scroll down and choose the payment option "Request Invoice - pay within 21 days".
IMPORTANT: Make sure you're logged out of your 'Shop' account before going through the checkout process
IMPORTANT: do not complete an express checkout using Google Pay or Apple Pay.
Scroll up and complete all fields like name, phone number and address etc.
enter the NDIS participant's name and NDIS number in the "Company" field of the shipping address.
Click 'complete', then you will automatically receive a tax invoice from us (you may need to check your spam or junk folder)
Once you have approval in writing from the NDIA, you can submit your own NDIS claim, then do a bank transfer to us to complete your order.
NOTE: The invoice is valid for 21 days and only becomes an active order once payment has been received into our bank account

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PLAN MANAGED:

First you must have a report from an Allied Health professional, usually an Occupational Therapist. The report should state: 1) that the product (specifically) is appropriate for the participant from a safety point of view; 2) that it is necessary for the participant for therapeutic and behaviour modifying benefits, and 3) that it has been trailed or tested (even if this is just at the clinic).
You then need to request a quote from us (see instructions below) and submit it to your Plan Manager along with the above report. Please note that each plan management company has their own requirements for approving consumables purchases.
You may need to seek approval in writing from the NDIA and send that through to your Plan Manager.

How to request an invoice from us:

During checkout, scroll down and choose the payment option "Request Invoice - pay within 21 days".
IMPORTANT: Make sure you're logged out of your 'Shop' account before going through the checkout process
IMPORTANT: do not complete an express checkout using Google Pay or Apple Pay.
Scroll up and complete all fields like name, phone number and address etc.
enter the NDIS participant's name and NDIS number in the "Company" field of the shipping address.
Click 'complete', then you will automatically receive a tax invoice from us (you may need to check your spam or junk folder)
Submit the invoice to your Plan Manager. Once the Plan Manager processes the payment to us then we will confirm your order and dispatch it.
NOTE: The invoice is valid for 21 days and only becomes an active order once payment has been received into our bank account

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AGENCY MANAGED PARTICIPANTS:
Unfortunately we cannot help you with purchasing therapeutic resources if your budget is NDIA (Agency) managed. As we are a small a family business, we have chosen to not register with the NDIA at this time. We do welcome private purchases and consider our products to be very reasonably priced.

What about other NDIS changes?

Self managed participants are now required to enter the provider's ABN when submitting a claim, and in some circumstances upload the invoice before the claim can be submitted.

In some specific circumstances, the NDIS can fund supports that are not NDIS supports. They call these replacement supports, which means the service, item or equipment you would like to use instead of the NDIS support or supports in your plan. Only some supports can be replaced and only if they agree in writing can you can buy this support. A replacement support isn’t an extra support. It replaces an existing NDIS support or supports in your plan.

It's likely that most service and support providers will now be required to be NDIS registered based on the risk level (the taskforce recommended 4 types of registration from advanced to basic), however this does not apply to Sensory Super Heroes as we fall into a 5th type where no registration is required as we are a mainstream retailer of goods.

Participants will be asked to reprove their disability to determine they need NDIS supports (called a reassessment).

There will be changes to who is eligible to join the scheme (new participants only).

Personal note from our founding owner Jenna:

As I write this update on 15 November, 2024… Wow, what an extraordinarily confusing time it has been since the new NDIS changes started on October 3.

We’ve been doing everything possible to stay up-to-date with the latest information, but the landscape seems to be shifting almost daily. To be honest, we are exhausted.
Since launching Sensory Super Heroes in 2017, our goal has always been to reduce overwhelm for families and carers. In recent weeks, we’ve spent countless hours researching, reading updates, poring over legislation, and attending webinars - all with the hope of providing clarity to the families and allied health professionals who rely on our products.
Unfortunately, despite our best efforts and even after speaking with the NDIS Legislation Team, we’re no closer to a concrete answer. While they provided guidance on what might be eligible, recent feedback suggests that sensory equipment may no longer be covered. This has led to mixed responses on our social media, with some people accusing us of misinformation, despite the thorough research and official sources we consulted.
It’s clear that right now, what our community may need most is support rather than answers. This uncertainty is as stressful for our customers as it is for us. That’s why, in the spirit of resilience, we’re turning our focus to something uplifting—our Gratitude Month for November 2024. The response over the past few weeks has been incredible, and we’re looking forward to channeling our energy into spreading hope, love, and gratitude.
In the meantime, we’ve provided the most accurate information that we can at this point in time. We have requested further updates and will share more if we hear back from them. For now, we’re choosing to focus on what we can control: supporting our community with love and self-care.
The main thing to remember is that the intention of the NDIS changes is to return the NDIS to its original intent and improve the experience for all participants. I know it seems scary and overwhelming, however we have been told that the application of the legislation will happen slowly over time and will be adjusted as they go to meet the needs of the participants. This means that it's important we advocate for ourselves both in conversations with our Plan Managers and with the NDIA, so they realise how much the needs of our children and teens with Autism and Sensory Processing conditions have not been addressed appropriately in the new rules.
If you're still unsure, please get in touch with us and we can point you in the right direction.
Alternatively, here are the links again to the 'What does NDIS fund' page and the 'Changes to NDIS Legislation' page.

Jenna ❤️