Using NDIS Funding for Social Emotional Performance Coaching
Social Emotional Performance Coaching may be claimable when the support is disability-related, directly connected with your NDIS goals and used from an appropriate support category.
We help participants build practical skills for emotional regulation, social communication, decision-making, participation and work readiness. The support must be specific and goal-directed. General lifestyle, wellness or motivational coaching is not automatically an NDIS support.
The Support Has a Clear Disability-Related Purpose
- It relates to an impairment recognised in the participant's plan
- It works towards a stated NDIS goal
- It builds functional skills, independence or participation
- The participant has suitable funding and provider access
Practical Skill-Building, Not General Life Coaching
The service needs to target functional disability-related outcomes that can be practised outside the coaching room.
Recognising early signals, understanding triggers and practising useful responses before pressure escalates.
Building skills for expressing needs, reading context, repairing misunderstandings and participating with others.
Planning routines, solving problems, making decisions and using strategies more independently in daily situations.
Practising workplace communication, receiving feedback, managing pressure, teamwork and task follow-through.
NDIS funding cannot be used for ordinary tutoring, curriculum support, educational attainment or school refusal programs. A school-aged coaching service must remain focused on disability-related functional skills, independence and participation rather than teaching school content.
Possible Capacity Building Categories
The correct category depends on the participant's plan, stated supports and goals. These examples are a starting point, not a promise that a category can be used.
May be relevant when the support builds social skills, connection, confidence and independence for participating in community life.
May be relevant for social skills development and building the participant's ability to interact with others. Behaviour support and behaviour support plans require appropriately registered providers and are not represented as part of standard SEP coaching.
May be relevant where coaching builds work skills, communication, problem-solving, confidence, routines or the ability to manage workplace pressure.
Some plans may contain another relevant stated category. The category, provider requirements and support description should be confirmed before service begins.
Not Just A Teacher Education does not independently choose an NDIS support category or item number. We work from the participant's goals and information confirmed by the participant, nominee, plan manager, support coordinator or my NDIS contact.
How to Check and Claim the Support
Complete these checks before relying on NDIS funding for coaching.
Find the Relevant Goal
Identify the exact NDIS goal the support would work towards. Useful wording may refer to emotional regulation, communication, independence, relationships, social participation, work readiness or community access.
Confirm the Support Is Disability-Related
The proposed sessions must address functional impacts of the participant's disability and build practical skills. General wellbeing, motivation or lifestyle coaching is not enough on its own.
Check the Funding and Management Type
Ask the plan manager, support coordinator or my NDIS contact which support category may be used, whether funding is available and whether the provider must be registered.
Request an NJATE Plan-Fit Check
Share the relevant goal wording, management type and proposed skill-building focus. Do not send your full NDIS plan through the enquiry form.
Confirm the Service Agreement
Before sessions begin, agree on the outcomes, session format, rate, cancellation terms, invoice recipient and any progress reporting required.
Use the Correct Payment Pathway
The invoice is paid or claimed differently depending on whether funding is self-managed, plan-managed or NDIA-managed. The three pathways are explained below.
Choose Your Plan Management Pathway
Provider access and payment responsibilities change depending on how the relevant funding is managed.
Plan-Managed
You can generally use registered or unregistered providers, subject to the support and your plan manager's requirements.
- Confirm the goal, category and available funding
- Provide your plan manager's invoice email
- NJATE sends an itemised invoice to the plan manager
- The plan manager submits the claim and pays the provider
Self-Managed
You manage payments and claims using the participant portal or my NDIS app.
- Receive an invoice after the support is delivered
- Either claim and then pay, or pay and claim using the receipt
- Enter the service dates, category, amount, provider and ABN
- Upload the invoice or receipt and keep financial records
Provider registration rules can change and some supports have additional registration requirements. Confirm the current position before service begins.
Ari, 17, Plan-Managed
Ari wants to participate more confidently in work experience. Their NDIS goal includes building communication, independence and emotional regulation for community and employment participation.
Ari's plan manager confirms that a suitable capacity building category can be used and that the proposed rate is acceptable before sessions begin.
A Specific Claiming Example
Goal and Support Focus
Ari's family shares the relevant goal and explains that workplace feedback, unexpected changes and social communication can lead to shutdown or withdrawal.
Six-Session Skill Plan
The proposed sessions focus on recognising early pressure signals, using a short regulation routine, asking for clarification, responding to feedback and preparing for common workplace situations.
Service Agreement
The agreement records the participant goal, support purpose, session frequency, rate, delivery format, cancellation terms and where invoices should be sent.
Itemised Invoice
After each session or at the beginning of a retainer period, NJATE sends the plan manager an invoice with the ABN, invoice number, participant details, service date, duration, unit rate, total and disability support description.
Request an NDIS Plan-Fit Check
Tell us only what is needed to understand the proposed support. We will review the goal, management type and skill-building focus before recommending the next step.
NDIS Coaching Questions
Is Social Emotional Performance Coaching automatically claimable?
No. The support must be an NDIS support, relate to the participant's disability, align with the plan and goals, meet provider requirements and be purchased from an appropriate budget. Approval is individual and cannot be guaranteed.
Is this therapy or behaviour support?
No. Standard SEP coaching is practical capacity-building support and is not represented as psychology, counselling, occupational therapy, clinical treatment or an NDIS behaviour support service. Where therapy or behaviour support is required, an appropriately qualified and registered provider should be used.
Can coaching be claimed for school refusal or tutoring?
Not as school refusal treatment, tutoring or educational attainment support. NDIS funding does not replace responsibilities held by schools and education systems. For a school-aged participant, the proposed service must focus on disability-related functional skills such as emotional regulation, communication, independence or participation.
Can parents or carers join a session?
They may be involved where this directly supports the participant's agreed goal and the role is documented in the service plan. Parent coaching for general parenting needs is not automatically an NDIS support.
Which support category should I use?
That depends on the participant's individual plan. Potentially relevant categories may include Increased Social and Community Participation, Improved Relationships or Finding and Keeping a Job. Confirm the category before booking.
What details will appear on an invoice?
An itemised invoice can include NJATE's business details and ABN, invoice number, participant details, service date, duration, unit rate, total. A description of the disability-related capacity-building support delivered will be provided seperately in the session summary.
Will my plan manager definitely pay the invoice?
No provider can guarantee payment. The participant or nominee should confirm the support, funding category, provider access and rate with the plan manager before sessions begin.
Check the Plan Before Committing to Sessions
Share the relevant goal, management type and practical outcome. We will help you identify the questions that need to be confirmed before a service agreement is prepared.
This page provides general information and is not legal, financial or NDIS plan advice. NDIS rules, pricing arrangements, provider requirements and individual plans can change. Confirm your circumstances with your plan manager, support coordinator, my NDIS contact or the NDIA before purchasing a support. Not Just A Teacher Education is not the NDIA and cannot approve claims.