Service Provision Policy
Next Challenge service provision reflects the philosophy of the community service organisation and its employees, and the need to meet the requirements of key partner organisations. Service provision standards are monitored to ensure they meet requirements inclusive of but not limited to: the National Disability Service Standards; Department of Health Standards and Department of Education Standards.
Next Challenge collaborates with other service providers in planning service delivery to clearly establish roles and responsibilities where there is more than one service provider involved. Next Challenge has systems in place to identify the relevant collaborative partners engaged with the clients accessing their services, such as on initial referral by the Support Team, on the consent form, during an initial navigation meeting with the family, and during initial assessment by the therapist(s).
In accordance with the codes governing the registration bodies to which our therapists belong, Next Challenge will only offer services to clients that they feel they can offer the best possible service. We will inform you if we feel that we do not have the skills and/or equipment required to meet your child's needs. We will endeavour to support families to access an alternative service provider or community agency when we are unable to fulfil a family’s needs.
Next Challenge has no specific eligibility criteria for access to services, however as a private organisation requires a funding allocation to be able to provide services to a client. The funding body may be personal (with or without private health insurance support) or external. In each case, the service by Next Challenge is provided under the financial restrictions and funding rules of the relevant funding body.
If our therapists are unavailable for new clients, Next Challenge stores referral information for new clients on a waitlist. Families are given a rough estimate of the length of time they may wait when this is possible, but waiting time is variable given each plan is tailored to the client's needs. The waitlist is managed by considering a number of factors together to determine the next client that will be seen. These factors include but are not limited to:
Next Challenge provides the following services: Speech Pathology, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Psychology, Allied Health Assistant and Support Coordination.
Service Initiation
All families accessing services through NDIS funding commence with a ‘Navigation’ appointment at Next Challenge. This includes when they transition from private to funded service). These initial Navigation meetings with a specialist therapist ensure Next Challenge provides information to families about the types of services, policies, assessment and philosophies available at Next Challenge. This also allows the family to discuss their concerns and goals for their child. The family is under no obligation at this time to continue services with Next Challenge. If a family chooses to continue services at Next Challenge, the Navigator remains their central contact point for general service issues and queries, prompted by 12 monthly review appointments.
For all client and funding types, assessment and review reports are available on request. The cost of reporting is determined by the client's funding type and the type of report requested by the family. Next Challenge staff will complete and send reports to families within 2 weeks of the completion of the relevant tasks required for the report (note this can take a number of sessions in some cases). In some cases, families are able to negotiate the length of the report with their therapist (e.g. summary or detailed report). For other clients, report content is governed by the funding body (e.g. NDIS review reports). Next Challenge will always endeavour to communicate assessment results and/or progress with all parties involved in your child’s care, using the details and consent outlined on the Next Challenge consent form. Families are encouraged to inform Next Challenge staff at any time if they would like reports to be withheld from certain parties that they have originally consented to communication with.
Cancellations by Clients
Next Challenge endeavours to send text message reminders 2 days prior to scheduled appointments, however, responsibility remains with clients to attend regardless of the reminder.
Service exit
Families are able to exercise their right for choice and control by exiting Next Challenge services at any time. Next Challenge accepts notice of intention to cease services verbally or in writing. When a family communicates that they would like to cease services at Next Challenge the child’s progress notes are updated to reflect this and for all therapists to remain informed. Once this has occurred, the child’s file is archived but can be retrieved at any time. Families will be informed when exiting a service is not immediate and when charges may apply (i.e. there are handover reports needed / discussions and administrative processes that need to take place). Next Challenge will always collaborate with new service providers when requested by the family, and endeavour to provide suggestions for alternative support options where families choose to exit all services.
Rights of Families
Clients and their families have the right to feel safe and able to exercise their choice and control when using services provided by Next Challenge.
Next Challenge works with individuals and families, friends and carers to promote opportunities for meaningful participation and active inclusion in the community.
Individual outcomes
Continuity of Service Provision
Next Challenge aims to offer family centred and continuity of services at all times. Families are alerted to the fact that Next Challenge has other therapists in the same profession (or in a different profession when the client receives multiple services), who are available to provide cover for the primary therapist. In the event of services needing to be cancelled by a Next Challenge employee where ever possible the family is given the option of rescheduling the appointment within the same week or for a second therapist to see them at the scheduled appointment time. However, in alignment with our organisation standards and collaborative practice beliefs we endeavour to build family capacity and integration of interventions into the child's daily life so that short term breaks in service provision do not impact the child's progress towards their targeted outcomes.
Where Next Challenge has been contracted by an external party to deliver services to clients – every effort will be made to ensure services are delivered within the week and that planned gaps in service by one therapist are covered by the alternate therapist at all times (i.e. annual leave, planned sick leave etc).
Date of Policy: December 2013
Date review completed: January 2021
Due for review: January 2022
Next Challenge collaborates with other service providers in planning service delivery to clearly establish roles and responsibilities where there is more than one service provider involved. Next Challenge has systems in place to identify the relevant collaborative partners engaged with the clients accessing their services, such as on initial referral by the Support Team, on the consent form, during an initial navigation meeting with the family, and during initial assessment by the therapist(s).
In accordance with the codes governing the registration bodies to which our therapists belong, Next Challenge will only offer services to clients that they feel they can offer the best possible service. We will inform you if we feel that we do not have the skills and/or equipment required to meet your child's needs. We will endeavour to support families to access an alternative service provider or community agency when we are unable to fulfil a family’s needs.
Next Challenge has no specific eligibility criteria for access to services, however as a private organisation requires a funding allocation to be able to provide services to a client. The funding body may be personal (with or without private health insurance support) or external. In each case, the service by Next Challenge is provided under the financial restrictions and funding rules of the relevant funding body.
If our therapists are unavailable for new clients, Next Challenge stores referral information for new clients on a waitlist. Families are given a rough estimate of the length of time they may wait when this is possible, but waiting time is variable given each plan is tailored to the client's needs. The waitlist is managed by considering a number of factors together to determine the next client that will be seen. These factors include but are not limited to:
- the time since the referral,
- the family's and staff member's availability for services (e.g. days and times, preferred location of services),
- the expertise of the staff member(s) available for support,
- the needs of the child and family,
- the family’s previous and/or current relationship with Next Challenge (e.g. sibling of a current client, returning previous client)
Next Challenge provides the following services: Speech Pathology, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Psychology, Allied Health Assistant and Support Coordination.
Service Initiation
All families accessing services through NDIS funding commence with a ‘Navigation’ appointment at Next Challenge. This includes when they transition from private to funded service). These initial Navigation meetings with a specialist therapist ensure Next Challenge provides information to families about the types of services, policies, assessment and philosophies available at Next Challenge. This also allows the family to discuss their concerns and goals for their child. The family is under no obligation at this time to continue services with Next Challenge. If a family chooses to continue services at Next Challenge, the Navigator remains their central contact point for general service issues and queries, prompted by 12 monthly review appointments.
For all client and funding types, assessment and review reports are available on request. The cost of reporting is determined by the client's funding type and the type of report requested by the family. Next Challenge staff will complete and send reports to families within 2 weeks of the completion of the relevant tasks required for the report (note this can take a number of sessions in some cases). In some cases, families are able to negotiate the length of the report with their therapist (e.g. summary or detailed report). For other clients, report content is governed by the funding body (e.g. NDIS review reports). Next Challenge will always endeavour to communicate assessment results and/or progress with all parties involved in your child’s care, using the details and consent outlined on the Next Challenge consent form. Families are encouraged to inform Next Challenge staff at any time if they would like reports to be withheld from certain parties that they have originally consented to communication with.
Cancellations by Clients
Next Challenge endeavours to send text message reminders 2 days prior to scheduled appointments, however, responsibility remains with clients to attend regardless of the reminder.
- Notice of appointment cancellation by clients, is required by 9:00am the day prior to a scheduled appointment. In the event where appointments are not attended or cancelled with insufficient notice and/or cause, a cancellation fee will be enforced.
- Cancellation fees for community visits will account for all planned activities (e.g. direct session and travel time).
- Cancelling or not attending sessions more than three times consecutively may result in the need to review the agreed therapy plan. Next Challenge Management reserves the right to review and possibly withdraw therapy appointment slots in this situation.
Service exit
Families are able to exercise their right for choice and control by exiting Next Challenge services at any time. Next Challenge accepts notice of intention to cease services verbally or in writing. When a family communicates that they would like to cease services at Next Challenge the child’s progress notes are updated to reflect this and for all therapists to remain informed. Once this has occurred, the child’s file is archived but can be retrieved at any time. Families will be informed when exiting a service is not immediate and when charges may apply (i.e. there are handover reports needed / discussions and administrative processes that need to take place). Next Challenge will always collaborate with new service providers when requested by the family, and endeavour to provide suggestions for alternative support options where families choose to exit all services.
Rights of Families
Clients and their families have the right to feel safe and able to exercise their choice and control when using services provided by Next Challenge.
- Next Challenge will treat individuals with dignity and respect.
- Next Challenge will recognise and promote individual freedom of expression.
- Next Challenge supports active decision-making and individual choice including the timely provision of information in appropriate formats to support individuals, families, friends and carers to make informed decisions and understand their rights and responsibilities.
- Next Challenge provides support strategies that are based on the minimal restrictive options and are contemporary, evidence-based, transparent and capable of review.
- Next Challenge has preventative measures in place to ensure that individuals are free from discrimination, exploitation, abuse, harm, neglect and violence.
- Next Challenge addresses any breach of rights promptly and systematically to ensure opportunities for improvement are captured.
- Next Challenge supports individuals with information and, if needed, access to legal advice and/or advocacy.
- Next Challenge recognises the role of families, friends, carers and advocates in safeguarding and upholding the rights of people with disability.
- Next Challenge keeps personal information confidential and private.
- Next Challenge will respond to requests for access to personal information within a reasonable period and in the manner requested by the individual if it is reasonable and practicable to do so. If Next Challenge refuses to give access to the personal information because of subclauses 12.2 or 12.3 of the Australian Privacy Principles, or in the manner requested by the individual, Next Challenge will provide a written notice stating the reasons for the refusal and the mechanisms to complain about the refusal.
Next Challenge works with individuals and families, friends and carers to promote opportunities for meaningful participation and active inclusion in the community.
- Next Challenge actively promotes a valued role for people with disability, of their own choosing.
- Next Challenge works together with individuals to connect to family, friends and their chosen communities.
- Employees understand, respect and facilitate individual interests and preferences, in relation to work, learning, social activities and community connection over time.
- Where appropriate, Next Challenge works with an individual’s family, friends, carer or advocate to promote community connection, inclusion and participation.
- Next Challenge works in partnership with other organisations and community members to support individuals to actively participate in their community.
- Where appropriate, Next Challenge, uses strategies that promote community and cultural connection for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Individual outcomes
- Next Challenge’s services and supports are assessed, planned, delivered and reviewed to build on individual strengths and enable individuals to reach their goals.
- Next Challenge works together with an individual and in collaboration with all of their key support members to identify their strengths, needs and life goals.
- Service planning, provision and review is based on individual choice and is undertaken together with an individual and their family, carer or advocate and/or if appropriate their friends.
- Next Challenge plans, delivers and regularly reviews services or supports against measurable life outcomes, and at a time agreed on with the family
- Service planning and delivery is responsive to diversity including disability, age, gender, culture, heritage, language, faith, sexual identity, relationship status, and other relevant factors.
Continuity of Service Provision
Next Challenge aims to offer family centred and continuity of services at all times. Families are alerted to the fact that Next Challenge has other therapists in the same profession (or in a different profession when the client receives multiple services), who are available to provide cover for the primary therapist. In the event of services needing to be cancelled by a Next Challenge employee where ever possible the family is given the option of rescheduling the appointment within the same week or for a second therapist to see them at the scheduled appointment time. However, in alignment with our organisation standards and collaborative practice beliefs we endeavour to build family capacity and integration of interventions into the child's daily life so that short term breaks in service provision do not impact the child's progress towards their targeted outcomes.
Where Next Challenge has been contracted by an external party to deliver services to clients – every effort will be made to ensure services are delivered within the week and that planned gaps in service by one therapist are covered by the alternate therapist at all times (i.e. annual leave, planned sick leave etc).
Date of Policy: December 2013
Date review completed: January 2021
Due for review: January 2022
