ABLE 2 CARE Australia

17/09/2026

What Participants Value

Whenever there is a new participant that is in the intake stage, before you sign any paperwork and commit to caring for them, ask them "what do they value in a company?"

Many prioritise having carers arriving for work on time, people that are transparent, those that are non-judgemental, reliable etc.
I had a pad out for people to write on once when I went to a disability expo, asking "what do you value so that we can intergrate that in our practice". I had this open for anyone to write in, and compare their answers to others so it is more collaborative and informative.

Does this tell the managers something? This should indicate that managers should be proactive in instilling these values in their employees, and if they cannot do so, the client is not receiving the service they expect and deserve and that is why the client is saying this from past experience.
They have experienced frustration in the past of not being able to relay on the services they were offered.

A values check is a good way we can try and meet their expectations. It gives company’s the ability to really focus on improvement and understand what the participant wants.

Aligning values can be a good indicator of success and customer satisfaction. We are not a factory, we should be people-centred, caring, empathetic, and individual-focused. We are the advocates for change.

But too often we are pressured by costs that weigh heavy on our shoulders, restricting our ability to reach the cusomer's expectations and giving individual time to communicate with clients and focus on them wholly. We have become a more standardised and structural business model.
This is often due to competing markets, too many competitors, more standardised approaches that are less flexible, bigger companies pushing the smaller companies out of business, policy, auditing costs, financial advisor costs if you pick a private or specialist one etc, the list goes on.

We have become a market that is very saturated, over-crowded, and only allows a small percentage to have any profit, because more often then not, it is not what you know or how committed you are to serving people, it is who you know, how much funds you have to establish a business, how long others have been around, finding a stable network in a culture that excludes the smaller companies out of the know-who.

Smaller companies struggle while the mass-marketing strategies of larger ones drown the voices from the less established ones still trying to just get by.

Financial Health Breakdown:

34%-50% of providers report operating at a net loss.

18% of providers barely break even.

52% total operating with zero or negative profit margins.

75% of providers consider exiting or shutting down. (Activ OT).

Core Causes of Financial Strain Price Caps:
Fixed NDIS price limits fail to keep up with rising operational costs.

Compliance: Increased regulatory and administrative burdens cost time and money.

Pricing Model: The NDIA pricing structure aims at viability for only the top 25% most efficient operators, squeezing out standard or regional providers. (Team DSC, ABC Great Southern, The Guardian).

Now the question is, what are the motives of ndis? Did they design it for people who genuinely want to serve the participants and develop ongoing good communication with them? Or did we design a system that values the numbers they can get rather then putting the customer first?

And the biggest question of all, how do we fix this?

There needs to be change. The logical thing to do is to reduce audtiting costs to encourage smaller companies to register with ndis, for ndis to promote smaller niche companies that focus on smaller numbers of participants so it doesn't become a factory-style one-size fits all business, incorporating AI into manual tasks that don’t require customer interaction to reduce administrative tasks (the problem is investing on all the newest gadgets requires a busines to run at a bit of a profit to afford it), ndis price guidelines to reflect the expenses many put into a business ( the problem is, ndis is very tight financially and it takes a lot out of the government to support the ndis scheme long-term, it would require creativity to fix the system into one that is sustainable), more funding grants to start businesses and support them, start up loans, new and inventive ways to encourage smaller companies to thrive. There is always going to be a challenge in making these changes, and it takes a lot of highly-skilled people to make these changes. And then we could encourage and support people more with disabilities so they have a job that is flexible and understanding, although not everyone can work, and then some need more support to be able to work and we should keep people with disabilities on ndis if they need it to be able to function. I think to help ndis make fair decisions more people with real-life experience with having disabilities should be employed in the ndis sector to make the decisions and fairly distribute funding, and also employing people with disabilities to be mentors and leaders in companies so that others with disabilities are included and supported more, and understood in the worplace (maybe more remote jobs becoming available, more support offered to those with disabilities, more people with disabilities already employed with leadership roles). But how easy is it to make drastic changes? One person or company can't do it alone, it requires numbers. And how do those numbers get a voice? They advocate and campaign for change, share, and spread the word around.

The statics show that a lot of us are struggling , we (the smaller companies who are running at a loss) have the numbers to change, the percentage of us are higher then the percentage of the larger companies running at a profit. We can work together if we don't see ourselves as competitors alone, we see ourselevs as sustainable busines partners in change, benefiting those around us and giving ourselves the chance to succeed.

Share this if you agree that we need more small ndis companies that have more time for communication with participants, more time listening to them, more time to advocate for them, and more time supporting their lifestyle and routines.

Written by the Director of Able 2 Care Australia.

References:

NDIS small businesses are breaking. And no one is talking about it https://share.google/p0vgwsaAOiBBtNJDV

Source: Team DSC https://share.google/fFtAiuFdbDkkqUeht

Not-for-profit disability services are closing due to untenably low price caps, NDIS architect warns | National disability insurance scheme | The Guardian https://share.google/Y6FwnM1aAtvwrnnZa

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-04-24/ndis-regional-family-providers-fear-impact-budget-cuts/106596646?fbclid=IwdGRzaAUYFdRjbGNrBRgVzXBkb2YFZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMzUwNjg1NTMxNzI4AAEekxGWU_BWUjrVUTu5zehmCjESYvs5y4RU7g1uINr6NkcD9vctWt6DNqLW58M_aem_iqGHrr9FvCbIAm7mK010Tg

Whenever there is a new participant that is in the intake stage, before you sign any paperwork and commit to caring for them, ask them "what do they value in a company?"Many prioritise having carers arriving for work on time, people that are transparent, those that are non-judgemental etc. I had a p...

27/03/2026

A Refreshing Perspective of NDIS Support

Hello to everyone!

Together with the team at ABLE 2 CARE Australia, we've recently reviewed support services. While our core values remain steadfast, we are now articulating them with greater clarity. This post shares our refined approach, focusing on what truly matters: your experience. We focus specifically on the quality of a participant’s experience while in our care and less on business analytics and trying to secure the numbers.

We have had many opportunities to meet lovely people in the ndis community and hope to connect and help many more who are in need of a genuine connection when being supported.

We are a self supported and niche community at Able 2 Care Australia, putting a huge emphasis on the heart to heart moments of everyday care rather then trying to fit the participant in the box and following the system's expectations without the participant's input. We avoid unrealistic expectations that overlook the participant's self-respect and wellbeing. Instead of the doomful feeling of failing ones goals,
we celebrate the special moments in life and recognise the small efforts.

We have real life experience helping people living with anxiety, depression, adhd, autism, ptsd, downs syndrome and many other people from different walks of life and personal experiences.

To Able 2 Care Australia, services aren't about filling hours in a business - It’s about listening and understanding the person we are serving in the community.

Many of the people we support fall into the cracks of the system and have spent years being burdened with overload, feeling misunderstood, or pushed to work towards ones goals without the provider’s understanding of them and what they want from the services. Our approach tries to fill in the cracks where its not working for them, providing a paced, understanding, trauma aware, and people-centred services.

We take the time for the participant to communicate to us

• What is overloading and adding to their stress

• What works for them and makes them feel safe

•What the individual wants their supports to look like

When you access our services we involve you to create a plan in what you want out of your support and once completed its shared with yourself, any family nominees, and the people involved in your care. We understand what being a supportive service should be like.

We take the quality of the support workers and the support they provide seriously.

Besides prioritising employing outstandingly empathetic and compassionate individuals with previous experience either proffesionally or personally caring for people, our quality support workers are fully trained and compliant, making sure they have:

☑️WWVPC/Bluecard

☑️ NDIS Worker Screening Checks

☑️ Police Checks

☑️ First Aid & CPR

☑️ Extra training and qualifications according to the participant's needs and diagnoses

☑️ NDIS Worker Modules

We write shift notes for every session, reflecting on the participant's strengths and progresss, and noting what might help make our supportive services do better in the future. We evolve with the participant's journey.

Each person has different goals they want to achieve, and we provide an integratative approach to those goals.

If someone’s goal is to have a healthy lifestyle, shifts may look like:

Visiting locally grown produce stores

Growing a garden that supports healthy eating

Making meals together

Going for walks on the beach

Creating habits that foster independence

Joining a club for healthy social interactions with others who have the same interests

Encouraging participants in choosing compassionate people who are non-judgemental and welcome them into a group

Mentoring them through stressful situations that cause anxiety and supporting them to feel safe again

It could also be simply providing a grounded service, being a patient and genuinely caring presence that leaves the participant content that they got a service that communicated efficiently while they were navigating through life.

We would love to connect with you.

27/03/2026

Sometimes in life it feels like what it feels like to your poor brain when you've woke up and not had your coffee yet.
When life is all just too much, sharing that magical moment together of what that first sip of coffee tastes like is similar to when your experience is good with a well informed support service, that genuine and wholesome feeling you're left with.

And yes, this coffee was made by an Able 2 Care Australia member!

27/03/2026

Tasmanian Tulip Farm Trip!

If any ndis participants are interested in taking excursions to destinations that are integrated into their goals, ABLE 2 CARE Australia provides transportation services and community access support. We are not merely here to provide transportation to "taxi" you around, but rather a supportive partnership that listens to your needs. How you want to plan the day is our top priority, and we are committed to assisting you in achieving your plans for the year with our dedicated staff who genuinely care about your situation. We understand that life is more enjoyable with a listening ear during excursions, with someone to converse with about your plans en route to your destination.

03/03/2026

Have seen this changing the ndis scene quite a bit with participants asking if they are talking to a real person or a ChatBot when seeking services for the first time, and the talk about plans integrating automation and less control over what support participants get in their plan.
Changes shouldn't occur without the values-driven decisions and standard of care disappearing, which still requires humanity from people.

When new technology can produce the texts companies or departments use to explain themselves, core values can shift incrementally without anyone really noticing.

22/02/2026

What a trauma-informed approach looks like in disability support services...

Empowering Your Journey with Compassionate Support

20/02/2026

Understanding what a trauma sensitive practice looks like to ndis participants

We understand that navigating life with a disability can sometimes involve experiences of trauma. For many participants in the NDIS, past events can form many layers of trauma — whether from feeling like nobody cares, isolation, neglect, violence, occupational or relational trauma, years of being misunderstood, dismissal and non-inclusitivity, or other challenges — can leave a lasting impact. At ABLE 2 CARE AUSTRALIA, we are dedicated to providing support that is not only effective but also deeply compassionate and understanding.

All these layers can have long term affects.
Yet when people communicate with participants it can often sound like this:
"Move forward"
"Distract yourself from thinking about it"
"Focus on what you want to get done today, rather then sitting here chatting about your traumatic past".
This impression participants get can increase their feeling of isolation in their trauma and have long-term implications.
Service like that is not trauma aware.
It is pushing the trauma down and making it worse for the participant experiencing it.

Trauma aware support should recognise what the participant has gone through, understand how it shapes their behaviour, and provide support that supports their wellbeing with the awareness that the shift is supposed to be about empowering, not discouraging.
Here are some points on what a trauma-aware quality service looks like:

*The carer arrives focused, not disinterested and disengaged. They are grounded and don't add to the participant's stress levels. The calm presence sets the tone for the day.
Listen first.
Adjust to the participant's wavelengh so you understand where they are coming from with their perspective and provide empathy rather then judgement.

*Carer's phones are away during the shift unless its an emergency they have to deal with, or they are on their break. Texting casually while sitting with a participant is not going to make the participant feel like you are actually interested in doing your job or care about them.

*Choices are given.
"What would you like to do today?"
"What feels safe to do for your current emotional climate?" Plans should be flexible and changes should be made based on the participant's ability to cope. Not forced.

* Predictability is regulating.
Offer a routine so that the participant knows what to expect, who's coming to the shift, times and days, what to expect from the carer.

*Boundaries are set early.
If you as the carer want to keep a proffesional boundary, for example, not paying for the participant's meals when they are known to ask for carers to pay, then talk through that boundary early on before the situation arises so the participant knows what to expect. Avoid stressful situations that could have been avoided if the communication happened early.

*Meet the participant where they are at in the shift and adjust the pace. If they feel emotionally disregulated, ask them if they need some space or would like to talk about it.
If they feel overwhelmed and need a break from a task, sit down for a while until they are ready for the next step.
Their needs are more important then what gets ticked off. Often when you adjust the pace to them, it is a more productive day then if the participant is pushed to do something they aren't ready to do yet.

* Don’t expect huge progress without building trust first. Trust happens over time, so if you would like to help a participant improve daily routines and activities that support their wellbeing, be a trustworthy person that the participant can talk to. You can't expect a participant to be comfortable opening up and allowing you to help them achieve their goals without establishing some rapport first.

* A participant's behaviour is a way of communicating non-verbally. Shutting down, trying to overthink and complicate situations, or putting tasks off are their own way of saying something. Understand the behaviours as a opportunity to encourage them, not a problem to fix.

* Safety is more important then finishing a task.
If you were planning to go out but the participant starts to feel emotionally disregulated, you aren't going to go out untill they feel ready to do so. Allow for the participant to feel emotionally safe before suggesting activities that may be beneficial to them once they have calmed down.

* Understand what triggers their stress.
Avoid places that make the participant more stressed, avoid words that might trigger traumatic memories, or conversations that the participant escalates with.

*The carer tries to lighten the load off the participant from organising everything.
They help book appointments, set reminders, write down important notes that the participant needs, and helps put tasks into steps that the participant understands.

* Carers keep their proffesional face on.
Boundaries are kept. Carers don't talk to participants about their own life and personal traumas and overshare. When a participant opens up about their trauma it is not an invitation to talk about yourself and what's happened to you. It is not a place where you can change the role and expect the participant to listen to your emotional off-loading.

* Avoid pressurising the participant so that their behaviour escalates. Instead of saying "You should be able to do this because it's not that hard,"" it should sound like " I believe in you, take your time." Everyone's functional capacity is different.

* The support ends with clarity, bad days are not left up in the air for next time the carer rocks up. Instead of leaving the shift emotionally open, communicating key highlights of the day, plans for next time, communicating any misunderstandings, and how support can be provided better next time if there was an incident that could have been handled better is addressed.

That's how support stays consistent, safe, ethical, and meaningful to the participant.

If you would like this kind of support
feel free to contact [email protected], or 0491 606 852.

29/01/2026

See how your loved one is supported every day with dignity and safety. Join us for a behind-the-scenes look at a support worker guiding community outings, following person‑centred plans, and using clear safety protocols to make inclusion and independence possible. Families in Australia — feel reassured by our compassionate, professional care and share this with someone who needs to know. Learn more: https://wix.to/CFO14hI

26/01/2026

Need short-term support with long-term results? Our flexible, time-limited care plans give you respite, smooth transitions and goal-focused help so your loved one builds independence and your family gets peace of mind. Discover tailored options across Australia. https://wix.to/7UYnt2k 🌟🤝

Contact us to find a plan that fits your goals.

20/01/2026

Transitioning home after hospital, juggling school pickups, or covering a temporary carer — you don’t have to do it alone. Our short-term, personalised care plans keep routines steady, protect independence, and provide professional, compassionate support tailored to your needs. Get flexible help across Australia when it matters most. Visit https://wix.to/t3z6hJj to learn more and arrange a consultation. Call to book a tailored plan today.