NDIS
NDIS access request for a child: a step-by-step guide
Written by the Hey Sprout team — pending clinician review
How to apply for the NDIS for a child, from the early childhood approach to the access request form, evidence, timeframes and what to do if access is refused.
Written by the Hey Sprout team — pending clinician review
Last updated 30 October 2026
General information with cited sources, not clinical advice. See the Hey Sprout editorial policy for how we write, update and correct pages.
To apply for the NDIS for a child under 9, you usually start by contacting an NDIS early childhood partner, not by filling in a form on your own. The partner helps you gather evidence from your child's treating professionals and can complete and submit the application with you.[][] You can also fill in the access request form yourself.[] Once the NDIA has the application and all the evidence, its service guarantee says it will decide within 90 days.[]
Early childhood approach or access request?
They aren't really alternatives. The early childhood approach is the front door for children under 9, and an NDIS application is one possible next step. The access request form is optional, because your partner can complete the application with you.[][]
| Early childhood approach | NDIS application (access request) | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it's for | Children younger than 6 with developmental delay or concerns, and children younger than 9 with disability | Children who are likely to meet the NDIS eligibility requirements |
| Diagnosis needed? | No | The NDIA needs evidence from treating professionals |
| What you get | Information, community links, peer support, and short-term early supports for under 6s | If eligible, an NDIS plan with funded supports |
| How to start | Contact an early childhood partner | Usually with your partner, or by sending the access request form yourself |
Many children get what they need from early connections without ever applying. Children aged 9 and over start with a local area coordinator instead.[]
Who is eligible
A child must meet the residence requirements, plus the disability requirements, the early intervention requirements, or both.[]
For a child younger than 6 with developmental delay, the NDIA needs evidence of a delay that:[]
- is due to a mental or physical impairment
- substantially reduces the child's functional capacity compared with other children the same age
- means the child needs specialist services from more than one professional, working as a team, for longer than 12 months.
If you're not sure whether your child meets these, your partner can help you work it out.[] Our pages on global developmental delay and autism explain those conditions.
Step by step
- Connect with a partner. Use the NDIS office finder, or call 1800 800 110 if you don't know who your partner is. You can take a support person to every meeting.[]
- Gather evidence with your child's treating professionals. You may need to book an appointment to talk about what they will write.[]
- Complete the application. Your partner can do this with you, or you can use the access request form.[]
- Submit it. Your partner can submit it, or you can use the NDIS service hub, post it to NDIA, GPO Box 700, Canberra ACT 2601, or hand it in at a local office.[]
- Wait for the decision. The NDIA aims to decide within 90 days. If it asks for more information, it aims to decide within 14 days of receiving it.[]
Who fills in which part
The access request form has two sections, and treating professionals can add other evidence.[][]
| Part | Who completes it | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Section 1 of the access request form | You, as parent, guardian or representative | Your child's details, consent, contact preferences, parent details, disability information, any compensation claims, supporting documents, your signature |
| Section 2 of the access request form | Your child's treating health professional | Their qualifications and how long they've treated your child, evidence of disability, early intervention information, existing assessments, and functional capacity across mobility, communication, social interaction, learning, self-care and self-management |
| Supporting evidence | Treating professionals | A supporting evidence form, existing reports or assessments, or a letter or email |
The professional should be registered with AHPRA or the relevant professional body. If they aren't, the NDIA may ask for more information, which can delay the decision.[]
Evidence checklist
Good evidence is recent, original and specific to your child. It should come from a treating professional relevant to your child's main disability. Ideally that is someone who has treated your child for at least 6 months and is registered to practise in Australia or New Zealand.[] Aim for evidence that:[]
- confirms your child's disability or developmental delay
- describes how it affects different areas of daily life
- describes treatments so far and how they went
- describes future treatment options and expected outcomes.
For autism, developmental delay and global developmental delay, evidence can come from members of a multidisciplinary team, such as a paediatrician, psychologist, occupational therapist or speech pathologist.[] You and the people who care for your child can also describe how the impairment affects daily life.[] If there's no early childhood partner in your area, your GP, child health nurse, early childhood educator or another health professional can provide evidence.[]
Before you send anything, check that each report has a date, the professional's name and qualifications, and plain examples of what your child can and can't do yet.
If access is refused
The NDIA will send a letter explaining why. You can call 1800 800 110 to talk about it.[] Then:
- Ask for an explanation. The NDIA can explain the decision before you decide whether to seek a review.[]
- Request an internal review within 3 months of receiving the decision. You can call, use the service hub, write to the CEO, visit an office or use the review request form.[]
- Say what you expected and why. Point to evidence already provided and add any new reports. If the NDIA asks for more documents, you have up to 28 days to send them.[]
- Wait for the outcome. The NDIA aims to complete internal reviews within 60 days.[]
- Consider an external review. If you still disagree, you have 28 days after the internal review to apply to the Administrative Review Tribunal.[]
There's no limit on how many times you can apply. You can apply again if your child's situation changes or you have new evidence.[] Your early childhood partner, family or friends can help you ask for a review.[]
Applying before and after 2028
There are no changes to how people apply until 1 January 2028. From that date, applicants go through a functional capacity assessment. Children aged 8 and under with developmental delay or autism and low to moderate support needs will be supported through Thriving Kids instead of the NDIS. Children with permanent and significant disability or high support needs remain eligible.[]
Next steps
Once your child has access, read how to write NDIS goals for your child.
If you're worried about your child's development, start with your GP or paediatrician and an early childhood partner. If your child is found eligible, our first NDIS plan checklist helps you get therapy started. If you choose plan management or self-management and want to talk through online speech, OT or psychology, you can send Hey Sprout an enquiry.
Frequently asked questions
Does my child need a diagnosis to apply for the NDIS?
Not to get help through the early childhood approach. For an NDIS application, the NDIA needs evidence from a treating professional. For a child under 6 with developmental delay, that evidence must show a delay that meets the NDIS definition. Under the disability requirements, the evidence usually includes a diagnosis.
Can a speech pathologist or occupational therapist provide the evidence?
Yes. The NDIS lists speech pathologists and occupational therapists among the treating professionals who can give evidence. For autism, developmental delay and global developmental delay, evidence can come from any member of a multidisciplinary team, including a paediatrician or psychologist.
What if no professional has known my child for 6 months?
The NDIS says it helps if the professional has worked with your child for at least 6 months, but it also wants evidence from the most appropriate person. Use the best-placed professional you have. The NDIA may ask for more information, which can delay the decision, so make the report as complete as you can.
Can I bring someone with me to NDIS meetings?
Yes. You can take a support person to any meeting, such as a family member, friend or support coordinator.
What happens after my child is found eligible?
You receive a letter that sets out which requirements your child met. You are then invited to a planning meeting. Under the Participant Service Guarantee, the NDIA aims to approve a first plan for a child under 9 within 56 days.
Keep reading
NDIS goals for children: how to write them, with examples
How to write clear NDIS goals for your child, with worked examples for communication, daily living, play and school readiness, and how goals link to therapy funding.
Does the NDIS cover psychology for children?
When the NDIS funds a psychologist for your child, when Medicare and the health system pay instead, and how plan-managed and self-managed families use it.
Does ADHD qualify for the NDIS? An honest answer for parents
ADHD on its own often doesn't meet NDIS access rules. Here's when a child with ADHD may qualify, and the Medicare, school and health supports to use if not.
References
- How to apply — National Disability Insurance Scheme, 2026
- What is an access request form — National Disability Insurance Scheme, 2026
- How to gather evidence — National Disability Insurance Scheme, 2026
- What are examples of disability evidence — National Disability Insurance Scheme, 2026
- How to get help for your child — National Disability Insurance Scheme, 2026
- What are the early intervention eligibility requirements — National Disability Insurance Scheme, 2026
- Participant Service Guarantee — National Disability Insurance Scheme, 2026
- How to request a review of a decision — National Disability Insurance Scheme, 2026
- What is a decision review — National Disability Insurance Scheme, 2026
- About the changes to the NDIS — Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, 2026
- What are the age requirements — National Disability Insurance Scheme, 2026
- What is supporting evidence — National Disability Insurance Scheme, 2026
