As an Independent Support Worker, providing high quality, safe, and skilled support to NDIS Participants is the goal. Even with the best intentions, incidents will happen. 

Managing incidents protects everyone. This is also a requirement of the NDIS Code of Conduct which applies to all providers, including Independent Support Workers. 

Kynd's Incident Report Form is a tool to help you manage your own incidents. 

When you complete this form, a copy will be emailed to you for further action and record keeping.

If the incident is a 'Reportable Incident' you must immediately report to the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.

What is an Incident?

The NDIS Commission defines an incident as: 

  • Acts, omissions, events or circumstances that occur in connection with providing NDIS supports or services to a person with disability and have, or could have, caused harm to the person with disability. 
  • Acts by a person with disability that occur in connection with providing NDIS supports or services to the person with disability and which have caused serious harm, or a risk of serious harm, to another person. 
  • Reportable incidents that have or are alleged to have occurred in connection with providing NDIS supports or services to a person with disability. 

 

Tips to avoid incidents

All providers work first and foremost to prevent incidents from occurring.

Great proactive ways to do this include: 

  • Know your Participants well - Understand their needs and preferences.
  • Onboarding - Gather all necessary info at intake, and make emergency plans.
  • Stay within scope - Know your role, responsibilities, and all requirements.
  • Assess and manage risk - This an ongoing commitment to quality and safety.
  • Uphold WHS - Maintain safe environments, in homes and in community. 
  • Incident management - Know what incidents are, and have processes in place.
  • Communicate - Tell Participants about your incident management processes.
  • Balance dignity and duty - Support informed choice while upholding safety.
  • Consent - Get Participants permission to share relevant info with others.
  • Confidentiality - Explain what confidentiality means and its limits.

 

Tips to manage an incident

When incidents occur, be ready to act quickly and appropriately. 

  • Safety first - Immediately restore safety and wellbeing of those impacted. 
  • Record facts - What occurred, times, dates, places, and people involved.
  • Assess - Measure risk and consequences, both current and future. 
  • Plan - Decide next steps, desired outcomes, and take action within scope.
  • Escalate - Determine who else needs to know, especially to help restore safety.
  • Reportable Incident - Tell the NDIS Commission in the required timeframes.
  • Document - Record all actions taken including decision making rationale. 
  • Reflect and Improve - Learn and improve from each incident, and update processes.
  • Retain - Securely keep relevant records for timeframes required.
  • Support - Seek guidance when you’re unsure, and take care of your wellbeing.