NDIS Goals for Intellectual Disability

What are Goals?

Goals have been around long before the introduction of the NDIS. Goals are used in different settings and sectors around us.

NDIS goals specify what you want to achieve with support from the NDIS to access supports and services.

Taking the time to develop your NDIS goals can help you establish a clear vision of what you want to work towards.

Goals should focus on an outcome, rather than be about the services or supports needed to achieve the outcome.

NDIS Goals Explained

NDIS Goals are the goals listed in your plan which relates to your personal aspirations and what you want to achieve with your NDIS funding.

NDIS funding is allocated according to your goals. Utilising your funding for a service must always relate back to one or more goal in your NDIS plan.

If you would like to access a particular support or service, however do not have a goal in your NDIS plan that relates to this goal, you may not be able to use your funding for this service.

Unfortunately, the NDIS aren’t obligated to fund for services to pursue the goals you have chosen. NDIS goals alone cannot be used to justify the funding of NDIS supports. The NDIS must be satisfied that the services are considered reasonable and necessary.

Find out more about What is Reasonable and Necessary (under the NDIS)

NDIS Goals for Intellectual Disability

NDIS goals can vary based on what your needs are related to your intellectual disability. 

When setting goals, focus on what you want and need and relate this to the different areas of funding established by the NDIS.

How does your intellectual disability impact you in day to day life? What opportunities are there to build your capacity if linked in with the right therapist or provider? Is there support you need in day to day life to be funded by the NDIS?

These are all questions to consider when determining goals related to your intellectual disability.

Goals related to Building Independence and Capacity

Goals related to building independence and capacity are a great place to start if you wish to improve a certain skill or reduce your support needs on others.

Goals related to building independence and capacity usually relate to capacity building services, such as allied health therapists.

It is important to be specific about what particular skill or activity you wish to target to build your capacity. Do you want to build independence at home? In the community? At work?

Keep in mind it is not necessary to specify only one way as to how this must be achieved, as you don’t want to limit your options.

Examples of goals related to building independence and capacity includes:

• I would like to increase my independence in personal care routines
• I would like to learn how to access public transport to get to the places I want to go to, such as the movies
• I would like to build my capacity in maintaining my home and completing domestic tasks
• I would like to improve my health and well-being by engaging in regular exercise

Goals related to accessing Support

Goals related to accessing support can involve direct support to help you complete a specific task or activity or support to complete the task for you on your behalf.

If you require support across any aspect of your daily life, you can establish a goal surrounding your support needs and what you wish to achieve.

Example goals related to accessing support includes:

• I wish to maintain my home by accessing a regular cleaning service
• I would like to attend day program and other community-based activities
• I want help to attend medical appointments and complete grocery shopping

NDIS Goal Writing - Tips and Tricks

Below are some tips and tricks to consider when writing your NDIS Goals.

Specific or Broad Goal?

NDIS goals are best when they are broad and relate to a range of areas you wish to address using your NDIS funding.

This enables you to be creative throughout your plan with the different types of services you wish to access to achieve the goal.

When a goal is too specific, it can be hard to explore alternative services or avenues as they may not be related to the stated goal.

Service or Outcome Focussed?

When a goal focuses on a specific service, such as “receiving Occupational Therapy to improve my ability to cook for myself”, this implies the only service you can access to achieve this goal is Occupational Therapy.

When a goal is outcome focussed, such as “I want to develop skills in meal preparation”, you may be able to access a wider range of services and supports, such as a support worker, SIL, ILO etc.

Goal Structure - think SMART

A SMART goal is a goal that is:

• Specific
• Measureable
• Achievable
• Realistic 
• Timely

By structuring your goal to address the features of SMART, you can be sure that your goal relates directly to what you want to achieve and outlines how it will be achieved.

What kind of language should I incorporate into my goals?

As all NDIS-funded services must relate to your goals, consider incorporating NDIS language and terminology into your goals.

NDIS buzz words include:

• social participation
• community integration
• building independence
• choice & control
• reasonable & necessary
• capacity building
• core/primary supports
• finding and keeping a job
• improving relationships

Write a goal that is meaningful and true to what you want to achieve. Think about what is important to you. This could relate to making new friends, trying new things, getting a job etc.

Then think about how you need to go about achieving what is important to you? This could involve attending a group program, learning how to prepare meals for yourself, travel training to access public transport to get to work, etc.

When writing your goal, see how you can link these two concepts together.

Resources for Goal Writing

MyCareSpace have a range of resources available for setting and writing goals:

Article: Help Writing Goals for an NDIS Plan

Article: Tips for NDIS Goal Setting

Article: Creating Goals the NDIS understands and funds: 'Social & Community Participation'

Article: Setting NDIS Housing Goals

Webinar: Using NDIS Therapy Funding to Reach your NDIS Goals

Webinar: NDIS Goal Setting and its Connection to your Plan

In need of services to help you achieve your NDIS goals?

The MyCareSpace Connections Team have you covered. Spend 5 minutes entering in your details about who you are the services you are after, and we will do the rest to connect you in with providers to help you achieve your goals.

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