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For families
How to Start NDIS or Home Care Services in Victoria: A Step-by-Step Guide
Lorrae Mehmet
Co Founder and Head of Supports · 6 May 2026 · 10 min read
Whether you're applying for NDIS for the first time, or your parent has just been told they qualify for Support at Home — the system is a maze. This guide takes you step-by-step through getting an NDIS plan or starting Support at Home in Victoria, from first assessment to first shift.
If you're reading this, someone in your life probably needs care for the first time — and you've discovered the Australian system isn't built to be easy to navigate. Whether it's an aging parent who just got an ACAT referral, a child or sibling with a disability who's never been on the NDIS, or yourself after a hospital admission that changed everything: the next few weeks are going to involve more paperwork and phone calls than you expected.
This guide is written for Victorian families, by people who've spent twenty-plus years helping families through this exact moment. It covers the two main paths — NDIS (for people under 65 with a permanent disability) and Support at Home (for older Australians, replacing the old Home Care Package system in November 2025). For each path, we'll show you the actual steps, how long each one takes in practice (not in the brochure), and where most families get stuck.
You don't need a provider to start the process. You need to know what the steps are, where the friction usually is, and what good looks like at each stage. Read this first. If you want to talk to someone in Geelong, the Bellarine, the Surf Coast, or Colac after, we're here.
Path 1: Starting on the NDIS
[EXPAND — Eligibility criteria (under 65, permanent disability, citizenship/residency). The Access Request process. What to send and what to expect back. Typical timelines (weeks to months). What happens if you're rejected and how to appeal.]
What goes in an NDIS plan
[EXPAND — Plan structure: Core, Capacity Building, Capital. How budgets are set. The role of the planner. What 'reasonable and necessary' actually means in practice. How to prepare for the planning meeting.]
Path 2: Starting on Support at Home
[EXPAND — How SAH differs from the old Home Care Package program. Eligibility (65+, or 50+ for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander). The My Aged Care registration step. ACAT (now called the Aged Care Assessment Team) assessment process. Wait times.]
What goes in a Support at Home package
[EXPAND — The three funding streams: Independence, Everyday Living, Clinical Care. Classifications 1 through 8. What each stream covers. How the unbundling works and what families can't redirect.]
Choosing a provider — what actually matters
[EXPAND — Beyond the standard 'tour the facility' advice. Concrete questions to ask. Things that signal quality (RN oversight, dedicated Care Manager, small caseloads, continuity) and things that signal trouble (rotating rosters, vague escalation, churn).]
"If you only ask one question of a prospective provider, ask this: 'Who will my Care Manager be in two years?' Most can't answer."
Common mistakes families make
[EXPAND — Waiting too long to start the assessment. Underestimating the timeline. Not preparing for the planning meeting. Choosing a provider based on logo size rather than the team. Not understanding the difference between Plan-managed, Self-managed, and Agency-managed.]
Where to get help — without a sales pitch
[EXPAND — National helplines (NDIS, My Aged Care). Local resources in Geelong, Surf Coast, Colac. The role of independent Support Coordinators. Carer Gateway. How to use Goldstar Care as a sounding board even if we end up not being your provider.]
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to start NDIS supports from first contact?
From an Access Request submission to first plan in hand, typical timelines in Victoria are 6–12 weeks. Once you have an approved plan, services can start within 1–2 weeks if you've chosen a provider in advance. Urgent post-hospital discharge can move faster — we routinely start NDIS services within 48 hours of a confirmed referral.
What's the difference between Support at Home and the old Home Care Package program?
Support at Home replaced Home Care Packages on 1 November 2025. The biggest change is that funding is unbundled into three specific service types — Independence, Everyday Living, and Clinical Care — each with its own pool, classified based on assessed need. You can't redirect clinical funding to cleaning, or vice versa. The classification system runs 1 through 8, replacing the old 1–4 levels.
Do I need a referral from a GP to start a Support at Home application?
No, you can self-refer to My Aged Care. A GP referral can support your application but isn't required. You'll register with My Aged Care first, then be referred for an ACAT assessment, which determines your eligibility and classification.
What happens if my needs change after I've chosen a provider?
With most providers, your needs changing means re-assessment, re-planning, and often re-provider — because they're set up for one band of care. With us, the same Care Manager and the same team scale up or down with you. That's the whole point of an in-home provider that covers both everyday support and complex clinical care: you don't start over.
Next step
Wherever you are in the journey, we can help.
Whether you're seeking care for yourself, supporting a family member, or referring as a professional — we'll meet you where you are.
Written by
Lorrae Mehmet
Co Founder and Head of Supports
Lorrae leads clinical and operational oversight across all care delivery at Goldstar Care. With over two decades in aged care and disability support, she's the one care managers call when something hard needs a clear answer.
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