If your child's needs have changed, it is natural to wonder whether their NDIS plan can change too. The confusing part is that there is no longer one simple pathway for every situation.
Since 27 August 2026, new NDIS plan reassessment rules have changed who can ask for a reassessment, which form needs to be used, and how long the NDIA can take to decide whether a reassessment will go ahead.
Good Days Health is here to help families work through this. At this stage, we have current capacity to support these requests relatively quickly, including helping families review what has changed, prepare updated therapy evidence, and understand which pathway may fit before they submit anything.
For families, the most important question is usually this:
Do you need a full plan reassessment, or would a plan variation be the better fit?
Getting that distinction right matters. It affects the form you use, who can lodge it, what evidence you need, and how long the decision may take.
Quick answer
A plan reassessment is for significant and ongoing changes to support needs. It is a request for the NDIA to consider creating a new plan with different NDIS supports.
A plan variation is for smaller, more targeted changes to the current plan. It may be used for urgent, minor or short-term changes, or to update part of the existing plan without creating a whole new plan.
Your child's current plan continues as usual unless a change is formally approved.
What changed on 27 August 2026?
The NDIA says that from 27 August 2026, only the participant, their nominee, or their child representative can request a plan reassessment. Plan reassessment requests also need to be submitted using the correct form and include evidence that explains what has changed and why a reassessment is needed.
Once the NDIA has the information it needs, it says it will make a decision within 90 days. That decision is about whether it will reassess the plan, not reassess the plan, or vary the plan instead.
That 90-day timeframe does not necessarily mean your child will have a new plan within 90 days. It means the NDIA has up to 90 days to decide whether a reassessment will proceed.
When a plan reassessment may be needed
A plan reassessment may be the right pathway when your child's support needs have changed in a significant and ongoing way, and the current plan no longer fits.
This might include changes related to:
- daily living and functional capacity
- school or education needs
- informal supports at home
- how your child accesses community activities
- longer-term assistive technology or support requirements
The key word is significant. A plan reassessment is not usually for a small edit or a short-term issue. It is for situations where the overall plan may need to be looked at again.
When a plan variation may be enough
A plan variation may be more suitable when the current plan is mostly working, but one part needs to change.
The NDIA says plan variations can be used for smaller changes to the current plan, including some urgent, short-term or minor changes. A variation can also be used to correct information, update goals, change some plan details, or add certain supports where the change fits within the current overall plan.
For example, if assistive technology has been recommended in an occupational therapy report requested during planning, the NDIA says this may be handled through a plan variation.
The important point is that a variation changes part of the plan. It is not the same as asking the NDIA to build a completely new plan.
Who can submit the request?
For a plan reassessment, the request must come from the participant, their plan nominee, or their child representative. For many children, this means the parent or official child representative needs to submit the form.
Providers, therapists and support coordinators can still play an important role. They can help you understand the options, prepare evidence, and make sure the request is clear. But they cannot lodge a plan reassessment request on your behalf.
Plan variations are different. The NDIA says someone else, such as a support coordinator, may ask for a variation if they have your consent.
This is one reason families should pause before filling in a form. The pathway affects who can lodge it.
What evidence should families prepare?
Evidence is often where requests become stronger or weaker.
For plan reassessment requests, the NDIA says the evidence should show a significant change to ongoing support needs. This may include assessments, clinical reports or other evidence from treating health professionals, therapists or support workers.
The NDIA also says evidence should usually be:
- completed within 4 months of the date you ask for the reassessment
- completed after the date your child's current plan was approved
That means older reports may not be enough, even if they were useful at the time. If your child's current needs have changed, fresh documentation may be needed to explain what has changed, why it matters, and what supports are now recommended.
A practical checklist before you submit
Before submitting a request, work through these questions:
- Are you asking for a full reassessment, or a targeted variation?
- Is the correct NDIS form being used?
- Is the request being submitted by the right person?
- Does the evidence explain what has changed?
- Is the evidence recent enough?
- Was the evidence completed after the current plan was approved?
- Are all reports attached with the first submission?
- Have you told your therapy team early enough to prepare updated documentation?
The stronger your documentation is at the beginning, the less likely you are to lose time fixing gaps later.
How Good Days Health can help
Good Days Health is here to help families navigate these changes, and we currently have capacity to move relatively quickly on plan change preparation.
We cannot submit a plan reassessment request for you. That responsibility sits with the participant, nominee or child representative. But we can help you get ready with clear, current and relevant information before you lodge the request.
Our team can help review what has changed for your child, identify whether updated clinical evidence may be needed, prepare clear therapy documentation, and make sure reports are aligned with the type of request you are making.
If your child's review is coming up, or if things have changed at home, school or in daily life, contact us or bring any current documentation to your next appointment. The earlier we know what has changed, the faster we can help you prepare useful evidence while current appointment capacity is available.
FAQ’s
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No. The NDIA says participants can continue using their current plan while it decides whether to do a reassessment.
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No. The 90 days is the timeframe for deciding whether a plan reassessment will proceed, whether it will not proceed, or whether the plan may be varied instead.
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No. For a plan reassessment, the NDIA says the request must come from the participant, their plan nominee or child representative. A therapist can help prepare evidence, but cannot submit the reassessment request on your behalf.
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The NDIA says someone else, such as a support coordinator, can ask for a plan variation if they have your consent.
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For a plan reassessment, the NDIA says evidence should usually be completed within 4 months of the request and after the current plan was approved.