Worker obligations

NDIS Code of Conduct for workers 

The NDIS Code of Conduct promotes safe and ethical service delivery, by setting out expectations for safe and ethical services and supports for both NDIS providers and workers.

It requires workers and providers delivering NDIS supports to:

• act with respect for individual rights to freedom of expression, self-determination, and decision-making in accordance with relevant laws and conventions 
• respect the privacy of people with disability
• provide supports and services in a safe and competent manner with care and skill
• act with integrity, honesty, and transparency
• promptly take steps to raise and act on concerns about matters that might have an impact on the quality and safety of supports provided to people with disability
• take all reasonable steps to prevent and respond to all forms of violence, exploitation, neglect, and abuse
• take all reasonable steps to prevent sexual misconduct.

The NDIS Code of Conduct applies to all workers of:

• registered NDIS providers
• unregistered NDIS providers
• community partners of the NDIA – LAC and ECEI providers
• providers delivering information, linkages, and capacity building activities
• providers delivering Commonwealth Continuity of Support Programme services funded by the Department of Health for people over the age of 65

The NDIS Commission applies the Code to its employees, in addition to the Australian Public Service Code of Conduct.

NDIS Code of Conduct – resources for workers

To help NDIS workers understand their obligations under the NDIS Code of Conduct we’ve developed:

• Fact sheet: NDIS Code of Conduct – summary for workers
• NDIS Code of Conduct - Guidance for workers.
• Easy read guide to the NDIS Code of Conduct (also available as a printable download)

The Worker Orientation Module, ‘Quality, Safety and You’ is an interactive online course that explains NDIS worker obligations under the NDIS Code of Conduct – from the perspective of NDIS participants.

Reportable incidents information for workers

The NDIS workers delivering supports and services in the NDIS are critical to people with disability, their families and carers. 

As an NDIS worker, you are also the person most likely to witness an incident or have something disclosed to you. When this happens, your response matters. 

Under the NDIS Code of Conduct, all NDIS providers and workers are required to provide supports and services in a safe and competent manner with care and skill, and to take all reasonable steps to prevent all forms of violence against, exploitation, neglect and abuse of, people with disability.

Registered NDIS providers are also required to:

• have an incident management system to record and manage incidents that occur while providing supports or services to people with disability
• notify the NDIS Commission of ‘reportable incidents’. 

More information is available on our reportable incidents page.

NDIS workers have a duty to notify registered NDIS providers of reportable incidents under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (Incident Management and Reportable Incidents) Rules 2018. If a person employed or otherwise engaged by a registered NDIS provider becomes aware that a reportable incident has occurred in connection with the provision of supports or services by the provider, the person must notify one of the following of that fact as soon as possible:

• a member of the provider’s key personnel;
• a supervisor or manager of the person;
• the person who is responsible for reporting incidents that are reportable incidents to the NDIS Commissioner according to the provider’s incident management system. 

Incident management is an important part of improving services and you should feel confident in responding to and reporting incidents. 

Reportable incidents – resources for workers

The following resources are designed to support NDIS workers to respond to incidents:

• Reference Card: ‘Incident response: Is everyone safe?’ 
• Poster: Identifying and responding to incidents, a 6 step guide for workers 
• Incident management and Reportable Incidents: worker expectations

A range of other reportable incident resources for NDIS providers is available on our Incident management and reportable incidents (NDIS Providers) page.