What’s the Difference Between Specialist Support Coordination & Social Work?
After a few years in the sector, it’s easy to forget how much there is to learn about the different NDIS roles. We are continuously reminded, when talking to our clients, their supports, other service providers and new workmates, of all the roles that exist within the NDIS.
Especially if you're navigating an NDIS plan for the first time, it's easy to get confused about the various people who work in the NDIS. We're often asked: what's the difference between a Social Worker and a Specialist Support Coordinator? Both professions provide critical support in the NDIS, but in very different ways.
We sat down with one of our NDIS Specialist Support Coordinators and Program Facilitators (who is also a trained Social Worker), to explain the differences between the two roles.
Throughout our conversation, we kept needing to clarify other key NDIS roles, such as Support Coordinators (SC), Plan Managers and Support Workers. After we've explained the key differences between Specialist Support Coordination and Social Work, we will briefly define other key workers in the NDIS. So let's break down these roles, explore their key functions, and clarify how they fit into the NDIS.
What is the difference between a Specialist Support Coordinator and a Social Worker?
What is a Specialist Support Coordinator?
A Specialist Support Coordinator (SSC) works to help participants manage and navigate their NDIS plans. Their role is largely coordinating supports, ensuring individuals are linked with NDIS-funded services like Occupational Therapy and Positive Behaviour Support and public resources such as mental health and advocacy organisations. A Specialist Support Coordinator will also assist a person in navigating various systems they may be a part of, such as hospital, child protection, or the justice system.
A Specialist Support Coordinator is meant to work alongside the participant, to help them achieve their goals outlined in their NDIS plan. The SSC's goal is to build capacity and empower individuals to eventually manage their supports independently. An SSC's funding will come directly out of the Capacity Building budget in a participant's plan.
What is capacity building?
Capacity building is all about helping individuals build the skills to live their lives. This is supported under NDIS funding but is distinct from the treatment-based care someone might receive from a therapist. So, it's not about treating a symptom like a psychologist might or working with someone with an illness to recover. It's about understanding what would make someone's life more enjoyable, creating goals to help achieve this and living the life that is best for them.
For NDIS participants, an SSC will work with you to understand what living a good life means and how we can build that capacity for you. For example, an SSC might work with someone on strategies for managing daily tasks, finding suitable housing, finding someone to accompany them out in the community, or learning new skills.
An SSC focuses on practical, day-to-day assistance and fostering long-term independence. They might liaise with multiple stakeholders—such as NDIS providers, schools, hospitals, therapy providers, justice departments, supported independent living providers, child protection services—and connect participants to the right support networks. Stakeholders can also include informal supports like parents, siblings, grandparents, other family members, friends and people in the community whose support and assistance aren’t paid for.
What is a Social Worker?
A Social Worker has a much broader role than a Specialist Support Coordinator. Social Workers are trained professionals who often help people understand and manage their disabilities, cope with emotional regulation, access therapeutic support, and, if qualified, provide therapeutic interventions.
Practicing Social Workers have graduated with a degree in social work and many may continue their training to deliver therapy services like cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) or dialectical behavioural therapy (DBT) to help individuals with mental health challenges. To work as an NDIS social worker, the NDIA mandates social workers must be registered members of the Australian Association of Social Work.
In the NDIS, Social Workers also help people navigate crises—whether that's managing housing instability, a family emergency, or a health crisis. They might assist someone with access to disability support services, help them understand how their disability affects them, or offer emotional support. Social Workers are also able to provide Psychosocial Functional Capacity Assessments for individuals with psychosocial disabilities, or individuals with psychosocial symptoms impacting them.
Social Worker’s expertise is utilised in hospitals, schools, government departments, welfare and advocacy agencies, prisons, courts, police force, NDIS registered providers and private organisations. Many social workers work for private companies or independently as sole traders, and you can choose to access one through an NDIS plan by using your “Improved Daily Living Funding.” You can find social work providers by searching on the internet, asking your Local Area Coordinator or Support Coordinator to connect you to one.
The Core Difference: SSC vs. SW
While both roles may intersect slightly, the bulk of their role differs significantly. A Specialist Support Coordinator is primarily involved in coordination, ensuring people have the support and services they need to live their lives. SSCs come from various backgrounds (such as social work, psychology or Occupational Therapy) but do not require specific training to be a Specialist Support Coordinator. An SSC helps you understand your NDIS plan, work alongside you in navigating your funding and services, and, if possible, build your capacity to coordinate your own plan one day.
On the other hand, a Social Worker may engage in crisis management and therapeutic support under specific frameworks (such as social work, psychology, or mental health). A Social Worker can help to improve a person's emotional regulation or other distressing symptoms, increase motivation and assist you in building a road map for what you want your life to look like.
To practise as a Social Worker in Australia, you must have completed a four-year bachelor's degree or a two-year qualifying master's degree. To deliver therapeutic services, you must be engaged in traditional post-graduate education.
Tip: A good Support Coordinator or Specialist Support Coordinator should have some training to understand disability, the intersectionality NDIS participants may experience and an understanding of how the systems people with disability are a part of. A good SC/SSC will understand the support available in the NDIS and the community and have the knowledge of reputable providers to recommend.
NDIS Navigation Roles: Understanding the Key Difference
Specialist Support Coordinator vs. Support Coordinator vs. Plan Manager
As promised, here are some more role definitions to help you on your NDIS Navigation. What we Specialist Support Coordinators often get confused with is a Support Coordinator or a Plan Manager.
Support Coordinator (SC): Support Coordinators focus on helping participants understand and use their NDIS plans. They ensure people have access to the services, supports, and resources they need to achieve their goals. While they don't provide therapeutic services, they help participants navigate the NDIS to connect them to services that can help them.
Specialist Support Coordinator (SSC): Similar to Support Coordinators, SSCs also assist with navigating services and supports, but their role is more complex. They focus on individuals with higher needs, especially those in more complex situations. SSCs often liaise with multiple agencies and provide a higher level of coordination to manage multiple needs, such as NDIS participants experiencing homelessness, the justice, child protection, hospital systems, mental health and the homelessness sector.
NDIS Plan Manager: Unlike Support Coordinators or SSCs, Plan Managers have a more financial focus. Their job is to manage your NDIS budget, ensuring invoices are paid and your funding is used correctly. Think of a NDIS Plan Manager like a bookkeeper, they don't assist with therapy or advise you how to spend your plan (like a SC or SSC will) but provide support in managing the financial aspects of your NDIS plan.
Tip: A good Plan Manager should send you a budget breakdown every month, so you are informed on how much funding you've left for each budget/area of your NDIS plan. You should never have a plan manager tell you they ran out of funding and now can't work with you anymore.
NDIS Support Roles: Understanding the Key Difference
Support Workers vs. Social Workers vs. Counselling
While both Support Workers, Social Workers and Counsellors are essential in the disability support sector, their roles differ significantly.
Support Workers assist with daily living activities, such as cooking, cleaning, and helping with personal care. They provide practical, hands-on support and are generally not trained or qualified in therapeutic interventions.
Social Workers have specialised training and qualifications that enable them to provide therapeutic support, case management, and help with navigating complex systems such as housing, mental health, and family situations. They may also help participants with NDIS claims, crisis intervention, and emotional regulation.
Counsellors provide emotional or psychological support through therapy and are primarily focused on mental health. A counsellor in the NDIS may help participants identify personal goals, and challenges they are currently facing and work on strategies to tackle both.
Tip: It's important to note whilst there are many courses and memberships to be a counsellor, it is an unregulated profession. I.e. anyone can call themselves a counsellor. However, to use NDIS funds for counselling, a counsellor must be registered with the Australian Counselling Association (ACA) or the Psychotherapy And Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA).
How to Know When to Refer to a Social Worker
If you or someone you know is in crisis, feeling overwhelmed, or struggling with complex life challenges (experiencing homelessness, health issues, or family breakdowns), a Social Worker may be the right professional to reach out to.
They can help provide emotional support, guide individuals through the NDIS system, or assist with access to the NDIS or crisis management. Referrals can be made by doctors, Occupational Therapists, NDIS Support Coordinators, counsellors, or self-referral is available if someone feels they need this type of support.
We hope this blog post gave you some insight into understanding not only the difference between Specialist Support Coordination and Social Work, but also the role other key NDIS workers play. If you're unsure which professional you may want to reach out to, it's always a good idea to reach out to any existing NDIS provider or a trusted professional who can guide you toward the right support.
If you are looking for a Specialist Support Coordinator to work alongside you in navigating your NDIS plan and ensure your formal supports are effectively meeting your needs, please don't hesitate to contact us with any questions.