STA referral checklist for Support Coordinators
NDIA guidance says short-term respite is usually funded for up to 28 days a year and may be used flexibly, for example as a block of up to 14 days or regular weekends. Whether a stay can be funded depends on the participant's plan and circumstances. Short-term respite is not a holiday.
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NDIA guidance says short-term respite is usually funded for up to 28 days a year and may be used flexibly, for example as a block of up to 14 days or regular weekends. Whether a stay can be funded depends on the participant's plan and circumstances. Short-term respite is not a holiday.
Preparing a short-term respite referral (STR, formerly called STA)? Providers usually need a few practical details before they can say whether a stay is suitable, prepare an estimate and plan support safely. Referrals stall when the provider has to come back for dates, the support ratio, overnight needs, who pays for what, or the funding position. This checklist covers what a provider commonly needs. Having it ready cuts the follow-up questions and helps the provider respond sooner.
Before you send anything: share only what the provider needs for the proposed stay, and only with the participant's consent or their nominee's. Use your own secure channel, not a public web form. Careable's forms ask for your own contact details and, on a referral, the participant's first name, suburb and age — never an NDIS number, date of birth or documents. The rest comes later, by phone or secure email.
Do not send: NDIS numbers, full dates of birth, Medicare numbers or bank details in a first enquiry. A provider does not need them to decide whether a stay fits.
Tick what you have ready. Not every item applies, but each one can change whether the stay fits, who staffs it, what it costs or how it is kept safe.
Your ticks stay on this device and are not sent to Careable.
The stay
Why now
Funding
Support model
Personal care and health
Behaviour support
Mobility and the property
The person
Documents — which ones and when
Share only what applies, through an agreed secure channel. Clinical and risk documents are needed before a provider can price the stay. Funding pages can follow once the provider has said the stay can be considered.
Before a quote
After a yes in principle
A clear referral is enough for a provider to say whether the stay can be considered and what else they need. It is not yet a price — that comes once the clinical and risk documents are in.
Not sure what a stay will cost? Try the respite cost tool.
Referring to a SIL home instead? See the SIL roster tool and current vacancies.