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Guide – Complex support needs

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DOCUMENT 8

Guide – Complex support needs (CSN) pathway

SGP KP Publishing

Page 78 of 112

SGP KP Publishing – Guide – Complex support needs (CSN) pathway

Table of Contents

  1. Recent updates …………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 4

  2. Before you start …………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 5

  3. Complex support needs (CSN) pathway factors……………………………………………………… 6

  4. Behaviours of concern ………………………………………………………………………………………….. 7

  5. Risk of entry into residential aged care ………………………………………………………………….. 8

  6. Younger people in residential aged care (YPIRAC) …………………………………………………. 9

  7. Support for a child or young person to remain living in the family home ………………. 10

  8. Children living in a voluntary arrangement outside the family home …………………….. 11

  9. Homelessness …………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 12

  10. Justice interface ………………………………………………………………………………………………. 13

Table of Contents – 2

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SGP KP Publishing – Guide – Complex support needs (CSN) pathway

This article provides guidance for all NDIA staff and partners to understand complex support needs (CSN) pathway factors.

Recent updates – 3

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SGP KP Publishing – Guide – Complex support needs (CSN) pathway

1 Recent updates

1 September 2025

Updated links to the NDIA staff intranet.

Recent updates – 4

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SGP KP Publishing – Guide – Complex support needs (CSN) pathway

2 Before you start

You have read:

Before you start – 5

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SGP KP Publishing – Guide – Complex support needs (CSN) pathway

3 Complex support needs (CSN) pathway factors

We’re committed to making sure all participants have an experience which meets their needs and delivers a fit for purpose plan. A single pathway approach is not appropriate for all participants. Because of this, we’ve introduced the complex support needs (CSN) pathway.

The CSN pathway provides specialised support for people with disability who experience personal and situational factors that are beyond the scope of the typical National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) pathway. The CSN pathway has dedicated planning teams and a network of skilled planner delegates with experience working with specific complex support cohorts such as justice, psychosocial and allied health. To learn more about the CSN Pathway, go to Complex Support Needs Branch intranet page.

The CSN pathway acknowledges the range of primary and secondary situational and personal factors that contribute to the complex support needs of a participant. This may include voluntary or involuntary involvement a participant may have with other government service systems. It also includes transitional supports to help the participant return to the community. For example, exiting incarceration or an acute rehabilitation environment. To learn more about what to consider when referring to CSN, go to article Submit a referral to the Complex Support Needs (CSN) Branch.

For the purpose of the CSN pathway, the definition of complexity doesn’t describe the complexity of the participant’s disability. Instead, it describes:

  • the interaction of the personal and situational factors
  • the level of intensity
  • how these impact the participant’s ability to navigate the NDIS pathway.

To refer a participant for assessment to the CSN branch, email redacted: [s47E(d) - certain operations of agencies](/library/documents/bc455e3f7247-foi-24-25-0515-documents/document-015__47e-d-certain-operations-of-agencies/)

At access, or throughout ongoing engagement with us, participants may be identified as suitable for the CSN pathway based on factors. These include:

  • behaviours of concern
  • younger people in residential aged care (YPIRAC) and those returning to the community from living in residential aged care
  • children living in a voluntary arrangement outside the family home
  • involuntary or voluntary involvement with particular government systems, such as justice or mental health
  • homelessness
  • participants who may move between the typical NDIS pathway and the CSN pathway. This depends on their situational or personal factors at any given time.

During the planning process you may identify the participant has complex support needs. The decision to refer the participant to the CSN pathway is made by Service Delivery. The decision to stream the participant in or out of the CSN pathway is made by the CSN Branch. Being streamed as Intensive or Super Intensive doesn’t mean a participant needs to be referred to the CSN pathway. To learn more, go to article Complete a streaming case (Streaming and Restreaming).

Complex support needs (CSN) pathway factors – 6

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SGP KP Publishing – Guide – Complex support needs (CSN) pathway

4 Behaviours of concern

Behaviours of concern refers to a wide range of behaviours of an intensity, frequency or persistence that threatens the quality of life and physical safety of the individual or others. To learn more, go to Our Guideline - Behaviour support (external).

Behaviours of concern alone aren’t an indicator for referral to the CSN pathway. A referral should only take place if the participant’s complex needs are unable to be met by a planner in the NDIS pathway.

Behaviours of concern – 7

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SGP KP Publishing – Guide – Complex support needs (CSN) pathway

5 Risk of entry into residential aged care

The CSN pathway helps participants who are at risk of entry into residential aged care. We acknowledge aged care is not a suitable place for a younger person to live, unless the participant has exceptional circumstances. The CSN pathway helps participants identify current and future support needs and appropriate, alternative housing options.

Factors that show the participant may be at risk of entry into residential aged care include:

  • homelessness, or at risk of homelessness
  • a lack of adequate and readily available housing and supports
  • a recent or unexpected loss of a sole carer or guardian with no known alternative care options
  • exposure to domestic violence
  • palliative care needs.

Risk of entry into residential aged care – 8

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SGP KP Publishing – Guide – Complex support needs (CSN) pathway

6 Younger people in residential aged care (YPIRAC)

Younger people who live in a residential aged care facility on a permanent basis are considered to have complex support needs, if:

  • they have been approved under the Aged Care Act for residential aged care, and
  • are NDIS participants.

YPIRAC participants are supported within the CSN pathway due to their complex living arrangements, support needs and interface with the aged care system. To learn more, go to Our Guideline – Younger people in residential aged care (external).

Younger people in residential aged care (YPIRAC) – 9

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SGP KP Publishing – Guide – Complex support needs (CSN) pathway

7 Support for a child or young person to remain living in the family home

The family of a child or young person may identify that they’re having difficulty managing behaviours in the family home. This could be because of the child’s significant disability-related support needs.

A child who is at risk of requiring accommodation outside the family home should be referred to the CSN pathway. This will make sure the child has supports in place to increase the capacity of both the child and their family to remain living together as a family. It will also reduce or remove the risk of requiring living arrangements outside the family home.

To learn more, go to article Guide – How to support children and young people to remain in their family home.

Support for a child or young person to remain living in the family home – 10

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SGP KP Publishing – Guide – Complex support needs (CSN) pathway

8 Children living in a voluntary arrangement outside the family home

This is when a parent (or primary care giver) can no longer continue to care for their child in the family home. This could be because of the child’s significant disability support needs.

A child who isn’t currently living in a voluntary arrangement, but who is at risk of requiring accommodation outside the family home should be referred to the CSN pathway. This’ll make sure the child has supports in place to increase the capacity of both the child and their family to remain living together as a family. It’ll also reduce or remove the risk of requiring living arrangements outside the family home.

To learn more, go to article Guide – How to support children and young people to remain in their family home.

Children living in a voluntary arrangement outside the family home – 11

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SGP KP Publishing – Guide – Complex support needs (CSN) pathway

9 Homelessness

We provide reasonable and necessary disability supports to all eligible Australians including people who are homeless. A person is homeless if they:

  • don’t have conventional accommodation. This means they are sleeping rough or in improvised dwellings
  • frequently move from one shelter to another. This includes emergency accommodation or “couch surfing”
  • live in accommodation that falls below minimum community standards. This includes boarding houses and caravan parks.

NDIA staff and local area coordinators will engage in face-to-face meetings with participants who are homeless. These meetings can be at any of the NDIA offices, Services Australia service centres, local area coordinator offices or any safe location in the community. For information on available supports in your state or territory, go to Homelessness Australia (external).

A person who experiences homelessness can provide us with a postal address to receive mail. This could be the address of a support agency, church or a representative.

A support coordinator can be included in the participant’s plan. This is to support them to engage with local homelessness services and make sure they are receiving any services and supports they are entitled to.

To learn more about recording and updating address details for a person living in temporary accommodation or experiencing homelessness, go to article Record an address - temporary accommodation and homelessness.

Homelessness – 12

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SGP KP Publishing – Guide – Complex support needs (CSN) pathway

10 Justice interface

Planning for participants who are involved with the justice system generally follows the same process as for other participants.

A participant interfaces with the justice system when they’re:

  • in custody. This could include a correctional facility like prison, remand centre, or youth detention centre. Or they could be on remand, awaiting or following sentencing
  • on bail, probation or parole. This means they are required by a court order to report to a correctional or community correctional agency
  • serving a community-based order
  • under forensic orders. This may include restrictions on their movements or other requirements for example, drug testing, attending prescribed treatment.

In line with the current complex support needs (CSN) Branch service offer, the Justice Planning team uses a collaborative case management model to support participants who interact with the justice system.

A participant may be identified as eligible to be supported by the Justice Planning team where they meet one or more situational and personal factors. This may include they:

  • have had multiple incarcerations over the past 5 years
  • are currently incarcerated and has been incarcerated for more than 12 months
  • are currently incarcerated and likely to be incarcerated for more than 12 months due to the alleged offence. This includes participants on remand
  • are incarcerated with a cognitive disability and determined unfit to plea or currently held on an indefinite order with no known release date
  • are incarcerated and under a guardianship order (Office of The Public Advocate or Guardian)
  • have had multiple incarcerations within a 12-month period within a Youth Justice setting.

To learn more about the referral pathway, go to Complex Support Needs Branch intranet page.

Justice interface – 13

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