If you’re part of the NDIS- whether as a participant, carer, or provider, you’ve probably heard the phrase “choice and control.” It’s central to how the NDIS works, but what does it actually look like when it’s done well?
At its heart, choice and control means people with disability making their own decisions about their services, goals, and how support is delivered. It’s not about being handed a plan and told what to do—it’s about asking: What do you want, and how can we help make that happen? At Empower Care Services, we see every day how powerful this principle is when it’s genuinely respected. In this article, we’ll explore what choice and control really means in practice and share stories of participants making decisions that work for them.
In plain terms:
Choice = selecting your own support workers, services, and how you use your funding.
Control = deciding how, when, and where those supports are delivered.
For some, this might mean finding workers who speak their language or understand their culture. For others, it’s about changing providers or adjusting schedules to fit their lifestyle.
For everyone, it’s about being in the driver’s seat.
Amira’s Story: Choosing Who Supports Her
“I didn’t want someone who saw me as a checklist. I wanted someone who’d listen to what I need, even if it wasn’t written in the support plan.”
Amira is 27 and lives with cerebral palsy. She realised she needed a change when her voice wasn’t being heard by her former provider. With guidance from Empower Care Services, Amira met new support workers, held informal interviews, and selected her own team. “It was the first time I felt like I was steering the ship.”
Today, Amira is working toward her dream of mentoring other young women with disability. Being asked what she wanted—and being listened to—was the turning point.
Charlie’s Story: Living on His Own Terms
“Just being able to shower when I’m ready—it may sound small, but it gave me back my sense of self.” Charlie lives with an acquired brain injury. Traditional support schedules didn’t work for him. He didn’t want a personal care visit at 7 am just because “that’s when it’s always been done.”
By partnering with Empower Care Services, Charlie’s supports were adjusted to match his real-life routine. Now his mornings are his own and more importantly, he’s reminded that his comfort and preferences matter.
Why Choice & Control Matters (Even in Small Moments)
When people are trusted to make decisions about their own care, the impact is profound. Research from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare consistently links person centred support with:
✅ Improved wellbeing
✅ Increased community participation
✅ Greater satisfaction with services
But barriers can get in the way, such as:
- Unclear information about rights
- Cultural or language differences
- Fear of losing existing supports
- Gatekeeping within systems or services
As providers, our responsibility is to break down these barriers, not reinforce them.
What Respect Looks Like in Practice
We believe choice and control is a conversation, not a checklist. That’s why our team at Empower Care Services focuses on:
- Sharing information in clear, respectful ways
- Encouraging participants to change things that aren’t working
- Supporting carers to step back and enable independence
- Offering feedback opportunities without fear or judgment
“Our goal is to be a facilitator, not a gatekeeper,” says Melissa, Senior Support Coordinator at Empower. “If someone wants to try something new, our first response is: how can we make that possible?”
The Role of Carers in Supporting Autonomy
For carers, especially family, it can feel confronting to step back. But enabling someone to make their own decisions, even when those choices differ from ours, is central to respecting autonomy.
Good questions include:
- What would you like to do today?
- Would you prefer a different approach?
- Does this feel right for you?
These questions shift the dynamic from “doing for” to “doing with.”
Training and reflective supervision can also help carers stay grounded in these principles. We regularly work with support workers and families to explore what choice and control looks like in action.
Sarah’s Reflections
“When I came to Empower Care Services, I didn’t know I had a voice. Now I’m part of every meeting, and my support team actually listens to me. I feel respected—not just as a participant, but as a person.”
Keeping It Real: It’s About Everyday Choices
Sometimes, choice and control can sound like lofty ideals. But it’s often the small, everyday decisions—what to eat, when to go out, who provides your care—that make the biggest difference. When participants are heard, seen, and supported to make these choices, they thrive.
At Empower Care Services, we’ve seen firsthand the difference it makes when people are given space to define their own goals, pace, and preferences. We’re committed to continuing that work—quietly, consistently, and respectfully.
Let's Talk
If you’re navigating the NDIS and wondering what’s possible, you don’t have to figure it out alone. Sometimes it starts with a conversation, a question, or simply being asked: What do you want?
