If you've looked closely at your NDIS plan — or been told you're eligible for Support Coordination — you may have come across the terms "Level 2" and "Level 3." These refer to two different types of Support Coordination funded under the NDIS, and while they share some similarities, they serve quite different needs.
Here's a straightforward breakdown of what each level involves.
Level 2 Support Coordination
Level 2 Support Coordination is what most people mean when they talk about "Support Coordination" under the NDIS.
It's designed for participants who need help implementing their NDIS plan — that is, getting their supports set up, providers engaged, and plan working as it should. It's typically funded for participants who have some complexity in their support needs, but not at a crisis or highly acute level.
A Level 2 Support Coordinator will:
- Help you understand and use your NDIS plan
- Source and connect you with appropriate providers
- Set up service agreements and coordinate between services
- Help resolve issues as they arise
- Support you to build skills to manage your plan independently over time
- Help you prepare for plan reviews
Level 2 is the most common form of Support Coordination and suits participants who need a knowledgeable guide to help them navigate the system and get things organised.
Level 3: Specialist Support Coordination
Level 3 Support Coordination — formally called Specialist Support Coordination — is a higher-intensity support designed for participants with more complex needs or circumstances.
Where Level 2 is about implementation and coordination, Level 3 is about managing complexity, reducing barriers, and stabilising situations that have become difficult to navigate.
A Specialist Support Coordinator typically works with participants who:
- Have multiple, complex support needs across different systems (NDIS, health, housing, justice, child protection)
- Are in or at risk of crisis
- Have experienced breakdown of their support arrangements
- Face significant barriers to accessing and maintaining supports
- Are navigating highly complex family or living situations
- Have a psychosocial disability with acute or fluctuating needs
Level 3 coordinators tend to have more specialised knowledge and experience — and higher funding rates reflect the more intensive nature of the work.
Which One Is Right for You?
The level of Support Coordination in your plan is determined by the NDIA at your planning meeting, based on your individual needs and circumstances.
If you feel the level you've been funded for doesn't reflect your actual situation — for example, you have highly complex needs but were only funded for Level 2 — this is something to raise at your plan review, ideally with supporting evidence from your treating team.
It's also worth knowing that some participants are funded for both Support Coordination and Specialist Support Coordination at different points in their plan, reflecting changing levels of need.
How Lumen Collective Can Help
At Lumen Collective, we provide both Level 2 Support Coordination and Level 3 Specialist Support Coordination for participants across Sydney and remotely throughout NSW, QLD and VIC.
We're particularly experienced in supporting participants with psychosocial disability, complex care needs, and those navigating periods of significant transition — which often require the more intensive, responsive approach that Specialist Support Coordination provides.
If you'd like to talk through your situation and what level of support might suit you, get in touch. We're happy to have a no-obligation conversation.