Overseen by Peter Saltamaras, Co-Founder and COO of Lanara · Last reviewed 15 October 2026

Lanara provides psychology-informed NDIS support for adults with intellectual disability across Sydney. We support self-managed and plan-managed NDIS participants, as well as private clients.

Is intellectual disability covered by the NDIS?

Yes, many people with intellectual disability can get NDIS support. The NDIA decides, and it looks at how your disability affects your everyday life, not just your diagnosis.

To meet the disability requirements, your impairment must be likely to be permanent. It must also make everyday tasks much harder, such as communicating, learning, looking after yourself or managing your life.

The NDIA’s Applying to the NDIS guideline includes lists of conditions. On List A, it names intellectual disability “diagnosed and assessed as moderate, severe or profound” under current DSM criteria. The NDIA says that if you give evidence of a List A condition, it will likely decide you meet the disability requirements.

Intellectual disability also appears on List B. For List B conditions, the NDIA says it will likely decide your impairment is likely to be permanent. You still need evidence of how it affects your daily life. A mild intellectual disability is not on List A, so this evidence matters more.

The NDIA says these lists are a guide only. It still looks at all the evidence you give.

The NDIA usually considers intellectual disability under the intellectual impairment category, often with the cognitive category too. If you also live with a mental health condition, a psychosocial disability may be considered as well.

From January 2028, eligibility for new applicants will be decided using a new standardised assessment of functional capacity. See the NDIA’s guidelines page for the full Applying to the NDIS guideline.

How intellectual disability can affect daily life

Intellectual disability is lifelong. It can affect learning, memory, understanding, communication and problem solving. It is different for every person.

In daily life, this might mean:

  • Needing more time to learn new tasks, like cooking a meal or using a washing machine.
  • Finding it hard to plan a day, or remember what comes next.
  • Feeling unsure on buses and trains, or in new places.
  • Needing help to understand letters, forms and appointments.
  • Having fewer chances to make friends or join in community activities.
  • Wanting more say in your own life, but not always being asked.

People with intellectual disability have the same rights and hopes as everyone else. With the right support, people keep learning new skills all through life.

Mental health matters too. The NSW Council for Intellectual Disability says people with intellectual disability are two to three times more likely to have mental health problems. These can be missed, because changes in mood or behaviour are put down to the disability.

How our support can help

Every Lanara support worker holds a university degree in psychology or a related discipline, and has completed mental health and trauma-informed training. This helps with clear communication, worry about new things, routines and confidence.

We match carefully and aim for the same support worker each time. A familiar face makes learning easier.

Our support is practical and goes at your pace:

  • Daily living assistance: learning to cook simple meals, keeping the house tidy, doing the washing, planning a shop and writing a shopping list.
  • Social and community participation: going to a class, a club, the library or the gym. All our workers drive, and we can also practise catching the bus or train together.
  • Psychosocial support: building routines, managing worry or low mood, and getting to appointments with your GP or other health workers.

You make the choices

We use supported decision-making. This means helping you make your own decisions, not making them for you. Your worker can explain things simply, give you time, and talk through your options.

Working with families and carers

Families and carers often know you well, and many people want them involved. With your agreement, we can talk with your family, keep them updated and plan together. You stay at the centre of your support, and your goals come first.

An example: Hannah learns to cook and get around

Example from our work. Names and details are changed to protect people’s privacy.

Hannah is 26 and lives with her mum in Bankstown. She has a mild intellectual disability and gets anxious in new places. She wants to cook dinner on her own and get to her art class without a lift.

Her support worker started by cooking with Hannah at home once a week. They chose easy recipes together and made picture steps for the fridge. Hannah wrote the shopping list, and her worker helped her plan the shop.

After a while, they caught the bus to the art class together. At first her worker sat next to her. Later, her worker sat a few rows back.

Some weeks Hannah felt too worried to go, so they practised at home instead. A few months on, she cooks two meals a week by herself. She catches the bus to class, and her worker meets her there. Hannah and her mum decide together what to work on next.

Working alongside your treating team

Lanara is not a clinical service. We don’t provide therapy, diagnosis or behaviour support, and our support workers are not psychologists, even though they hold psychology degrees.

We work alongside your GP, psychiatrist, psychologist, occupational therapist, speech pathologist and support coordinator. If your OT gives you a plan to build a skill, your worker can help you practise it in daily life. With your consent, our team can share what your support worker sees day to day.

If you take medication, a support worker can remind you and sit with you while you take it. They never handle or administer it.

Getting started

  1. Call us on 1300 152 627 or contact us online. A family member or support coordinator can call with you.
  2. We send you an intake form and a service agreement.
  3. We match you with a support worker. This usually takes between 3 days and 2 weeks.
  4. Your meet-and-greet is your first session. It lasts at least 2 hours and is paid like any other session.
  5. Regular sessions begin, ideally with the same worker each time.

We support adults across six areas of Sydney, including Canterbury-Bankstown and the Inner West. We support self-managed and plan-managed NDIS participants, as well as private clients. We can’t support NDIA-managed plans.

To learn more about the steps, read our guide to your NDIS journey in Sydney.

Frequently asked questions

Q: Is intellectual disability covered by the NDIS?

A: It often is, but the NDIA decides. Moderate, severe or profound intellectual disability is on the NDIA’s List A, so it will likely meet the disability requirements. A mild intellectual disability needs more evidence about how it affects daily life.

Q: What evidence does the NDIA need for intellectual disability?

A: The NDIA’s evidence page lists, in order of preference, a diagnosis using DSM-5 criteria, then the Vineland-III, a test of everyday skills. It can also use the WHODAS 2.0 for people aged 17 and over. A diagnosis usually involves an IQ test and an adaptive behaviour test. A psychologist, paediatrician, OT or speech pathologist may help.

Q: Can my family be involved in my support?

A: Yes, if you want them to be. We can keep your family updated and plan with them. You still make the choices about your own life.

Q: Can a support worker help me live more independently?

A: Yes. Learning to cook, clean, plan your week and get around on your own are common goals. Your worker teaches step by step and slowly steps back as you gain confidence.

If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 000. For urgent mental health advice, call the NSW Mental Health Line on 1800 011 511 (24 hours, 7 days) or Lifeline on 13 11 14.

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