NDIS progress notes template
NDIS progress notes: examples and a simple shift note template.
A useful NDIS progress note says what support was provided, what the participant did or chose, and what needs to happen next. It uses facts, ordinary language and only the detail another authorised person needs.
Supported [participant] with [activity]. They [action or choice] with [type or level of assistance]. [Factual follow-up, if any].
What are NDIS progress notes?
NDIS progress notes, support notes, case notes and shift notes are names often used for a written record of support. The exact format depends on the provider and support, but the purpose is similar: record what happened during a session clearly enough that the support can be understood later.
The NDIS says providers need complete and accurate records of supports delivered. Those records can include support logs, case notes, invoices and service agreements. A progress note helps connect the participant, service date, actual time and delivered support. It should match the related shift record and invoice.
A note is not a performance review of the participant. It is not a place for guesses about diagnosis, motivation or intent. It also should not become a long life history. Write what is relevant to the support and the participant’s agreed goals, choices or follow-up.
The three-part NDIS progress note template
1. What support was provided?
Name the activity and your role. Use clear verbs such as assisted, prompted, accompanied, transported, prepared, practised, demonstrated or observed. “Provided community access support” is a start, but “accompanied Alex to the library and assisted them to use the self-service kiosk” tells the reader what the support involved.
2. What did the participant do or choose?
Record the participant’s action, decision or level of assistance. Preserve their agency. “Alex chose two books and used the kiosk after one verbal prompt” is clearer than “Alex was taken to the library and books were selected.”
3. Is there a factual follow-up?
Add only what needs to happen next. This might be a participant request, an agreed item to bring, an appointment detail or a factual issue reported through a separate process. If nothing needs follow-up, the note can end after the first two parts.
NDIS progress note examples
Examples are most useful as structures, not sentences to copy into every shift. Replace every detail with what actually happened.
Community access example
Supported Jordan to visit the local library and supermarket. Jordan chose two library books, used the self-service kiosk after one verbal prompt and selected items from their shopping list independently. Jordan asked to return one book during next Tuesday’s shift.
This example names the activity, assistance, participant choices and a practical follow-up. It does not claim an outcome that was not observed.
Daily living example
Assisted Sam to prepare lunch at home. Sam selected the ingredients, followed the picture recipe and chopped soft vegetables using the adapted knife with supervision. The kitchen was cleaned together after the meal. No follow-up was requested.
The note records the support and level of assistance without judging whether the participant performed well or badly.
Transport and appointment example
Transported Priya from home to her scheduled appointment and remained available in the waiting area as agreed. Priya checked in at reception independently. The appointment finished at 2:20 pm and Priya requested transport home.
The wording separates transport and waiting support from anything that happened privately during the appointment.
Choice not to continue example
Accompanied Lee to the community garden. After arriving, Lee chose not to join the group activity and asked to return home. I confirmed the request and provided transport home. Lee did not request another activity.
This records the participant’s decision respectfully. It does not label the choice as refusal, non-compliance or difficult behaviour.
Use objective language instead of labels
Objective wording describes something another person could identify from the record. Subjective wording adds a judgement. Replace the judgement with the action, words or observation that led you to write it.
| Instead of this | Write the observed fact |
|---|---|
| Jordan was difficult. | Jordan said they did not want to enter the venue and asked to return home. |
| Sam was in a good mood. | Sam smiled, spoke with two group members and said they enjoyed the activity. |
| Priya was non-compliant. | Priya chose not to complete the exercise after the instructions were explained. |
| Lee was aggressive. | Lee raised their voice, pushed the chair away and moved toward the exit. |
The final example may also require an incident or safety process, depending on what occurred. The progress note should not be used to minimise or replace that process.
What to include in a useful support note
Include enough detail to identify the support and understand the session without guessing:
- the activity or support provided
- your role and the assistance given
- the participant’s choices, actions or communication
- the level or type of prompting where relevant
- progress toward an agreed goal when it was actually observed
- changes or requests that affect the next shift
- a reference to a separate incident record when required
The note works with the rest of the shift record. Actual times, kilometres, support item, rate and participant confirmation may sit in their own fields rather than being repeated in the note.
What to leave out of NDIS progress notes
- activities, statements or outcomes that did not happen
- diagnostic conclusions outside your role
- emotive labels presented as fact
- copied wording that does not describe this session
- private information unrelated to the delivered support
- another participant’s name or information
- billing decisions that belong in the invoice record
Shorter can be safer and clearer when every sentence has a purpose. Ask whether an authorised reader can understand what support was delivered and what the participant did. If not, add the missing fact, not filler.
Keep routine progress notes and incident records connected but separate
If an incident, injury, allegation, medication issue or serious safety concern occurs, follow the reporting process that applies to your role and organisation. Record the required facts in the appropriate incident system. The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission says all providers should have good record-keeping procedures, and registered providers have specific incident management duties.
The routine note can state that an incident was recorded separately, if that is appropriate. Avoid copying sensitive incident detail into several different systems unless the process requires it. Multiple versions make privacy and accuracy harder to manage.
A signature confirms the record shown, not every private note
Participant confirmation and progress notes do different jobs. A participant or representative can confirm the date, time and support summary without seeing your private business details, rate or unrelated notes. If confirmation is unavailable, record the reason rather than inventing a signature or leaving the gap unexplained.
Some providers confirm each shift when it ends. Others review the completed week together. Use the process you agreed with the participant and keep it consistent. See the SoloDocket confirmation step.
Use AI as an editor, not a witness
Software can help organise or shorten words you already wrote. It should not create activities, observations, quotes, progress or outcomes. A sensible workflow shows the proposed change and requires the provider to accept it before the note is saved.
Do not paste participant information into a public AI tool unless your privacy, consent and security arrangements permit that use. Keep control of the original note and be able to see what changed.
A one-minute progress note review
- Support: does the note say what assistance was provided?
- Participant: does it preserve the participant’s actions and choices?
- Facts: could another person distinguish observation from opinion?
- Follow-up: is the next step clear, if one exists?
- Privacy: have unnecessary personal details been removed?
- Accuracy: does the note match the date, time and support record?
Complete the note while the session is fresh, then use the NDIS invoice checklist before billing. If you are setting up your whole workflow, start with the independent NDIS support worker checklist.