If the NDIA has rejected home cleaning support for your child, you may be able to challenge the decision through an internal review. You must generally request an internal review within 3 months from the day you receive the written decision.
A strong review request does more than explain that cleaning is difficult for your family. It should show how the requested support addresses needs arising directly from the impairment or impairments relevant to your child’s NDIS eligibility, why those needs create additional care or household demands beyond what would ordinarily be expected for a child of a similar age, and why the amount of cleaning support requested is appropriate.
The NDIA must also consider what it is reasonable to expect parents, carers and other informal supports to provide.
What Should I Do After the NDIA Rejects My Child’s Cleaning Support?
Start by reading the written decision carefully rather than preparing a general argument about needing more help around the home.
A practical approach is to:
- Read the decision letter and identify exactly why cleaning was refused.
- Check the date you received the decision.
- Confirm that the decision is reviewable.
- Request an internal review within the applicable 3-month period.
- Respond directly to the reasons given by the NDIA.
- Gather evidence showing the disability-related need for the cleaning support.
- Explain the amount and frequency of support you are requesting.
- Explain how you calculated the requested cleaning hours.
- Submit new evidence where it helps address gaps in the original decision.
For example, if the decision says cleaning falls within ordinary parental responsibility, your evidence should explain what additional disability-related care or household demands exist compared with those ordinarily associated with caring for a child of a similar age.
If the decision says there is not enough evidence linking cleaning to your child’s disability, focus on establishing that connection.
If the requested cleaning hours were not adequately supported, explain which tasks are required, how often they occur and how much time they reasonably take.
Can the NDIS Fund Home Cleaning for a Child?
Yes, potentially—but funding is not automatic.
Cleaning and laundry are recognised within the NDIS category of household tasks. These supports may assist with essential household activities that a participant cannot manage because of disability.
Where appropriate cleaning support is included in a participant’s plan, families can also explore providers such as Westlink Cleaning Services when arranging household cleaning assistance that matches the participant’s approved support and individual needs.
However, the fact that cleaning can be an NDIS support does not mean every child participant will receive funded home cleaning.
For a child, the NDIA also considers the role that parents, carers and other informal supports would ordinarily be expected to provide.
Relevant considerations may include:
- whether the child’s disability creates care needs substantially greater than those of children of a similar age;
- what level of care parents would ordinarily be expected to provide;
- risks to the wellbeing of family members or carers; and
- whether funded support would help address the child’s disability-related needs or reduce relevant risks.
The key question is therefore not simply:
“Does this family need a cleaner?”
A more relevant question is:
“Why is this cleaning support needed because of the child’s disability-related needs, and why does the requested level of assistance go beyond what it is reasonable to expect the family to provide?”
Why Might the NDIA Reject Cleaning Support for a Child?
There are several reasons cleaning support may be refused.
The Disability Connection Is Not Clear Enough
A request may explain that the family is struggling with housework without clearly showing how the child’s disability-related needs create additional cleaning demands.
Being busy, having several children or having limited time to complete ordinary household chores does not, by itself, establish that NDIS-funded cleaning is required.
The Cleaning Is Considered Ordinary Family or Parental Responsibility
Parents are normally expected to provide substantial care and household support for their children.
The relevant issue is whether the child’s disability creates care or household demands beyond what would normally be expected when caring for a child of a similar age.
The Requested Hours Are Not Adequately Supported
A request for a set number of weekly cleaning hours may be difficult to justify if there is no clear explanation of:
- which tasks need to be completed;
- how often they are required;
- how long they reasonably take; and
- how those tasks relate to the child’s disability-related needs.
There Is Not Enough Supporting Evidence
The NDIA may not have enough information from health professionals, allied health practitioners, carers or other relevant sources to understand the functional impact of the child’s disability and the additional household demands it creates.
Another Support System May Be Responsible
Not every support connected in some way with disability is necessarily funded by the NDIS.
Depending on the nature of the support, another service system such as health, education or another government program may be responsible for providing or funding it.
This is particularly important where the requested cleaning is primarily connected with medical treatment, clinical infection control or another service that may fall within the responsibility of the health system.
How Does the NDIA Decide What Parents Are Reasonably Expected to Provide?
Parents are normally expected to provide substantial care and support to their children, but that does not mean parents have unlimited responsibility for every disability-related support need.
For a child participant, the NDIA considers whether the child’s disability creates care needs that are substantially greater than those of other children of a similar age.
It may also consider factors such as:
- the amount of disability-related care already being provided by the family;
- the sustainability of those informal supports;
- risks to the wellbeing of parents, carers or family members; and
- whether additional funded support could help address the child’s disability-related needs.
The comparison should therefore focus on what would ordinarily be expected for a child of a similar age without the same disability-related support needs.
How Do I Show That the Cleaning Need Is Disability Related?
Focus on the causal connection between the child’s disability-related needs and the cleaning support being requested.
A useful way to structure the evidence is:
Relevant impairment → disability-related need → additional household task → frequency → impact → requested support
For example:
Disability-related continence needs → additional sanitising and linen changes → several times each week → additional household workload → defined cleaning assistance requested.
Your evidence should help answer questions such as:
- What additional cleaning is required?
- Why is it required?
- How does the need arise directly from the child’s relevant impairment or impairments?
- How often does the additional task occur?
- How much extra work does it create?
- What happens if the task is not completed?
- Why is the requested level of assistance appropriate?
- How does the workload compare with what would normally be expected for a child of the same age?
Possible examples of additional disability-related household demands may include:
- extra cleaning associated with disability-related continence needs;
- additional linen washing connected with disability-related care;
- cleaning after disability-related behaviours that create unusual household mess or safety risks;
- additional cleaning associated with disability-related equipment; and
- additional household cleaning needed to maintain a safe environment because of the participant’s functional needs.
These examples do not automatically qualify for NDIS funding.
Each request depends on the participant’s individual circumstances, the nature of the requested support, the participant’s plan and the applicable NDIS criteria.
What Evidence Can Strengthen an Internal Review?
The strongest evidence usually responds directly to the reason the NDIA gave for rejecting the support.
Allied Health or Treating Professional Reports
Reports or letters from appropriate professionals may help explain:
- the child’s functional impairments;
- how those impairments affect everyday life;
- additional disability-related care requirements;
- additional household demands;
- relevant safety or hygiene risks;
- how frequently the additional tasks occur; and
- why the requested amount of assistance is appropriate.
Avoid asking a professional simply to write:
“The family needs cleaning.”
The evidence is more useful when it explains why the cleaning is required and clearly connects the requested support with the child’s disability-related needs.
A Carer Statement
A parent or carer statement can explain what actually happens in the home during an ordinary day or week.
It may describe:
- the additional tasks being performed;
- how frequently they occur;
- approximately how much time they take;
- other disability-related care responsibilities;
- the informal support already being provided; and
- how the existing workload affects the sustainability of care.
A Cleaning or Care Log
Keeping a record for several days or weeks can make the additional workload easier to understand.
For example:
| Task | Why Required | Frequency | Approximate Time |
| Additional linen change | Disability-related continence need | 4 times weekly | 20 minutes |
| Bathroom sanitising | Following disability-related care | 3 times weekly | 25 minutes |
| Additional floor cleaning | Disability-related household impact | Daily | 15 minutes |
The figures should reflect the family’s actual circumstances rather than being inflated to maximise the amount of funding requested.
Relevant Environmental Evidence
In some cases, photographs or other records may help demonstrate a genuine safety, hygiene or environmental issue.
However, consider the child’s privacy before submitting sensitive photographs.
A professional report, written care log or other evidence may sometimes establish the same issue without unnecessarily recording or sharing private images.
Does My Child Need an Occupational Therapist Report?
Not automatically.
There is no general rule requiring an occupational therapist report for every internal review involving household cleaning.
However, an OT assessment can be useful where functional evidence is missing or unclear.
For a child, an OT report should not simply say that the child cannot clean the family home. A young child of the same age may not normally be expected to perform household cleaning anyway.
A more useful report may explain:
- the functional impact of the child’s disability;
- additional disability-related care requirements;
- additional household demands;
- relevant safety issues;
- how those needs compare with what would normally be expected for a similar-age child;
- how the requested support would assist the participant; and
- why the proposed amount or frequency of support is appropriate.
Relevant evidence may also come from other suitably qualified professionals depending on the child’s circumstances.
How Do I Request an Internal Review?
You must generally request an internal review within 3 months from the day you receive the reviewable decision.
Current NDIS processes allow an internal review request to be made by methods such as:
- completing the NDIS Request for a Review of a Decision form;
- submitting an enquiry through the NDIS service hub;
- calling the NDIS on 1800 800 110;
- providing a written review request and supporting evidence; or
- visiting an NDIS office.
The reviewable decision is then reconsidered through the NDIA’s internal-review process.
The person reviewing the decision should be separate from the person who made the original decision.
Does Requesting a Review Pause the Original Decision?
No.
Requesting an internal review does not automatically suspend the original NDIA decision.
The existing decision generally continues to operate while the internal review is underway unless it is subsequently changed.
What Should I Put in the Review Request?
Keep your submission factual, specific and focused on the decision you want changed.
Include:
- your child’s name and relevant participant details;
- the date of the original decision;
- the specific decision you want reviewed;
- the outcome you believe should have been made;
- why you believe the decision should be changed;
- how the requested cleaning relates to needs arising directly from your child’s relevant impairment or impairments;
- why the additional household demands go beyond ordinary age-appropriate parental support;
- the amount and frequency of cleaning support requested;
- how you calculated the requested hours; and
- relevant professional reports, logs, carer statements or other supporting evidence.
Avoid relying mainly on statements such as:
- “I am too busy to clean.”
- “We really need help.”
- “Other NDIS participants receive cleaning.”
- “My child has an NDIS plan, so cleaning should be covered.”
Instead, show the relationship between the child’s individual disability-related needs and the specific cleaning assistance being requested.
Can I Submit New Evidence During an Internal Review?
Yes.
You can provide new evidence as part of an internal review, particularly where the original decision was based on incomplete information.
New evidence may include:
- updated allied health reports;
- functional assessments;
- carer statements;
- cleaning or care logs; and
- other relevant supporting documents.
Quality matters more than quantity.
Several general letters saying that a family needs help may be less useful than one detailed report clearly explaining:
functional impairment → disability-related need → additional household demand → requested cleaning support.
If the NDIA asks you for additional information during the review, respond within the timeframe provided in its request. Current NDIS guidance indicates that participants may have up to 28 days to provide requested information in some internal-review processes and should contact the NDIA if additional time is needed.
Is an Internal Review the Same as Making an NDIS Complaint?
No.
A decision review challenges a reviewable NDIA decision, such as a decision about supports included in a participant’s plan.
A complaint generally concerns issues with service, communication, conduct or how something has been handled.
Making a complaint does not automatically replace an internal-review request.
If you disagree with the actual funding decision, make sure you use the correct decision-review process and do not miss the applicable review deadline.
How Long Does an Internal Review Take?
The NDIA currently states that it aims to complete internal reviews within 60 days.
This is a service target rather than a guarantee that every review will be completed within exactly 60 days.
Keep copies of:
- the date you submitted the review request;
- confirmation that it was received;
- all supporting documents;
- subsequent correspondence; and
- any requests for further information.
These records may become important if the review is delayed.
What If the NDIA Has Not Made an Internal Review Decision After 90 Days?
The Administrative Review Tribunal’s current NDIS application process allows a person to lodge an application where an internal-review decision has not been made within 90 days of requesting the internal review.
The legal consequences of delayed decision-making can be technical, so consider seeking disability advocacy or legal advice if your review reaches this point.
Do not assume that you simply have to continue waiting indefinitely.
Keep evidence showing:
- when you requested the internal review;
- when the NDIA received the request; and
- any correspondence about the outstanding decision.
What If the Internal Review Is Unsuccessful?
If the internal review still refuses the requested cleaning support, you may be able to ask the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) to conduct an external review.
The ART is independent of the NDIA and can review eligible government decisions.
An application for external review should generally be made within 28 days after receiving the internal-review decision.
The ART may allow additional time in some circumstances.
How Do I Apply to the ART?
An application for review of an eligible NDIA decision can be made through the Administrative Review Tribunal.
The ART considers the decision and relevant evidence through its review process.
There is currently no application fee for review of an NDIS decision made by the NDIA.
This is different from some applications involving decisions made by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commissioner, where different fee arrangements may apply.
If you miss the normal application deadline, you may be able to request an extension of time. Whether an extension is granted depends on the circumstances.
Where Can Parents Get Free Advocacy or Legal Help?
Parents do not necessarily need to manage an external NDIS review alone.
The Australian Government-funded NDIS Appeals Program provides free advocacy support to eligible people seeking review of NDIA decisions at the ART.
An advocate may help with:
- understanding the external-review process;
- preparing documents;
- organising evidence;
- preparing for conferences or hearings; and
- explaining the participant’s circumstances clearly.
Other possible sources of assistance include:
- disability advocacy organisations;
- state and territory Legal Aid commissions;
- community legal centres;
- services funded through the National Disability Advocacy Program; and
- other appropriate disability support organisations.
Legal assistance may also be available in some cases.
Can a Plan Manager Approve Cleaning That the NDIA Has Refused?
No.
A plan manager does not replace the NDIA’s decision-making role.
A plan manager primarily helps with the financial administration of plan-managed funding.
Their responsibilities may include:
- tracking budgets;
- assessing and submitting claims;
- processing invoices;
- paying providers;
- checking that claims are consistent with the participant’s plan, budget and applicable NDIS supports; and
- maintaining financial records.
A plan manager does not independently decide whether a support should be funded as reasonable and necessary and cannot overturn an NDIA decision refusing the requested support.
Can a Support Coordinator Approve Cleaning?
No.
A support coordinator has a different role from a plan manager.
Support coordinators may help participants:
- understand and use their NDIS plan;
- connect with providers;
- connect with mainstream or community services;
- coordinate supports; and
- build confidence in managing their support.
A support coordinator may help you understand the plan or organise information for a review, depending on their role and your funded support, but they cannot make or overturn an NDIA funding decision.
NDIS Cleaning Review Timeframes
| Stage | Current Timeframe or Position |
| Request an internal review | Generally within 3 months of receiving the decision |
| NDIA internal-review service target | NDIA says it aims to complete reviews within 60 days |
| Additional information requested during review | Follow the timeframe specified by the NDIA; current guidance may allow up to 28 days in relevant circumstances |
| No internal-review decision | ART’s current process allows an application where no internal review decision has been made within 90 days of the review request |
| ART review after internal-review decision | Generally within 28 days |
| Extension of ART application time | May be available depending on the circumstances |
| ART application fee for an NDIA decision | No fee currently payable |
Always check current NDIS and ART information because legislation, rules and administrative processes can change.
Conclusion
A rejection of home cleaning does not necessarily end the matter.
Parents should first read the NDIA’s written reasons and identify exactly why the support was refused. A stronger internal-review request focuses on the relationship between the child’s disability-related needs and the additional cleaning support being requested rather than relying only on general family stress or a busy household.
Use specific examples. Explain how often additional tasks occur and how much time they take. Compare the additional care demands with what would ordinarily be expected for a child of a similar age. Support the request with relevant professional evidence where appropriate, explain how the requested hours were calculated, and clearly state the decision you want the NDIA to make.
Most importantly, do not miss the applicable review deadline while gathering supporting evidence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the NDIS Fund Deep Cleaning for a Child?
There is no automatic entitlement to a service simply because it is described as “deep cleaning”.
Cleaning can be an NDIS household-task support, but additional or intensive cleaning still needs to meet the applicable NDIS requirements and relate appropriately to the participant’s disability-related needs and plan.
A request is usually stronger when it identifies the actual tasks required and explains why they are needed instead of relying only on the label “deep cleaning”.
Can I Submit New Evidence During an Internal Review?
Yes.
New evidence can be particularly useful where the original decision was based on incomplete information or did not fully explain the relationship between the child’s disability-related needs and the requested support.
Do I Have to Get an OT Report Before Asking for a Review?
No.
An occupational therapist report is not automatically required for every internal review.
However, an OT or another suitably qualified professional may provide useful functional evidence where the disability connection or amount of requested support is unclear.
What Should a Carer Statement Include?
A useful carer statement explains the additional disability-related care and household tasks occurring in the home.
Include how often the tasks happen, approximately how long they take, relevant risks, existing informal support and the impact of the additional workload.
Keep the statement factual and specific.
Should I Ask for a Specific Number of Cleaning Hours?
It is generally useful to identify the amount of cleaning support you believe is required rather than simply asking for “more cleaning”.
Explain how the amount was calculated.
For example:
task frequency × reasonable time required = proposed weekly support requirement
The requested amount should reflect the participant’s actual circumstances and supporting evidence.
Can a Plan Manager Pay a Cleaning Invoice After the NDIA Has Rejected Cleaning?
A plan manager can process eligible claims that are consistent with the participant’s plan, available budget and applicable NDIS support rules.
They cannot overturn an NDIA funding decision or independently add a refused support to the participant’s plan.
Can a Support Coordinator Challenge the Decision for Me?
A support coordinator may help you understand your plan, organise information and connect with relevant services, depending on their role and your funded supports.
They do not make or overturn NDIA decisions.
For formal advocacy or legal representation, consider an appropriate disability advocate or legal service.
What Is the Strongest Argument for Getting Cleaning Approved?
There is no single argument that guarantees approval.
A strong request generally establishes:
relevant impairment → disability-related need → additional care or household demand → why the demand exceeds ordinary age-appropriate parental support → specific cleaning assistance required → evidence supporting the requested amount
The review request should respond directly to the NDIA’s stated reason for refusing the support.
