What should an NDIS provider progress report include?
The NDIS states that a progress report summarises the NDIS supports provided, what has been achieved and the goals you and the participant are still working towards. It should summarise the goals, the supports delivered in the reporting period, the progress made, the challenges and how they are being addressed, the risks in delivering the supports and how they are being addressed, and the supports recommended for the next period.
Key takeaways
- The NDIS lists six things a progress report should cover: goals, supports delivered, progress, challenges, risks and recommendations.
- Reports outline what supports were delivered and what outcomes were achieved, and can give evidence for the supports in the next plan.
- Share the report with the participant, who can share it with the NDIA at plan reassessment or a check-in. With their consent you can upload it to the provider portal.
- A report is only as strong as the dated notes behind it, so record progress against goals as you go.
What should an NDIS provider progress report include?
The NDIS Guide to report writing (current as of 10 June 2026) says progress reports should:
- summarise the goals you and the participant are working towards;
- summarise the NDIS supports delivered to the participant during the reporting period;
- describe the progress made by you and the participant towards achieving the participant’s goals;
- describe any challenges that have been met in working toward the goals and how these are being addressed;
- describe any risks to the participant in delivery of the NDIS supports and how these are being addressed; and
- summarise the NDIS supports recommended to be delivered during the next period and the expected progress towards achieving goals.
The Guide says reports outline what NDIS supports you have delivered and what outcomes have been achieved, and that they sometimes let the NDIA know whether a participant needs the same or different supports in their next plan. You can make recommendations, and the report can give evidence of the need for those supports.
How is a plan reassessment report different?
Allied health providers write plan reassessment reports to support a participant’s plan reassessment. The NDIS describes steps: outline your service details (type of service, therapeutic approach, duration, frequency, goals and intended outcome), demonstrate progress towards goals, define what additional supports the participant needs, give detailed recommendations and share the report with the participant.
To demonstrate progress the NDIS asks you to summarise the participant’s functional capacity at the start of the plan period, describe the assessment measures used, such as the Timed Up and Go test, the 6-minute walk test or the Berg Balance Scale, provide evidence of the therapies trialled, describe progress made and document any barriers and how they were addressed.
How do you build a progress report from shift notes?
This is practical guidance, not an NDIS requirement.
- Pull the dated notes for the reporting period and group them by goal.
- For each goal, take the first and latest entries and describe the change in what the participant did and the support they needed.
- List the barriers that recurred and what was done about them.
- List any risks recorded, including incidents and how they were managed.
- Write the recommendations last, so that each one points to evidence in the notes.
If the notes never linked activity to goals, this step becomes guesswork. See how to link progress notes to goals.
How do you submit the report?
The NDIS states that once you have written a report you should share it with the participant. They can then share it with the NDIA during their plan reassessment or at a check-in. With their consent, you can send the report to the NDIA by uploading it to the provider portals.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. The NDIS may ask for reports in a specific format, so check the current NDIS guidance for your support type.
Frequently asked questions
What must an NDIS progress report cover?
The NDIS lists goals, supports delivered in the reporting period, progress towards goals, challenges and how they are being addressed, risks in delivery and how they are being addressed, and supports recommended for the next period with expected progress.
Who receives the report?
Share it with the participant first. They can share it with the NDIA at plan reassessment or a check-in. With their consent, you can upload it to the provider portal.
Can I recommend supports in a progress report?
Yes. The NDIS states that reports can make recommendations about supports and can give evidence of the need for them. Justify each recommendation with evidence from your records.
Does NoteGate write progress reports?
NoteGate can draft progress reports for a person to review. It does not write the shift notes themselves and does not determine compliance.
Sources
- Guide to report writing (NDIS) (NDIA, retrieved 25 September 2026)
- How to write a plan reassessment report (NDIS) (NDIA, retrieved 25 September 2026)
- What are the record keeping requirements (NDIS) (NDIA, retrieved 25 September 2026)
Related
Start from notes that already link to goals
See how NoteGate keeps the evidence trail a progress report is built from.
Book a 20-minute walkthroughChoose a plan