How to Write an Effective Risk Management Plan for NDIS Clients
Discover how NDIS providers can create practical Risk Management Plans that protect participants, support staff, and meet audit standards.
Delivering safe, high-quality supports under the NDIS requires more than good intentions - it requires structured planning. One of the most important compliance and safety documents for NDIS providers is a Risk Management Plan (RMP). A well-written plan protects participants, supports workers, and demonstrates your organisation’s commitment to safety, dignity, and choice.
This guide explains what an NDIS Risk Management Plan is, why it matters, and how to write one effectively, with practical examples and best-practice tips.
What is a Risk Management Plan in the NDIS?
An NDIS Risk Management Plan is a participant-specific document that identifies potential risks and outlines strategies to prevent or reduce harm. It considers the participant’s environment, health needs, behaviours, and support arrangements.
Under the NDIS Practice Standards, providers must actively manage risks to participants, workers, and others. A clear and well-maintained RMP helps demonstrate compliance with:
- Risk management and safeguarding requirements.
- Duty of care obligations.
- Incident prevention and response expectations.
Why Risk Management Plans Are Essential for NDIS Providers?
A Risk Management Plan isn’t just something you prepare for audits or compliance - it’s a day-to-day safety guide that helps everyone know what to do, when it matters most. When risks are clearly identified and managed, supports run more smoothly and confidently.
A well-designed plan helps by:
- Keeping participants safe and well, while respecting their individual needs.
- Giving support workers clear direction, so they can respond calmly and correctly.
- Reducing incidents and emergencies, before they escalate into serious issues.
- Strengthening audit readiness, with clear evidence of proactive risk management.
- Reassuring families and carers, knowing their loved one is supported safely.
Most importantly, a strong Risk Management Plan supports choice, dignity, and independence. Rather than limiting what a participant can do, it focuses on managing risks in a way that allows them to live the life they choose - safely and confidently.
How to Write an Effective Risk Management Plan (Step-by-Step)
Step 1: Identify Participant-Specific Risks
The first step in writing an effective plan is identifying potential risks that may affect the participant. Risks should be individualised, not generic.
Common NDIS risk categories include:
- Health and medical risks
- Falls, seizures, choking, medication errors
- Chronic health conditions or mobility limitations
- Behavioural and psychosocial risks
- Aggression, self-harm, absconding
- Emotional distress or trauma triggers
- Environmental risks
- Fire, floods, extreme heat
- Unsafe housing, poor lighting, trip hazards
- Community and transport risks
- Public transport use
- Community access in unfamiliar environments
- Operational and service risks
- Staff shortages
- Miscommunication between providers
Best practice: Involve the participant, family members, and frontline staff in identifying risks. Their lived experience provides critical insight.
Step 2: Assess the Level of Risk
Once risks are identified, assess each one based on:
- Likelihood - How often could this occur?
- Impact - What would the consequences be if it did?
This helps prioritise risks that require immediate or more robust controls.
Example:
- Risk: Falls during showering
- Likelihood: Medium
- Impact: High
- Overall risk level: High
High-risk items should always have clear, detailed control strategies.
Step 3: Define Risk Control and Mitigation Strategies
For each risk, document the actions that will reduce the likelihood or severity of harm. Controls should be practical, realistic, and person-centred.
Examples of effective control strategies:
- Installing grab rails and non-slip mats.
- Providing manual handling training to staff.
- Using visual schedules to reduce anxiety.
- Implementing medication administration procedures.
- Developing behaviour support strategies aligned with the BSP.
Avoid overly restrictive controls unless they are absolutely necessary and agreed upon.
Step 4: Assign Roles and Responsibilities
A Risk Management Plan must clearly state who is responsible for what.
This may include:
- Support workers
- Team leaders or coordinators
- The participant (where appropriate)
- Family members or guardians
- Allied health professionals
Clear accountability ensures risks are actively managed, not overlooked.
Step 5: Include Emergency and Escalation Procedures
Every plan should outline what to do if a risk event occurs.
Include:
- Emergency contacts
- When to call 000
- Incident reporting procedure
- Escalation pathways within your organisation
This section is critical during audits and real-world emergencies.
Step 6: Review and Update Regularly
Risk management is an ongoing process, not a one-time task.
You should review the plan:
- At least every 6-12 months
- After an incident or near miss
- When participant needs change
- When supports or environments change
Regular reviews demonstrate active risk management and compliance with NDIS expectations.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Even well-intentioned providers can undermine their Risk Management Plans by making a few common mistakes. Being aware of these issues can significantly improve both participant safety and NDIS Audit outcomes.
- Relying on one-size-fits-all risk statements: Generic risks often fail to reflect a participant’s individual needs and environment.
- Failing to involve the participant: Excluding participants can result in impractical controls and limits choice and control.
- Lacking clear responsibilities: Without defined roles, staff may be unsure who is accountable for managing each risk.
- Ignoring environmental or community factors: Risks related to housing, transport, or community access are often overlooked.
- Using technical jargon: Complicated language can confuse staff and participants, reducing the plan’s effectiveness.
- Not updating plans after incidents or changes: Risk Management Plans should be reviewed regularly to reflect new incidents or changing needs.
- Storing plans where staff cannot easily access them: Plans that aren’t easily accessible prevent staff from responding effectively.
Auditors frequently identify these issues during NDIS certification and surveillance audits, so addressing them proactively is essential.
How Imploy Helps
Managing risk effectively takes time, clarity, and consistency - especially when you’re supporting multiple NDIS participants. Imploy helps simplify this process by giving providers the tools they need to stay organised, compliant, and confident.
With Imploy, you can:
- Create and store participant-specific Risk Management Plans in one secure place.
- Ensure staff always have access to the latest risk information, reducing errors and miscommunication.
- Maintain clear documentation that supports NDIS Practice Standards and audit requirements.
- Update plans easily when participant needs or circumstances change.
- Reduce administrative burden, so teams can focus more on delivering quality support.
By centralising risk management and everyday documentation, Imploy helps providers move beyond reactive responses and build a proactive, participant-centred approach to safety and compliance.
Final Thoughts
An effective Risk Management Plan for NDIS clients protects participants, empowers staff, and strengthens your organisation’s compliance posture. When written well, it becomes a living, practical guide that supports safe, high-quality, person-centred care.
By identifying real risks, implementing sensible controls, and reviewing plans regularly, NDIS providers can confidently meet their obligations, while still supporting participant choice and independence.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is a Risk Management Plan under the NDIS?
A Risk Management Plan is a document that identifies potential risks to an NDIS participant and outlines strategies to reduce harm while supporting safety, choice, and independence.
2. Are Risk Management Plans mandatory for NDIS providers?
Yes, NDIS providers are required to identify, assess, and manage risks under the NDIS Practice Standards, and a documented Risk Management Plan is a key way to demonstrate compliance.
3. How often should an NDIS Risk Management Plan be reviewed?
Plans should be reviewed at least annually and updated after incidents, near misses, or any significant change in the participant’s needs, environment, or supports.
4. Who should be involved in creating a Risk Management Plan?
The participant should always be involved, along with support workers, family members or guardians (where appropriate), and relevant allied health professionals.
5. What do auditors look for in a Risk Management Plan?
Auditors look for participant-specific risks, clear control strategies, evidence of regular reviews, staff awareness, and alignment with NDIS Practice Standards.
6. How is a Risk Management Plan different from an Incident Management Plan?
A Risk Management Plan focuses on preventing incidents, while an Incident Management Plan outlines how to respond after an incident has occurred.
7. How can Imploy help with risk management?
Imploy help providers keep plans up to date, accessible, and audit-ready, reducing errors and improving communication across teams.
