Navigating Networks and Communication

Will, EnableUs Community

Alright, welcome back to The EnableUs Community Podcast! Will here, as always, joined by Winter. Today we’re tackling something I think a lot of providers kinda underestimate—that first step of mapping the participant’s whole crew, their support network, when you’re onboarding. Because, seriously, no one's a solo act, right?

Winter, EnableUs Community

Absolutely, Will. Participants are almost always tied in with a bunch of people—support coordinators, allied health, family, plan managers, sometimes even a few different service providers. The first thing we do, before anything else, is try to map out everyone involved in their world. Otherwise, it’s so easy to step on toes or miss crucial info.

Will, EnableUs Community

Yeah, and support coordinators specifically—there’s actually a few different kinds, which is one of those bits I think people gloss over. Winter, you’re probably the expert on this, but what’s the difference again? I always jumble them up.

Winter, EnableUs Community

Nah, you’re spot on highlighting it. There are three levels: support connection, regular support coordination, and then specialist. Each one comes with different responsibilities and...well, levels of how hands-on they’ll be. Specialist coordinators usually pick up the really complex cases, so if a participant has that, you know you’ll be doing a bit more planning and collaboration upfront.

Will, EnableUs Community

And I guess the allied health folks, like OTs and speechies—they’ve got their own therapy goals, which totally feed into how you plan supports, right?

Winter, EnableUs Community

Yep, and I’ll admit, I’ve had a time where I missed looping in one of the key allied health professionals during onboarding. It slipped through because the participant’s mum handled that part privately and assumed we knew. The result was we were going in two different directions, and the participant wasn’t getting cohesive support. It really hammered home that you’ve gotta ask, point-blank, every time: “Who else is on your team?” Otherwise, you’re missing half the picture.

Will, EnableUs Community

Exactly, and the informal supports—the families, carers, friends—sometimes their involvement is low-key but can totally influence things like routines or appointments. You can’t just ignore them.

Winter, EnableUs Community

And don’t forget plan managers for budgets and invoices. Honestly, knowing who does what saves you so much trouble. You just avoid so much confusion and—well, embarrassment, to be honest! All of it starts by mapping out that ecosystem during onboarding.

Will, EnableUs Community

So after you’ve figured out who’s in the mix, you gotta set up the actual communication. We harp on about consent in, like, every episode—but here it really is step one. Get permission from the participant before you swap numbers or emails with anyone on their team.

Winter, EnableUs Community

Yeah, otherwise you’re wandering into a privacy mess. But once consent’s sorted, it’s about agreeing on how you’ll communicate and what’s appropriate for sharing. Is it quick emails for updates, a regular phone catch-up, or do you need to set up those more formal, scheduled meetings?

Will, EnableUs Community

The support coordinator often steps up as the main comms hub, right? But sometimes, if they’re not involved, there’s a bit more juggling.

Winter, EnableUs Community

Totally, and clarity here prevents drama. Otherwise it just turns into everyone talking over each other—or worse, not talking at all. Make sure you check in what the participant wants, too: are they comfortable with a big group chat or do they prefer info filtered through the coordinator?

Will, EnableUs Community

It’s funny—I’ve had an onboarding recently where, just by laying out written protocols with the plan manager, we avoided a huge invoicing mess. Like, we figured out upfront who would get what info, when, and how. If we’d skipped that...I reckon we’d be months deep sorting out the confusion! It’s not always glamorous, but those communication ground rules early on make such a difference.

Winter, EnableUs Community

Exactly, and sometimes it’s about picking the right tool for the job—like using email for routine things so it’s all documented, but then hopping on a call if something urgent pops up. That way you’re not dropping the ball or overwhelming anyone either.

Will, EnableUs Community

Let’s talk about boundaries—like, what’s your job versus everyone else’s? This is one area that gets really murky, especially when you’ve got a bunch of folks with different roles and everyone’s keen to help.

Winter, EnableUs Community

Totally. And confusion here is where duplication and missed stuff happens. If you’re not clear on your scope and what others are handling, things just slip through the cracks—or you accidentally double up, which feels unprofessional all around.

Will, EnableUs Community

And you’ve always got to keep privacy and consent top of mind. Only share the info that’s relevant—and only with people who actually, you know, need to know. Don’t just copy everyone in because it feels easier.

Winter, EnableUs Community

Absolutely. You get the participant’s written consent about exactly what you can share and who with. It’s tempting to think, “Oh, everyone knows anyway,” but that’s where things go sideways legally.

Will, EnableUs Community

Sometimes the trickiest part is if there’s a disagreement about goals or priorities between, say, you and a therapist. It happens! We’re all human. The key is to go straight to the other provider, not drag the participant into it.

Winter, EnableUs Community

Definitely—I had a case a while ago where I realised we weren’t aligning on therapy goals. Instead of ping-ponging through the participant, I picked up the phone, we talked it out, and actually wound up with a stronger plan than if I’d just let it bubble away. It’s awkward sometimes, but honestly, most conflict comes from not talking directly.

Will, EnableUs Community

And at the end of it, it’s all about keeping the participant at the centre. If you’re always checking in with them, looping them in on decisions about who’s involved and what’s being shared, you can’t go too far wrong.

Winter, EnableUs Community

That’s spot on. When everyone works together—clear on roles, communicating well, handling info responsibly, and keeping the participant right at the core—you actually deliver support that’s way more than just the sum of everyone’s parts.

Will, EnableUs Community

Alright, I think that’s a pretty solid blueprint to work from. Thanks for tuning in, everyone. We’ll be back next episode to dig into more onboarding tips. Appreciate your time, Winter.

Winter, EnableUs Community

Thanks, Will! And cheers to everyone listening—catch you all next time for more. Take care!