I-CAN Assessments
Take control of your NDIS evidence – before the system changes, so you have a comparable assessment and know what to say and how to say it.
The NDIS is introducing the I-CAN support needs assessment nationally. Soon, your funding will be based on one assessment completed by an NDIS-appointed assessor. You will not get to choose your assessor. They aren't required to hold allied health qualifications or have extensive disability experience or training. You will not have control over how your needs are scored. Once it’s done — funding and supports may change dramatically. As the I-CAN assessment is very different from a functionality assessment and cannot be compared, the only armour you will have against them is another I-CAN assessment which is of better quality and from someone who actually takes the time to know you and your support needs.
This is the biggest shift in the NDIS since it began. In our opinion, this is the biggest risk to supports participants have ever seen.
Now is the time to protect your rights, your supports and your future.
The NDIS has specified they will use 1-3 hours for the assessment, however the Centre for Disability Studies (CDS) who created the tool recommends a time frame of at least 7 hours, to complete the process. We often find that more complex cases take even longer and that the I-CAN is insufficient to truly reflect needs.
In 1-3 hours, the NDIS believe they can get all the information they need to decide what supports you will get. They don't know you, openly saying they don't have time to read your reports and you will be under immense pressure with everything depending on this one interview.
The NDIS are also trying to limit what the ART will be able to do. Essentially taking participants on a reassessment loop with no real or effective oversight.
Act now before they start cutting funding for reports and you won't be able to afford to get further evidence.
Want to know more? Download our comprehensive analysis about the I-CAN, and consequences for NDIS funding, the pitfalls of leaving to the NDIS and much more here
Why get an independent I-CAN now?
An I-CAN assessment completed by an accredited independent assessor gives you:
✅ Control over your evidence
✅ A professional baseline you can compare to the NDIS version (apples with apples)
✅ Protection against funding cuts caused by under or incorrect scoring
✅ It can work as a 'script' for the NDIS assessment, providing you with guidance on what is assessed, what to say and how to say it
✅ A clear profile of support needs across life domains used by the NDIS
✅ Evidence when needs are complex, fluctuating or misunderstood
✅ Confidence moving into your next plan or internal review
✅ The NDIS will be cutting funding for reports, get one now while you still can!
Once your I-CAN is on file, it becomes your voice—in writing.
Who should get one now?
This is essential for:
✔ Participants with communication challenges
✔ People with complex, episodic or fluctuating needs
✔ Participants who rely on regular or episodic supports
✔ People with Autism, ADHD, intellectual disability, chronic illness, pain or fatigue, rare or comorbid conditions, PTSD or a psychosocial disability
✔ Participants preparing for plan review or having to lodge an internal review or ART appeals (this process will be changing from 1 July 2026 the rules are not written as yet)
✔ Anyone who has had funding cut or is worried about it happening
✔ Parents and carers who want to secure long-term support
✔ Participants preparing to move into SIL, ILO or housing pathways
✔ Participants who do not have a wide support network or their network is not confident when dealing with the NDIS
If you have NDIS funding, your I-CAN result will affect your future plan—so it should reflect your real needs.
Why choose AHEAD Supports?
At AHEAD Supports, we complete independent I-CAN assessments Australia-wide. We specialise in fair, accurate and professional support needs assessments.
✔ Accredited I-CAN assessors
✔ Behaviour specialists + complex needs professionals
✔ Trauma-informed & neuro-affirming approach
✔ Collaborative with families, carers, support coordinator and allied health
✔ Lived experience
✔ Expert NDIS knowledge
✔ Legal and human rights focus
✔ Clear, defensible scoring and justification
✔ NDIS-ready + ART-ready reports
✔ Evidence-based assessments and reports using the latest peer reviewed evidence
✔ Fast turnaround available
✔ We care about getting to know you
Is An I-CAN Enough On It's Own?
In our opinion, absolutely not. The I-CAN is unlikely to truly represent your situation or needs due to the deficiencies of the tool itself. It was written before the UNCRPD and NDIS existed and no research has been completed since 2016. The NDIS has commissioned a 5-year study to follow the outcomes once implementation starts in the NDIS by the very ones that developed it. This makes the implementation an experiment, not an evidence-based process that has already been proven to work. It has never been validated as a budget setting tool, nor when used by unqualified professionals. The research clearly states "in conjunction with expert clinical advice" U(
✅ Control over your evidence
✅ A professional baseline you can compare to the NDIS version (apples with apples)
✅ Protection against funding cuts caused by under or incorrect scoring
✅ It can work as a 'script' for the NDIS assessment, providing you with guidance on what is assessed, what to say and how to say it
✅ A clear profile of support needs across life domains used by the NDIS
✅ Evidence when needs are complex, fluctuating or misunderstood
✅ Confidence moving into your next plan or internal review
✅ The NDIS will be cutting funding for reports, get one now while you still can!
Once your I-CAN is on file, it becomes your voice—in writing.
