What evidence does an auditor or the regulator ask for under NDIS Practice Standards Core 26A.1 to Core 26A.9?

Mealtime or swallowing screening at intake; Register of participants requiring mealtime management; Intake forms asking about swallowing, eating and drinking difficulties; Speech pathology and dietitian assessments in participant files; Occupational therapy seating and positioning assessments; Mealtime management plans signed by the practitioner with review dates; Referral records when new difficulty was observed; Consent for mealtime assessment; Plans recording the participant's preferences and input; Notes of family or advocate involvement where the participant chose it; Worker briefings or

Rules / NDIS Practice Standards and Quality Indicators

Practice StandardsNDIS Practice Standards and Quality Indicatorsndis-practice-standards--core-mealtime-management

Requirement

Core module: Mealtime management

The Core module outcome mealtime management: every quality indicator the NDIS Practice Standards set for it (Core 26A.1 to Core 26A.9), what an auditor asks to see under each, the common gaps, and a free worksheet to fill in.

Clause

NDIS Practice Standards Core 26A.1 to Core 26A.9

Regulator

NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission

Edition held

Rules Schedules 1 to 8, Compilation No. 6 (F2026C00527) and Quality Indicators Guidelines Compilation No. 3 (F2026C00528), in force 1 July 2026

Checked current

6 October 2026, Federal Register: both compilations are the latest version on 6 October 2026

Who it applies to

Registered NDIS providers audited by certification: registered for early childhood supports, specialist behaviour support, implementing behaviour support plans or regulated restrictive practices, or specialised support coordination. An individual or partnership whose only certification requirement is early childhood supports meets only Core clause 7 (freedom from abuse) and Module 3 (Rules s 20(4) and (5)).

Every clause in the standards library

NDIS Practice Standards and Quality Indicators on the standards library

Under review, not in force

The NDIS Commission's review of the Practice Standards (a proposed quality framework and changes to the standards and how they are assessed) is still being considered; nothing from it is in force.

Applies when

Core 26A applies to a provider giving mealtime management: every worker providing mealtime management (Core 26A.4 to 26A.9). A clinician who assesses swallowing and writes mealtime management plans for participants of another provider is the appropriately qualified health practitioner Core 26A.2 names; the outcome binds the provider whose workers give the mealtime support.

Core 26A.1Mealtime management: identifying participants who need itsource

Requirement, our statement of the clause

The provider identifies each participant who requires mealtime management, so that their eating, drinking and swallowing needs can be assessed and planned for before meals are provided.

Evidence that typically shows this

Mealtime or swallowing screening at intake
Register of participants requiring mealtime management
Intake forms asking about swallowing, eating and drinking difficulties

Common gap to check

Participants with choking history not on the register
No screening for mealtime risk

Core 26A.2Mealtime management: assessment by qualified practitionerssource

Requirement, our statement of the clause

Each participant needing mealtime management has their needs assessed by appropriately qualified health practitioners, who assess nutrition and swallowing comprehensively, assess seating and positioning for eating and drinking, provide mealtime management plans covering swallowing, eating and drinking, and review assessments and plans annually, as the practitioner advises, or sooner if needs change or difficulty is observed.

Evidence that typically shows this

Speech pathology and dietitian assessments in participant files
Occupational therapy seating and positioning assessments
Mealtime management plans signed by the practitioner with review dates
Referral records when new difficulty was observed

Common gap to check

Plans older than a year with no practitioner review
Plans written by support staff rather than a qualified practitioner

Core 26A.3Mealtime management: participant involved in assessment and planningsource

Requirement, our statement of the clause

With consent, each participant needing mealtime management is involved in assessing their needs and developing their mealtime management plan.

Evidence that typically shows this

Consent for mealtime assessment
Plans recording the participant's preferences and input
Notes of family or advocate involvement where the participant chose it

Common gap to check

Plan contains no participant preferences
Assessment done without consent recorded

Core 26A.4Mealtime management: workers know needs and choking responsesource

Requirement, our statement of the clause

Every worker providing mealtime management understands the mealtime needs of the participants they support and what to do if a safety incident occurs during a meal, such as coughing or choking on food or fluids.

Evidence that typically shows this

Worker briefings or sign-off on each participant's mealtime plan
Choking response procedure and first aid training records
Incident records of mealtime events and the response given

Common gap to check

Workers cannot describe the participant's texture requirements
No documented choking response steps

Core 26A.5Mealtime management: training in safe, enjoyable meals and health riskssource

Requirement, our statement of the clause

Every worker providing mealtime management is trained to prepare and provide safe meals that participants would reasonably find enjoyable, to manage emerging and chronic health risks from mealtime difficulties proactively, and to know how to seek help with those risks.

Evidence that typically shows this

Mealtime management training records and course content
Competency assessments for safe meal preparation and assistance
Escalation contacts for mealtime health concerns

Common gap to check

Training limited to food handling, not swallowing risk
Workers unsure when to seek practitioner help

Core 26A.6Mealtime management: plans available where meals are providedsource

Requirement, our statement of the clause

Mealtime management plans are available where mealtime support is given and are easy for the workers providing it to access.

Evidence that typically shows this

Plans displayed or filed at the point of meal service
Mobile access to plans for community-based supports
Spot checks confirming plans are present at mealtimes

Common gap to check

Plans kept in the office rather than where meals are served
Out-of-date plan versions at the point of service

Core 26A.7Mealtime management: menu planning for nutrition, preference and chronic riskssource

Requirement, our statement of the clause

Menus are planned with each participant needing mealtime management so they receive nutritious, enjoyable meals reflecting their preferences, informed choice and practitioner recommendations in the plan, and so chronic health risks such as swallowing difficulty, diabetes, anaphylaxis, food allergies, obesity or being underweight are managed proactively.

Evidence that typically shows this

Menus developed with participants and checked against plan recommendations
Allergy and dietary requirement registers
Weight monitoring or nutrition review records
Dietitian input on menus

Common gap to check

Menus set by staff without participant choice
Allergies not reflected in menus

Core 26A.8Mealtime management: texture-modified food and fluid proceduressource

Requirement, our statement of the clause

Procedures let workers prepare and provide texture-modified foods and fluids according to each participant's mealtime management plan and check that meals are the correct texture identified in the plan.

Evidence that typically shows this

Texture modification procedures referencing the plan's texture levels
Texture testing or meal check records
Training records on preparing modified textures and thickened fluids

Common gap to check

No texture check before serving
Thickener used inconsistently with the plan

Core 26A.9Mealtime management: safe storage and identification of participant mealssource

Requirement, our statement of the clause

Meals for participants needing mealtime management are stored safely and in line with health standards, and can be easily identified as belonging to a particular participant and told apart from meals not intended for them.

Evidence that typically shows this

Food storage and labelling procedure
Fridge temperature logs
Labelled meal containers with participant name and texture level

Common gap to check

Unlabelled pre-prepared meals in shared fridges
No temperature monitoring of stored meals

Worksheet: what your practice holds, and where

Ref	Held (yes, partly, no, not applicable)	Where it is kept	Owner	Last reviewed	Next review
Core 26A.1
Core 26A.2
Core 26A.3
Core 26A.4
Core 26A.5
Core 26A.6
Core 26A.7
Core 26A.8
Core 26A.9

Download the worksheet (CSV)Print the worksheet (A4)

Completing this worksheet records what your practice holds and where. It does not make a practice compliant or ready for audit, and it is not legal advice.

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Core 24.1 to Core 24.11Core module: Safe environment
Core 22.1, Core 22.2, Core 22.3Core module: Transitions
Core 21.1 to Core 21.4Core module: Responsive supports
Core 20.1 to Core 20.5Core module: Service agreements
Core 19.1 to Core 19.9Core module: Support planning
Every page of this instrument

See every requirement for your practice See the specimen practice