NDIS progress note examples: weak, better, and why

Example one: personal care

As written:

• “Assisted client with morning routine. All went well. No issues.”

Example one, rewritten

“Supported J with their morning routine from 9:00am to 11:00am, two hours. Prompted through showering and dressing with standby assistance only — J completed the sequence with two verbal prompts, where four were needed at the same task last week. Prepared breakfast together; J chose and buttered their own toast. No medication administered. No incidents. Next shift to continue reducing prompts at the dressing step.”

What changed and why it matters: the hours are stated, so the note can be checked against what was billed. The support is described specifically enough to recognise it as personal care. “All went well” became something observable that also shows progress. And there is a follow-up, so the next worker knows what to continue.

Example two: community access

As written:

• “Took M out into the community. M enjoyed it. Good day.”

Example two, rewritten

“Supported M with community access from 10:00am to 1:00pm, three hours. Travelled by bus to the library, where M returned two books and chose three more independently. M then asked to stop at the cafe; M ordered for themselves and paid. M said afterwards, ‘that was easier this time’. Returned home at 1:00pm. No concerns. Follow-up: M would like to try the bus route without prompting next time.”

What changed and why it matters: “enjoyed it” is a conclusion about someone else’s inner state; what M said and did is evidence. The duration is stated. The activities describe community participation rather than an unspecified outing. And M’s own words are recorded as M’s words, which is what evidences choice and control rather than the worker’s summary of it.

Example three: when the shift did not go to plan

This is the one people write badly out of anxiety rather than laziness, and it is the one that matters most.

As written: “Shift was difficult. Client was not himself. Managed as best I could.”

Rewritten: “Arrived at 2:00pm for a scheduled three-hour support. R was awake but declined the planned community outing, saying ‘not today’. Offered alternatives; R chose to stay home. Prepared a meal at R’s request and stayed until 5:00pm as scheduled. R remained in his room for most of the shift and answered questions in short sentences, which is different from his usual presentation. No medication administered. I have notified the team leader as R’s presentation was unusual for him. Follow-up: team leader to check in tomorrow.”

What changed and why it matters: refusing an activity is not a failure and does not need hiding. Recording what R said, what was offered, what he chose and what was noticed makes the note useful to whoever reads it next — and it evidences three hours of support that was genuinely delivered even though the plan changed. Writing “difficult” evidences nothing and helps nobody.

The three habits that fix most notes

• Write the times. Start and finish, or total hours. It is the most common omission and the first thing anyone checking a claim looks at.
• Write what you saw and heard, not what you concluded. “Said he was tired” rather than “was depressed”. If someone said something that matters, use their words.
• Write it while you still remember it. A note written the next week is a worse record, and under a 90-day claiming window there is a lot less room for catching up later.

Common questions

How long should a progress note be?

Long enough to answer what you did, how long it took, and how the participant responded. That is usually four to eight sentences. A page of text with no times in it is a worse record than four specific sentences.

Should I write in first person?

Follow your provider’s house style if they have one. Either works, as long as it is clear who did what — “supported J with” is unambiguous, “J was supported with” is not.

What if my English is not strong?

Write in the language you think in. ShiftNote produces the note in Australian English and keeps your original words with it, and the note never mentions that it was written in another language. A note in imperfect English that says exactly what happened is a better record than a polished one that does not.

Change history

• 9 September 2026 — First published.

ShiftNote provides software and operational information, not legal advice. Providers remain responsible for understanding the requirements that apply to their own circumstances.