What is Progress notes?
Also known as: Case notes, shift notes
Progress notes are the written record of what happened during a support: what was delivered, how the participant responded, and anything of concern. They are the primary evidence that a claimed support was actually provided, and they are what an auditor, a plan reviewer or a coroner reads when a decision is questioned.
A note serves three audiences at once: the next worker on shift, the plan reviewer deciding future funding, and any subsequent investigation. Notes written only for the first are the reason plans get reduced and claims get queried.
Good practice is factual and specific — what was observed, what was done, what changed — separated clearly from opinion. Notes should be written at or near the time of the support, because a note written days later has materially less evidentiary weight.
Under the Practice Standards, records must be accurate, contemporaneous and retained. Retrospective editing should be visible rather than silent.
What a good progress note contains
A progress note is written by the worker who delivered the support, as close to the end of the shift as possible. It should let someone who was not there understand what happened without having to ask.
- The participant's name, the date, and the start and finish times of the support
- What support was delivered, linked to the participant's goals or care plan
- How the person responded, in plain and factual language
- Anything unusual: changes in health, behaviour, mood or environment
- Any incident, injury, complaint or concern, and who it was escalated to
Write what you saw and heard, not your opinion of it. "Refused breakfast and said she felt sick" is useful; "was difficult this morning" is not.
Why notes matter for claiming
The NDIA expects providers to request payment only after a support has been delivered, and to keep full and accurate records of the supports they claim for, including the participant's name, the date, the hours or quantity delivered and the type of support. A progress note tied to a shift is the most direct evidence of all four.
If the NDIA reviews a payment and the records do not support it, the provider can be asked to repay the money. A claim with no matching note is the weakest point in any payment review.
Notes and the NDIS Practice Standards
The information management outcome in the NDIS Practice Standards expects each participant's information to be identifiable, accurately recorded, current and confidential, and easily accessible to the participant. Auditors sample participant records during certification audits, so incomplete or late notes show up as non-conformities.
Notes also feed incident management. A worker who records a fall or an allegation in a progress note has started the evidence trail, but the note does not replace the incident report, which has its own deadlines.
How Rostery helps
Rostery has workers write progress notes against the shift in the carer app, linked to the participant's goals, so every claimed support has a note beside it and the record is ready for an audit.
Compliance guides
In more depth from AuditCore, our sister NDIS compliance platform.
Questions people ask
Are progress notes mandatory for NDIS providers?
Registered providers must keep accurate, current participant records under the NDIS Practice Standards, and the NDIA expects records that show each claimed support was delivered. Progress notes are the usual way to meet both expectations.
When should a progress note be written?
As soon as practical after the support, ideally before the worker leaves or at the end of the shift. Notes written days later are less accurate and carry less weight as evidence.
Can a participant read their progress notes?
Yes. The NDIS Practice Standards expect each participant's information to be easily accessible to them, and participants should be told how they can access or correct it.
Is a progress note the same as an incident report?
No. A note can mention an incident, but reportable incidents must also be recorded in the provider's incident management system and, where required, notified to the regulator within the set timeframes.
Checked against the official sources on 2 October 2026. Rules change: confirm the current position with the agency before you rely on it.
Related terms
Rostery handles this in practice
SCHADS interpretation, NDIS price-guide validation, claiming and the evidence an audit asks for — built for Australian providers.