NDIS templates
NDIS emergency and business continuity plan template
Written by James, creator of BluetailPublished 26 October 2026
If you are sick, a flood cuts the roads or your laptop dies, participants still need their supports. This template plans for that: who is most at risk, who steps in, how you keep in touch, and how you test the plan so it works when you need it.
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The document pack
82 registration documents pre-filled with your business name and logo. Preview every page free; $65 once to unlock the editable Word files.
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| Document | Emergency & Business Continuity Plan |
|---|---|
| Part of the pack | Governance & quality |
| Format | Editable Word file, pre-filled with your business name, ABN and logo |
| Cost | Page one is free below; the editable file is in the $65 pack |
What the template covers
The plan identifies the participants at greatest risk if supports stop, and how their supports continue. It covers backup and alternate staffing, losing a key person (often the owner, in a small provider), natural disasters, extreme weather and pandemics, losing premises or IT systems, data backup and information security, and communicating with participants and families. It commits to testing the plan at least once a year with a realistic scenario, reviewing it after any real emergency or near miss, and keeping a record of each test.
Sections in the document
- Purpose
- Our goals during a disruption
- Identifying participants at greatest risk
- Continuity of supports for participants
- Backup and alternate staffing
- Loss of a key person
- Natural disasters, extreme weather and pandemics
- Loss of premises or IT systems
- Data backup and information security
- Communicating with participants and families
- Review and testing
- Responsibilities
- Key emergency contacts
- Plan reviewed by
Which NDIS rules it helps you meet
- Core Module 2.8 - Continuity of Supports
- Core Module 2.9 - Emergency and Disaster Management (plans that are tested, reviewed and developed with participants)
Who needs it
Registered providers under a certification audit are assessed against both outcomes. Sole traders and small teams have the most to gain from it, because one person being unavailable can stop every support at once.
Page one, free
This is the real document, filled in for an example business so you can see exactly what you get.
Example Provider Pty Ltd - Emergency and Business Continuity Plan
ABN 12 345 678 901 · Version 1.0 · Effective 1 June 2026
Purpose
This plan explains how Example Provider Pty Ltd keeps supports running for participants during emergencies and disruptions. It helps us prepare for events that could interrupt our services, respond calmly when something goes wrong, and recover quickly so participants are not left without the support they rely on.
It applies to everyone working in or for Example Provider Pty Ltd, including the owner, any employees, and contractors.
Our goals during a disruption
- Keep participants safe and supported, especially those with high or critical support needs.
- Maintain essential supports, or arrange a suitable alternative as quickly as possible.
- Communicate clearly and early with participants, families, nominees and workers.
- Protect important records and information.
- Return to normal operations as soon as it is safe to do so.
Identifying participants at greatest risk
Some participants would be seriously affected if a support was missed - for example, those who need help with personal care, medication prompting, mealtimes, mobility, or who live alone. Example Provider Pty Ltd keeps a simple list of these participants and the supports they cannot safely go without.
For each high or critical needs participant we record: who they are, the essential support, how often it is needed, an emergency contact, and a backup arrangement. This is reviewed whenever a participant’s needs change.
Continuity arrangements for high and critical needs participants are developed with the participant and their nominee, family or support network - not decided for them. We agree in advance what must not be missed, who to call, and what the backup is, and we record it. This connects to the emergency and continuity-of-supports clause in each participant's Service Agreement, so the participant knows what to expect if a support cannot go ahead.
| Participant | Essential support that cannot be missed | Emergency contact | Backup arrangement |
Continuity of supports for participants
Get it with your business name on it
The Emergency & Business Continuity Plan is one of 82 documents in the Bluetail registration pack, each pre-filled with your business name, ABN and logo and editable in Word. Build your pack to preview every document free, then unlock them all for a one-off $65. The documents help you prepare - they don't register you.
See the $65 packBefore you use it
- Name your real backup: another worker, a partner provider, or how you will contact each participant's other supports.
- List the participants at greatest risk and what they need first.
- Add your key emergency contacts and keep them current.
- Run your first test as a short "what would we do if..." exercise, and write down what you learned.
A template is a starting point. An auditor looks for a document that matches how your business really runs and evidence that you follow it, so read it through and change anything that isn't true for you.
Common questions
Do NDIS providers need a business continuity plan?
Registered providers under a certification audit are assessed on continuity of supports and on emergency and disaster management, and a written, tested plan is the usual evidence. It is good practice for every provider, because participants rely on supports continuing.
How often should an NDIS emergency plan be tested?
The Core Module expects plans to be actively tested and regularly reviewed. This template commits to testing at least once a year with a realistic scenario, and reviewing after any real emergency or near miss, with a record of each.
Is this the same as a participant's individual emergency plan?
No. This plan covers your business. Each participant also needs their own plan for an emergency, which the Bluetail pack covers in the Participant Risk and Emergency Plan. They work together.
Related templates
- NDIS risk management policy template
- NDIS participant handbook template (welcome pack)
- NDIS Code of Conduct template for providers and workers
The section list and page one are read from the current version of the document, so they match what you download. This page is general information to help you prepare for NDIS registration. It isn't legal or compliance advice and isn't affiliated with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission or the NDIA.