What Qualifications Does a Psychosocial Recovery Coach Need?

What Does the NDIS Require?

A recovery coach must meet at least one of two criteria: a qualification, or 2 years' professional experience.

The NDIA's 2025-26 pricing arrangements put it slightly differently: the work of psychosocial recovery coaches requires lived and/or learnt experience, with a tertiary qualification in peer work or mental health or equivalent training, and/or at least two years of experience in mental health related work.

What Is a Lived Experience Recovery Coach?

A coach with their own lived experience of mental ill health and recovery, who uses it to inform their work.

The NDIA says you can choose a recovery coach with lived experience, and that you might find it helpful. Lived experience isn't required, and it's your choice whether it matters to you. You can ask for it when you talk to providers, and our form lets you say so.

How Do You Check a Recovery Coach?

Ask about qualifications and experience, and check the provider on the NDIS Commission's registers.

• Ask which qualification or experience criterion the coach meets, and about ongoing training
• Ask whether they have lived experience, if that matters to you
• Check the provider on the NDIS provider register, which shows whether its registration has been suspended or revoked
• Check the NDIS Commission's list of banned workers and providers
• Ask whether the coach has an NDIS worker screening clearance. The NDIS Commission's worker screening database lets you check

The NDIA's own five questions for choosing a recovery coach include their qualifications and experience, whether they have lived experience, and whether they're registered with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. Our guide to choosing a recovery coach has all five.

Are Recovery Coaches Registered?

Providers can be registered or not. We only work with providers registered with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.

The NDIS Commission suggests asking whether your supports need a registered provider, and whether you'd prefer one, because registration can help with safeguards. Recovery coaching falls in registration group 0106 in the NDIA's pricing arrangements.

Want to Become a Recovery Coach?

This site is for people looking for a coach, so we don't cover training or jobs.

If you're a registered provider that employs recovery coaches, see our page for providers. For training and careers, look at registered training organisations and provider careers pages.