Utopia Care wins national award for NDIS service provision excellence

South Australian NDIS provider Utopia Care has won a major national award for the provision of services to people within the community, recognising its commitment to supporting people living with disability.

The Enablement Award recognised Utopia Care for being The Most Outstanding Provider of Personalised Support in the NDIS Sector in Australia in 2024.

The national Enablement Awards celebrate and reward excellence, innovation and exemplary achievements in the disability care sector. Category winners, including Utopia Care, will be entered in international awards, to be announced in London in early December.

Utopia Care was founded in 2012 and has grown to become a leading NDIS provider in South Australia and Broken Hill. Over the past 14 years the team has grown to more than 150 staff, with expansion plans into other areas of care likely in the near future.

The South Australian organisation provides in-home support services, social and community support services, supported independent living, short and medium-term accommodation, specialist disability accommodation, individualised living options and voluntary out of home care – stretching from the Barossa Valley to Victor Harbor.

Founder Tony Smith said his company had worked closely with clients, their families and guardians to understand their strengths, their needs and personal situation to build complex plans based on the services they needed the most.

“Our clients are at the heart of everything we do – we exist to make their lives easier and to give them peace of mind that we can support them when and where they need it the most,” Mr Smith said.

"We offer personalised support to empower people to achieve greater independence and quality of life, and this award is recognition of the commitment from our entire team.

“Utopia Care works closely with the Department of Human Services, including Child Protection workers and other allied health support workers.

“We also want to thank every member of our team – as they have enabled us to build long-term relationships with our clients. We deeply value the time they spend building trusting relationships with our participants.”

At a time when the NDIS is facing intense scrutiny, including over companies being investigated for fraud and the high costs for services, Mr Smith said receiving industry recognition was something to be proud about.

“There are so many great organisations working to improve the lives of people living with disability, and it’s fantastic to be recognised for the work we’ve put in and the differences we can make.”