What kind of support will I get in Supported Independent Living?

If you’re reading this blog post, you’re probably considering taking a step towards living more independently by moving out of home with help from the NDIS (or supporting someone who is).

Living more independently is an exciting prospect, but you’re probably wondering exactly what kind of help and support you’ll get from the NDIS to help you to live as independently as possible in Supported Independent Living (SIL).

It can be hard to understand how the NDIS will help you maximise your independence at home and what that means for you in your daily life. We get asked questions about SIL all the time, and a common one is exactly what kind of supports you’ll get when living in SIL

What is Supported Independent Living (SIL)?

Supported Independent Living, or ‘SIL’, is how the NDIS helps people with a disability live independently in shared accommodation with 24-hour support to help each person build daily living skills.

The funding you receive for SIL in your NDIS plan exists to cover the cost of the support staff in the house as well as rent and board but does not pay for personal expenses like medication or activities outside the house. You can find out more about what’s covered and what’s not covered in SIL here.

So, let’s talk about what kind of supports are available to you in SIL.

What type of supports do you receive in SIL?

The supports available to you in SIL depends on who lives there and what kind of support they need to live as independently as possible. No matter what supports you need, in SIL, you can always feel safe and confident you’ll get the support you need, whenever you need it, to achieve your goals and live your best life.

Types of Supports available in SIL

• In-house support staff to help with your individual needs. This could be:

  – Drop-in – someone comes over to help you with a task and then leaves after it’s finished.

  – 24/7 support with sleepover – someone is always at home with you and they have a dedicated room to sleep there too.

• Help with completing daily tasks and building skills, like:

  – Housekeeping – shopping, cooking, cleaning

  – Personal care – showering, dressing, personal hygiene

  – Social skills – meeting new people, doing activities with friends

  – Budgeting – paying for things like food, transport, or even going on holidays!

• Help with life outside the home, like:

  – Transport – getting to and from appointments and activities

  – Appointments – booking and managing your appointments.

You can find out more about the supports available in Supported Independent Living here.

How does SIL give you independence?

SIL helps you maximise your independence in two big ways. Firstly, by providing supports to help you with daily tasks like cleaning and getting to appointments. This means you can maximise your independence, living away from people like your parents and doing things your way, but still being able to access help and support whenever you need it.

The other way SIL gives you independence is by helping you build skills to live more independently. You’ll get help, but you’ll also learn to prepare meals, shop for groceries, and follow a budget for yourself at the same time. The great thing about that is you’ll be building skills to live more independently in the future and for the rest of your life. That means you’ll get to spend more time with friends, do more things that make you happy, and connect with other people in your local community without needing as much support.

Interested in Supported Independent Living (SIL)?

If you’ve already got SIL funding in your NDIS plan, you’re at the most exciting stage: finding a SIL home! Explore our current Supported Independent Living opportunities.