What is Supported Independent Living?

There are different types of home and living supports that can be funded in your NDIS plan depending on your current circumstance, goals and level of support required.  Supported Independent Living (or SIL for short) is a paid personal support for someone who has high support needs and requires 24/7 assistance and supervision to be able to live independently and build skills.

Different types of home and living supports will suit different people. Supported independent living is only one of many support options. There may be other home and living options that better suit your needs and preferences

What supports are included in SIL?

Various supports may be included in SIL, some examples are:

• assistance with self-care
• medication support
• assistance with meal preparation
• support for medical appointments.

SIL funding cannot be used for activities or services that are not disability related, such as paying your rent, paying for your grocery shopping, or paying your utility bills.  The SIL provider can assist you to carry out these tasks however. Your Support Coordinator can help you with finding a SIL provider that best suits your needs, liaise with providers to communicate your needs and goals and monitor service quality of the provider you choose.

How do I choose the right SIL provider?

If you have decided to move into a SIL house, it is crucial that the new house is not just a place you get daily support but also somewhere you feel at home. Therefore, there are always a few things you will need to consider when choosing SIL providers. You should have a think about the following:

• Location – this is an important one. think about whether the local community is right for you and if you would like to live in somewhere that there are shops or public transport nearby.
• Comfort – Another area to consider is the physical features of the property. It is important to ensure that you are living in an environment that is comfortable to you, as you are looking for a long-term residence.
• Others – In a SIL house, you may live on your own, but you may also need to share the accommodation with other participants. The people you will be living with can have significant influence on your day-to-day life in the accommodation.
• Support Workers – You will spend a lot of time with the Support Workers who are there to help you and similar to others that you may share your accommodation with they can have a significant impact on your day-to-day life at home.

Depending on your needs and living arrangements, there are a lot more factors you will need to think about in addition to those mentioned above, such as quality of the support service, staff ratio, and roster of care. Therefore, it is important to talk to your Support Coordinator about your needs and goals for the SIL house so they can work with you to find the provider that best suits your needs.

What is the process of applying for SIL funding?

To apply for Supported Independent Living funding, you will need to discuss with your NDIS planner about your need for support to be able to live independently. This can either happen in a scheduled plan review meeting or an unscheduled review if your current circumstance has changed.

You will need to provide evidence to support that Supported Independent Living is the best option for the home and living support that you need. This would usually be the functional assessments and reports from allied health professionals which assess your daily functioning and capacity. Service reports from your direct support provider can also help to show evidence of your current situations and daily support needs. Your support coordinator can help you with understanding the requirement for SIL funding application and gathering required reports for the application.    

Where can I get more information about SIL?

Visit the NDIS website for further info about SIL.

Or ask your InFocus Support Coordinator.