New NDIS Practice Standards for Supported Independent Living: 4 key changes explained
When you or a loved one receives Supported Independent Living (SIL), the support provided at home plays a big part in daily life. It can affect how listened to someone feels, how much choice they have, how safe they feel and whether their home truly feels like their own.
Because SIL support is such an important part of everyday life, there need to be clear rules about what good, safe and respectful support should look like.
From 1 July 2026, Supported Independent Living providers will need to meet new mandatory registration requirements. You can read more about what being a registered NDIS provider means and why it matters on our blog here.
Four new NDIS Practice Standards for Supported Independent Living will also set clearer expectations for how support should be delivered.
For more than 23 years, BCD have supported people living with disability and their families in our local communities. As a longstanding registered NDIS provider, we were already registered before registration became mandatory for SIL providers. Person-centred support has always been at the heart of what we do. We take the time to listen, understand what matters to each person and provide support that respects their choices, goals and individuality.
The new NDIS Practice Standards for SIL build on these same principles of safety, respect, choice and quality support. In this article, we explain the four new Supported Independent Living Practice Standards and what they may mean for customers, families and providers.
What are the NDIS Practice Standards?
The NDIS Practice Standards set out what registered NDIS providers need to do to deliver safe, quality support. In everyday terms, they help explain what good support should look and feel like.
This is especially important in SIL because support is delivered in a person’s home. That home should feel comfortable, secure and centred around the person who lives there. The new standards give SIL customers, families, support workers and providers clearer guidance about what they can expect.
Why do the SIL Standards need to change?
Supported Independent Living is a very personal type of support.
It may involve help with daily routines, support workers spending significant time in the home, shared living arrangements and decisions about how someone wants to live. The new standards place greater focus on each participant’s voice, rights and freedom to make choices. They also provide clearer expectations around safety, quality and how support should be managed.
For customers and families, this can make it easier to understand what good SIL support should include.
For providers, it provides clearer guidance for delivering, reviewing and improving support.
This blog post looks at four parts of the new SIL Practice Standards:
making decisions with the right support
feeling safe and supported at home
the systems behind reliable, well-managed support
clear tenancy, housing and support agreements.
We’ll look at what each standard means for SIL customers, families and providers.
At a glance: the 4 key SIL standards
| Key area | What it means in everyday language |
|---|---|
| Supported decision-making | People should receive the information and support they need to make choices about their daily life, home and supports. |
| Safeguarding | People should feel safe at home and know what to do if they are worried or something does not feel right. |
| Practice governance | Providers should have trained support workers, clear processes and use evidence-based practices to reduce the risk of harm, bullying and conflict so the support delivered is safe, consistent and tailored to participants needs. |
| Tenancy, housing and support agreements | People should be supported to understand their housing and support arrangements. This includes clear information about their support, housing and tenancy agreements, rights and what to do if there is a problem. |
The new Practice Standards for SIL providers cover the following areas:
Supported Decision Making - Supporting people to make their own decisions
Some people may need help or support to make a decision.
Supported decision-making means helping a person understand their choices and make their own decisions, instead of making those decisions for them.
This may involve everyday choices, such as:
what to eat
what to wear
how to spend the day
It may also involve bigger decisions like:
who provides their support
where someone lives
who they live with
how their supports are delivered
People may need information provided in a way that suits them, extra time to consider their options, communication support or help from someone they trust.
The important thing is that the person remains at the centre of the decision.
What this means for customers
Customers should receive information in a way they can understand.
They should have opportunities to ask questions, think about their choices and make decisions in a way that works for them.
What this means for families
A participant may choose to involve family members or another trusted person when they are considering their options.
Families can help the person understand information, while keeping the participant’s own wishes, preferences and rights at the centre of the conversation.
What this means for providers
Providers should make sure workers know how to listen, communicate clearly and support people to make informed choices.
This includes respecting each person’s communication style, preferences and chosen decision-making supports.
2. Safeguarding - Helping people feel safe at home
Safeguarding is about protecting people from harm and responding properly when something is wrong.
This is especially important in SIL because support happens in a person’s home and may involve workers, housemates and shared daily routines.
Safety at home also means being treated respectfully, having concerns taken seriously and knowing who to speak with when something does not feel right.
What this means for customers
Customers should feel safe, respected and comfortable in their home.
They should know who they can talk to if they feel worried, uncomfortable or unsafe.
They should be supported in a way that feels respectful, consistent and suited to them.
What this means for families
Families may want to ask how the provider:
notices and manages risks
responds when someone raises a concern
handles conflict or bullying
supports safety in a shared home
communicates when something important changes.
What this means for providers
Providers should have clear ways to recognise risks, respond to concerns and support respectful relationships in the home.
Support workers should understand what to do if someone may be unsafe and how to report and respond to concerns appropriately.
3. Practice Governance - strong systems behind good support
Behind reliable support are the systems a provider uses to train workers, share information and manage services. This is known as practice governance.
This includes:
how workers are trained and supported
how important information is shared
how emergencies are planned for
how services are supervised
how the provider checks whether support is working well.
Good systems help make sure workers understand a person’s needs, preferences, routines and communication style, even when there are staff changes.
What this means for customers
Customers should receive support from support workers who understand them and know how they prefer to be supported.
Support should feel respectful, reliable and suited to the person rather than delivered in exactly the same way for everyone.
What this means for families
Families may want to ask:
How are support workers trained?
Who supervises the support team?
How is important information shared between workers?
What happens if the person’s needs change?
How will the provider respond in an emergency?
What this means for providers
Providers should have clear procedures, skilled support workers and appropriate oversight.
They should also make sure support workers receive the information, training and support they need to provide safe and consistent support in someone’s home.
4. Tenancy, housing and support arrangements - providing clear information
For some people receiving SIL, housing and support arrangements may be closely connected.
For example a participant might be receiving SIL supports and renting a home from the same SIL provider. If the SIL provider owns the SIL home they are the landlord. This means the same provider is involved in both support and tenancy arrangements. The new standards focus on making these arrangements clear.
Participants should understand:
where they live and who they live with
what support they will receive
their rights and responsibilities
how changes can be made
who to contact if there is a concern.
Information and agreements should be explained in a way the participant can understand before they are asked to make a decision.
What this means for customers
Customers should receive clear information about their home, support and rights.
They should know who to contact if something changes and feel comfortable asking questions about their arrangements.
What this means for families
Families may want to check whether the participant:
understands their housing agreement
understands their support agreement
knows who to contact with a problem
feels safe and secure at home
feels comfortable raising questions or concerns.
What this means for providers
Providers should give clear and accessible information about housing and support arrangements.
They should also manage conflicts of interest carefully, respect participant choice and make sure people are not pressured or confused when making decisions.
Questions customers and families may want to ask
How am I included in decisions about my daily life?
How will information be explained in a way I understand?
Who can help me consider my options?
What should I do if I do not feel safe?
Who can I talk to if I have a concern?
How are support workers trained and supported?
What happens if my needs change?
Do I understand my housing and support agreements?
How will my provider support me to make choices about my home and supports?
It may help to write your questions down before a meeting or ask someone you trust to join you.
What the new standards mean for SIL providers
The 4 new rules mean SIL providers will need to show how they:
support participant choice and decision-making
identify and respond to risks
train and supervise support workers
check the quality of support
communicate clearly
explain housing and support arrangements
listen and respond to participant feedback.
The person receiving supports should remain at the centre of how services are planned and delivered.
For providers, the key message is that quality SIL supports need strong systems, respectful practice and a person-centred approach.
Need Help?
A BCD team member can help you understand your SIL options, talk through your current support arrangements and explain what these changes may mean for you or someone you care about.
Call 1800 275 223 to speak to our BCD care team today or contact us online.
Information correct as at 28 July 2026. Please refer to the NDIS website for the latest updates.
Sources:
NDIS Practice Standards Reform
Easy to read guide: https://www.ndiscommission.gov.au/about-us/ndis-commission-reform-hub/ndis-practice-standards-reform#paragraph-id-3693225
NDIS Commission Rules & Standards:
https://www.ndiscommission.gov.au/rules-and-standards/ndis-practice-standards/sil
https://www.ndiscommission.gov.au/about-us/ndis-commission-reform-hub/ndis-practice-standards-reform
Disclaimer:
The information provided in this blog post is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as legal, financial, or professional advice. While we strive to ensure the accuracy of the content, we encourage you to visit the relevant government websites for the most up-to-date and official information.