The right Supported Independent Living (SIL) arrangement should give you the support you need while helping you stay in control of your home, routines, relationships, and everyday life.
But how do you compare providers when they may appear similar on paper? This NDIS SIL provider checklist can help you look beyond brochures and websites. Use it to ask practical questions, understand what you are agreeing to, and decide whether a provider genuinely fits your life.
What should you look for in an NDIS SIL provider?
Start with what matters to you, rather than what a provider says it offers.
Think about:
- Where you want to live
- Who you would like to live with
- The type of support you need during the day
- Whether you need overnight support
- Your preferred routines and activities
- Your communication preferences
- Your personal goals
- The skills you want to build
SIL funding is for support or supervision with everyday living, including support that may be provided 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The level and type of support should reflect your individual disability-related needs.
A provider should take the time to understand these things before discussing how their SIL supports could work for you.
Supported independent living provider checklist: 9 things to check
1. Is the provider properly registered?
Registration is an important question to ask.
From 1 July 2026, SIL providers must be registered or have applied to register, with the transition deadline being 1 October 2026. If you currently receive SIL, ask your provider whether they are registered or have applied for registration.
Do not be afraid to ask for a clear answer.
2. Will your support be genuinely personalised?
Two people can need SIL for very different reasons.
Ask:
- How will you assess my support needs?
- Can my routines and preferences be built into my support?
- How will you help me become more independent?
- How often will my support be reviewed?
- What happens if my needs change?
Your support should not feel like a standard package that you have to fit into.
3. Who will actually support you?
Your relationship with Support Workers can greatly affect your everyday experience.
Ask whether you can:
- Meet potential support workers before support begins
- Have input into who supports you
- Communicate your preferences
- Build consistent relationships with your support team
- Know what happens when your usual worker is unavailable
Consistency can be particularly important when support involves personal care, routines and life at home.
4. What does 24/7 support actually mean?
“24/7 support” can sound straightforward, but it is worth asking what it means in practice.
Find out:
- What support is available during the day?
- What happens overnight?
- What type of overnight support is provided? Active overnight support or a sleepover arrangement?
- How are emergencies handled?
- What happens if another Member needs urgent assistance?
- How are staffing arrangements planned?
SIL funding is based on your disability-related support needs, and support may be shared or individual depending on those needs.
5. Will you have choice and control at home?
Your home should still feel like your home.
Ask how much say you will have over:
- Your daily routine
- Meals and food choices
- Visitors
- Social activities
- Household routines
- Privacy
- Personal decisions
- How support is delivered
NDIS SIL requirements include upholding members’ choice and control, supported decision-making and safeguarding.
6. What happens when something goes wrong?
A provider should be able to explain its complaints and feedback process without making you feel uncomfortable for asking.
Ask:
“Who do I speak to if I am unhappy with my support?”
Also ask how concerns are recorded, addressed, and followed up.
You can give feedback to your provider and, if necessary, raise a complaint to the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. You can also change providers if your concerns are not resolved.
7. What does the service agreement say?
Do not rush through the paperwork.
Before SIL supports begin, you and the provider should have a clear service agreement explaining what supports will be delivered, how they will be provided, each party’s responsibilities, and how claiming arrangements will work.
Before signing, make sure you understand:
- What support is included
- How support will be delivered
- How payments and claims work
- What happens if arrangements change
- How either party can end the agreement
If something is unclear, ask for an explanation.
8. Are you comparing the right things?
Price, location and vacancies matter, but they shouldn’t be the only things you compare.
When considering how to choose a SIL provider, compare the actual experience you are likely to receive.
- Ask each provider the same questions
- Take notes
- Visit potential homes where appropriate
- Meet the people who may support you
The NDIS specifically recommends researching providers, checking reviews and meeting providers before deciding. You do not have to choose the first provider you meet.
9. Does the provider understand your goals?
The biggest question may be the simplest:
“How will you help me live the life I want?”
Your goals might involve learning to cook, managing money, travelling independently, joining community activities, developing friendships, maintaining employment or simply having more control over your everyday routine.
The right support should help you build and maintain independence where possible, rather than taking over tasks you can do yourself.
What questions should I ask a SIL provider?
Before making your decision, take this short list to your meeting:
- Are you registered or have you applied for SIL registration?
- How will you understand my individual support needs?
- Who will support me each day?
- Can I have input into my support workers?
- What happens when a worker is unavailable?
- What does overnight support look like?
- How will you support my independence?
- How are concerns and complaints handled?
- Can I see the service agreement before deciding?
- What happens if my needs or circumstances change?
A provider that is willing to answer these questions clearly can help you understand what to expect before you commit.
Is SIL the right home and living option for you?
SIL is not automatically the right option for every person who needs help at home. That is why the decision should start with how you want to live. Depending on your circumstances, support needs and preferences, you may also want to consider in-home support or an Individualised Living Option (ILO).
If you are unsure how these options differ, our guides on SIL vs ILO and in-home support vs SIL can help you compare how each arrangement works.
Choose support that fits your life.
Choosing a provider is about more than finding an available vacancy. It is about finding a support team that listens to you, respects your choices and understands what independence means in your life.
At Cam Can, we support Members across Perth, Albany, Bunbury, Busselton, Esperance, Kalgoorlie and Margaret River. Our Supported Independent Living service is built around individual goals, choice, control and the level of assistance each Member needs.
If you are looking for an NDIS provider in Perth or elsewhere across our WA service areas, contact Cam Can to discuss your goals, support needs and what you want from your next home and support arrangement.
