Responsibility: Australian Government
Response: Accept in principle
Status: In progress
What has been achieved to date
The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission (NDIS Commission) released a consultation paper on next steps for regulation in home and living in August 2024. Broad community consultation on the development of supported independent living (SIL) NDIS Practice Standards and options to separate SIL and specialist disability accommodation (SDA) has now been completed.
Between August and October 2024, public consultations occurred with over 800 stakeholders including over 500 providers, workers and participants. Face to face sessions were held in all states as well as multiple online sessions. The NDIS Commission has also held additional consultations with 145 key stakeholders.
The NDIS Commission released an Insights Report - Next Steps Regulation for in-home and housing supports which was published in December 2024 and reflects what we heard is needed to strengthen the quality and safety of supports and identify what participants want housing and living support regulation to deliver.
The NDIS Commission has also established a Housing and Living Supports team to strengthen the regulation of SDA and SIL providers. The associated explorative piece and compliance campaign will run until 30 June 2025.
What the Disability Royal Commission said in the final report
The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission should prioritise the implementation of the Own Motion Inquiry into Aspects of Supported Accommodation – Action Plan (the Action Plan) and expand actions to include:
a) a specific review of mechanisms to transition away from allowing the same provider to provide Supported Independent Living and Specialist Disability Accommodation services, with interim arrangements to strengthen oversight to address and monitor conflicts of interest (under Action 8)
b) strengthening how disability providers implement models of practice, such as Active Supports, to ensure that people with disability living in group homes are actively supported to have opportunities for greater social interaction and community participation and inclusion (under Action 2)
c) developing an implementation plan for the Action Plan, with:
- explicit timeframes for delivery
- annual reporting on progress and outcomes to the Disability Reform Ministerial Council.
Australian Government Response July 2024
The Australian Government is committed to ensuring NDIS participants receive safe, quality supports and can exercise choice and control over their support arrangements. Through the measure Building a strong ecosystem of disability supports, the Government has committed $49.7 million for design and consultation to support better home and living options for NDIS participants. The measure includes targeted compliance activities and an education campaign to ensure Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) providers are aware of and meeting their existing conflict of interest obligations. Further, the measure includes funding to conduct design activities to explore the legal separation of SDA and Supported Independent Living (SIL).
The NDIS Commission is currently working towards completion of the Own Motion Inquiry into Aspects of Supported Accommodation existing action plan elements which includes consideration of best practice identified through the Inquiry.
More recommendations
View progress on other recommendations made by the Royal Commission.