There can be many reasons why you may start your independent living journey.
Maybe you’re facing a significant change, feeling let down by the support systems that are supposed to help you or struggling to make sense of the process of updating your NDIS plan.
You are not alone in these challenges. Knowing why, where to start, and how we can help makes the journey feel more manageable.
Our Home and Living Consultancy can help guide you and your family through this process, ensuring you have the right support to live how you want.
Learn about some of the most common reasons people with disabilities and their families start their independent living journey.
What are NDIS Home and Living options?
NDIS Home and Living options refer to the different types of housing support available for people with disabilities in Australia. These options are designed to help NDIS participants like yourself to live as independently as possible while receiving the necessary support for their needs.
The three main categories of NDIS Home and Living options include:
- Supported Independent Living (SIL): This is for people with disabilities who need 24/7 support in a shared or individual home. SIL includes help with daily tasks like cooking, cleaning, and personal care.
- Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA): Housing designed for people with high support needs or extreme functional impairments. SDA homes have special features for accessibility and support.
- Individualised Living Options (ILO): A flexible, person-centred approach where participants choose how and where they want to live, with support tailored to their needs (e.g., living with a host family or in shared housing).
Why parents of adults with a disability may seek home and living support
There are many reasons why you may decide to seek home and living support for your child.
Desiring greater independence for your adult child with a disability is often a key reason to begin exploring NDIS home and living options.
As your child moves into adulthood, you may recognise the importance of fostering self-sufficiency, social inclusion, and personal growth. We know parents want their children to develop essential life skills, make choices about their living arrangements, and build a future where they are not solely dependent on family for care and support.
Laura, a parent using our consultancy for her son Clay, shared, “We want him to be completely in control of choosing where he lives, who he lives with, or does he live with anyone at all? Because those are the decisions his sister would make, he should have the right to make those decisions and choices, too”.
Some other reasons you may decide it’s time to begin seeking NDIS home and living support for your children include:
Planning ahead
Many parents begin considering independent living arrangements when thinking ahead about the future of themselves, their child, and their family.
Laura shared her experience of realising the importance of planning ahead, noting that while it wasn’t a particular event that caused her to think about the future, it was instead “A natural progression…we just want him to experience the same education and opportunities as his sister, and for him to be part of that decision.”
Frustration with existing support systems
Another reason you may start to explore home and living options for your child is a feeling of frustration towards your child’s existing support systems.
Our consultants have worked with parents who have found that their child’s current support arrangements aren’t helping them develop key life skills. This could be due to a lack of focus on independence or even a mismatch in services. Parents often reach out when they realise their child isn’t progressing as they hoped.
If you feel this way about your child’s support, our Home and Living consultants can help assess your child’s existing support systems and identify gaps to create a plan that fosters greater independence.
The need for stronger support post-move
The transition to independent living can be very exciting but comes with unexpected challenges.
In our experience, many parents find that once their son or daughter moves, they may require additional or more structured support to sustain their independence.
Laura shared: “I think [Clay] thinks independent living is this big step and that you don’t get any support, but he doesn’t know what it can look like.”
Our consultants work closely with parents like Laura to reassess and strengthen support structures, ensuring their child’s transition to independent living is sustainable and successful in the longer term.
Navigating without a support coordinator
While NDIS support coordinators can play an essential role in your child’s support, they often don’t have the time to focus solely on independent living arrangements. This can leave you feeling lost when planning the next steps for your child.
Our Home and Living Consultants provide dedicated guidance for you and your family, ensuring that you have a clear plan for your child and bridging some of the gaps you may experience. We work in collaboration with support coordinators.
Laura spoke about her experience working with Libby Ellis, our lead consultant. “Libby’s great. And it’s great knowing that Libby has lived experience in caring for her person in an ILO situation, as the kind of model they use is the kind of model we would seek to adopt ourselves for Clay.”
Exploring alternatives to group homes
You may feel that traditional group homes are not the right fit for your child but aren’t sure where to start exploring alternatives. Finding a more personalised and independent arrangement can feel daunting, and this is where we can support you.
Our consultants provide expert advice on housing options beyond group homes, helping families create a living arrangement that aligns with their values and their child’s needs.
Why adults with a disability may seek home and living support
You may decide it’s time to start exploring home and living support for many reasons.
Wanting greater independence and developing a life beyond your family home may be a core reason to begin the journey.
Some other common reasons why you seek home and living support include:
Struggles without a support coordinator
Many people who manage their own NDIS plans find the process overwhelming, particularly when setting up an independent living arrangement.
Laura reflected on the amount of work involved: “I’m managing his [Clay’s] NDIS plan, and I will continue to do so. It’s just not as cut and dry as people think because there are many ways people need to be supported.”
We can help streamline the process of setting up an independent living arrangement by providing clarity and a structured plan tailored to your individual goals.
Changing living situations
Commonly, life changes can prompt you to start to think about independent living.
Whether you’re feeling ready to move out for the first time or transitioning between different living arrangements, navigating the system and this change can be daunting.
Laura candidly shares, “I think it seems like a scary thing for both Clay and us.” Whether you are a parent of a person with disabilities or a person with a disability yourself, this is a major life transition that requires support for everyone involved.
We acknowledge that this can be challenging for you and your family. Our consultants can help you break the process down, ensuring that each step is clear and achievable.
When is the right time to get started?
The right time to get started in NDIS Home and Living depends on your situation.
If you’re thinking about starting independent living, Laura’s advice is simple: “Get started early.”
We know the NDIS can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to figure it out alone. A quick chat with our team can help you get on the right path.
How Mable Home and Living Consultants can help
Are you ready to take the next step in your independent living journey? Our consultancy can help through personalised guidance to create a stable, supportive independent living arrangement tailored to each individual person’s needs.
Here’s how we do it:
- Understanding your situation: We take the time to listen, learn about your current setup, and identify what’s missing.
- Developing a personalised plan: Based on your goals, we outline clear, practical steps to make independent living a reality.
- Involving the right people: Whether it’s family, existing support workers, or other professionals on your team, we work collaboratively to ensure a well-rounded support network.
- Ongoing review and support: We continue to check in and adjust plans as needed, ensuring long-term success.
Enquire today for a free consultation, and let’s create a plan that works for you or your loved one.
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