Understanding the New SIL Practice Standards and Worker Training Requirements
Supported Independent Living is about more than helping someone with everyday tasks. It is about creating a safe home environment where people with disability can build independence, make their own choices and receive support that reflects their individual needs.
With the introduction of the new Supported Independent Living Practice Standards from 1 July 2026, there is a stronger focus on the knowledge, skills and competency of workers providing SIL support. The standards set clearer expectations around how providers train their teams and ensure workers are prepared to deliver safe and quality support in a participant’s home.
For providers such as Affinity Care WA, these changes reinforce the importance of ongoing staff development, participant rights, safeguarding and person-centred support.
What Has Changed for Supported Independent Living?
The NDIS Commission has introduced a dedicated SIL Practice Standards module covering four key areas:
- Supported decision-making
- Safeguarding
- Practice governance
- Tenancy, housing and support arrangements
These standards are intended to provide clearer expectations for SIL providers and support greater consistency, safety and accountability across SIL services.
The changes also place greater emphasis on ensuring workers have the appropriate skills and knowledge for the people they support.
For participants, this means the focus is not simply on whether support is available. It is also about whether that support is delivered appropriately, respectfully and in a way that promotes choice and independence.
Why Staff Training Matters in SIL
SIL workers often provide support within a participant’s own home. They may assist with personal care, household activities, meal preparation, medication support, community participation and developing everyday living skills.
Every participant is different. Their communication preferences, routines, goals, abilities and support needs can vary considerably.
This is why effective training needs to go beyond completing a course. Workers need to understand how to apply their knowledge in real situations and adapt their approach to the person they are supporting.
The new Practice Standards place greater emphasis on providers having systems to plan, deliver and review worker training and to ensure workers have the skills needed to provide quality support.
Supporting People to Have a Say in Their Own Lives
An important part of the new standards is supported decision-making.
People receiving SIL should be supported to make decisions about their own lives wherever possible. Workers can play an important role by providing information, encouraging confidence and helping participants understand their options.
This does not mean making decisions for someone. Instead, support should help the participant develop their ability to make informed choices.
Workers may need to understand how to:
- Encourage participants to express their preferences
- Support people to understand the possible outcomes of decisions
- Respect dignity of risk
- Follow appropriate supported decision-making procedures
- Recognise when additional decision-making support may be required
- Use communication methods suited to the individual
The NDIS SIL Practice Standards specifically include supported decision-making as one of the four SIL standards.
Creating a Safe and Respectful Home Environment
Safety is another important part of quality SIL support.
Workers need to recognise potential concerns and understand how to respond appropriately when issues arise in a shared living environment. This can include responding to conflict, bullying or signs that a participant may be experiencing harm.
The Practice Standards also highlight evidence-informed approaches including trauma-informed practice, active support and positive behaviour support.
Good safeguarding is not only about responding to an incident. It also involves creating an environment where participants feel respected, listened to and comfortable raising concerns.
Workers should understand their responsibilities and know how organisational policies and procedures apply to the support they provide.
Understanding Housing, Agreements and Participant Rights
SIL support can involve both housing arrangements and the support a person receives.
It is important that participants understand these arrangements and know what their agreements mean. The SIL Practice Standards place emphasis on clear and accessible arrangements that distinguish between housing or tenancy matters and SIL support.
Workers therefore need to understand how to support participants when discussing their rights and responsibilities, including where a person may need access to independent advocacy or legal assistance.
Clear information can help participants feel more confident about their living arrangements and the support they receive.
How Affinity Care WA Is Putting These Standards Into Practice
At Affinity Care WA, we understand that quality SIL support starts with a well-prepared and knowledgeable team.
We are continuing to strengthen our approach to staff training, support and day-to-day practice so that our services reflect the expectations of the new SIL Practice Standards.
Our approach focuses on making sure workers understand the individual needs of the people they support and can put appropriate practices into action within the home.
This includes maintaining a strong focus on:
- Participant choice and independence
- Safe and respectful support
- Person-centred practices
- Supported decision-making
- Safeguarding
- Everyday skill development
- Clear communication
- Ongoing staff development
Our SIL services are designed around the individual, with support shaped around a participant’s routines, preferences and goals. Affinity Care WA provides SIL both in participants’ own homes and in its supported accommodation across Perth.
Turning Training Into Everyday Practice
Training is most valuable when workers can use what they have learned in everyday situations.
At Affinity Care WA, our focus is therefore not only on meeting training requirements but also on ensuring workers understand how their knowledge applies to the people they support.
For example, supporting independence may mean giving a participant enough time and encouragement to complete a task themselves rather than automatically doing it for them.
Similarly, person-centred support means recognising that a routine that works for one participant may not be appropriate for another.
This practical approach helps workers provide support that respects individual preferences while promoting confidence and independence.
Building Confidence Through Ongoing Support
The introduction of the new standards highlights the importance of ongoing learning rather than treating staff training as a once-off exercise.
Workers may need continued guidance, supervision and opportunities to strengthen their skills. The NDIS Commission’s practice governance requirements include expectations around worker development, training, mentoring and supervision.
Affinity Care WA is committed to continuing this focus as part of our approach to quality SIL services.
By strengthening staff knowledge and maintaining clear processes, we can help our team respond more effectively to the different situations that can arise when supporting people in their homes.
What Participants and Families Can Expect
The new requirements provide an opportunity for participants and families to have greater confidence in the systems supporting SIL services.
Quality SIL should provide more than assistance with daily activities. It should support a person’s rights, preferences and goals while maintaining a safe and comfortable home environment.
At Affinity Care WA, participants can expect our support to focus on:
Individual needs
Support is shaped around the person’s circumstances, preferences and goals.
Independence
Workers encourage participants to develop and maintain everyday living skills wherever possible.
Choice and control
Participants are supported to have a meaningful say in decisions affecting their lives.
Safety
Safeguarding and respectful support remain important parts of everyday practice.
Consistency
Clear processes and ongoing staff development help support quality across different shifts and support situations.
Our Ongoing Commitment to SIL Quality
The new SIL Practice Standards provide a clearer framework for the delivery of Supported Independent Living services and place participant rights, safety and quality support at the centre.
At Affinity Care WA, we are continuing to implement and strengthen these practices across our SIL services. Our aim is to ensure our workers have the knowledge and support required to provide respectful, safe and individualised assistance.
We believe good SIL support should help people feel comfortable in their home while also giving them opportunities to build skills, make choices and participate in everyday life.
As the standards continue to shape SIL services across Australia, Affinity Care WA remains focused on maintaining a practical, person-centred approach to support.