EPISODE 322 - The SIL Landscape: Opinions of a Support Coordinator

SIL Landscape: Challenges and Issues

• A significant challenge for SIL providers is the increasing difficulty in matching participants to vacancies for sustainable, long-term placements.
• Many providers lack the resources or contacts with other SIL providers or support coordinators to effectively find suitable participants for their vacancies.
• Providers face substantial financial pressure when vacancies exist, especially when they have multiple SIL houses but only one resident, making it difficult to maintain financial viability.
• Incorrect support ratios (e.g., a participant funded at a one-to-two or one-to-three ratio but requiring more intensive support) lead to providers operating at a loss.
• Directors of SIL providers are experiencing stress due to:
  • Insufficient participant placements compared to available facilities, leading to houses with low occupancy.
  • Mismatched funding ratios, forcing providers to operate at a loss when the actual support needs exceed the funded ratio.
• Rushed or hospital discharge scenarios becoming concerning trend:
• Providers are reluctantly transferring participants to hospitals, often as a "social admission," when funding or staffing is inadequate to safely support them in the SIL environment. This is particularly prevalent when participants are not funded for the supports needed to ensure their own safety, that of their housemates, or support workers.
• This practice, though undesirable, is sometimes the only way to prompt a timely review of home & living decisions by the NDIS.
• Importance of correct ratios in funding and service delivery is critical:
  • SIL funding is strictly capped at the approved ratio in the participant’s plan, meaning providers cannot claim for support exceeding this ratio, even if more intensive care (e.g., one-on-one 24/7 support) is required.
  • Providers often operate at a loss when providing additional support that exceeds approved ratios, as they can only claim for the funded ratio
• Significant communication gap exists between support coordinators and NDIS planners regarding market realities:
• Planners often lack direct insight into the day-to-day challenges faced by SIL providers and the realities of the housing market, relying on anecdotal reports rather than direct observation.
• Funding cuts directly impact both service quality & provider financial viability, yet planners making these decisions may not fully grasp the on-the-ground consequences for providers & participants

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