For families, carers and support networks.
How to use this guide.
This guide is for parents, carers and support networks of young people with disability who are on the NDIS.
It focuses on what changes at 18 and how to get ready, step by step.
Use it as a practical workbook:
- There’s a short summary at the top of each chapter for the key points
- Then, sections that match where your young person is up to (leaving school, moving out, getting a job)
- With checklists to start conversations and planning at home.
If you are a young person on the NDIS and about to turn 18, we’ve created a separate guide just for you.
1. Turning 18 and the NDIS.
What you need to know.
- At 18, your teenager is recognised as an adult under the NDIS
- They become the primary decision-maker for their NDIS Plan in the majority of cases
- Many families shift from making decisions to supporting and guiding.
What changes legally and practically?
Turning 18 is a big milestone for young people on the NDIS. Once they reach adulthood they take on new rights and responsibilities, both within the NDIS and more broadly in their day-to-day life.
Here are some of the main changes:
Medicare: From age 14, Medicare starts communicating directly with young people about their health information. From 15, they can have their own Medicare card.
Centrelink: As your child gets older, some Centrelink arrangements and online access can change. Check the Service Australia website for what may change between ages 14 and 18.
NDIS: In the majority of cases, the person turning 18 becomes the official decision-maker for their plan, unless a nominee has been formally appointed.
Other things to consider:
Identification: It can be useful for your young person to have their own ID, such as a passport or proof-of-age card.
Email: A personal email helps them receive information directly from the NDIS, Medicare and Centrelink.
Did you know? From 18, all Australians are required to enrol to vote. If your young person is unable to vote, even with support, they can get an exemption.
Important to know!
A quick introduction to consent.
This often catches parents by surprise. In the majority of cases from the day your young person turns 18, the NDIA, plan managers (like Leap in!) and most providers are required to communicate directly with your young person about their NDIS Plan (not with you).
After 18, you can only speak with the NDIA, a plan manager or providers about your young person’s plan if one of the following is in place.
1. Your young person has given consent.
The NDIA accepts verbal or written consent. Your young person can:
- Tell the NDIA (eg. call 1800 800 110, at a plan meeting or through the my NDIS participant portal) that they consent to you receiving information or acting on their behalf in specific ways
- Complete or update an NDIA consent form naming you
- Give consent for the NDIA to share information with a provider or plan manager, or for you to contact them directly about certain things.
Consent can allow you to:
- Access plan information
- Help request plan changes
- Make some administrative changes (eg. contact details).
Important. Your young person needs to give separate consent to their plan manager and any providers you may need to speak to. They can update or withdraw this consent at any time.
2. You are formally appointed as an NDIS nominee.
A nominee is someone the NDIA formally appoints to act on a participant’s behalf for NDIS matters – more on this in the next chapter.
Once consent or a nominee arrangement is recorded in the NDIA system, plan managers and providers can talk with you within the limits your young person has agreed to, or as set out in the nominee decision.
What if my young person can’t give consent? Click here to learn more.
More info on this topic.
2. Decision-making and choice.
What you need to know.
- Supported decision-making helps your young person make their own choices
- Parents and carers often shift into guiding roles
- NDIS nominees or formal guardians may be considered if extra support is required.
Core principles of supported decision-making.
At 18, the NDIS recognises your young person as the primary decision-maker for their NDIS Plan, if they can make decisions. Supported decision-making means:
- Respecting what they want
- Sharing information in ways they understand
- Giving them time to think things through
- Accepting that they may make different choices to you.
Dignity of risk.
Dignity of risk means recognising that people with disability have the same right as anyone else to make big life choices, even when they might go wrong: moving out, choosing their own friends, partners or faith, spending their own money, trying a job and hating it and sometimes just making mistakes and learning from them.
Check out this video: WeThe15 from the Paralympic Games.
A deeper dive into the formal decision-making roles in the NDIS.
NDIS nominees.
A nominee is someone the NDIA formally appoints to act on behalf of a participant for NDIS matters.
Parents and carers are not automatically considered to be nominees when their child turns 18.
A nominee can be appointed even if they are not a legal guardian or hold power of attorney.
What nominees do.
- Talk to the NDIA and providers
- Help make decisions about the NDIS Plan
- Act in the person’s best interests and follow their wishes.
There are different types of nominees.
A correspondence nominee mainly handles communication, whereas a plan nominee has broader authority over the plan and funding.
The NDIA will usually look for supported decision-making first and only appoint a nominee if that is not enough.
Learn more and access the forms at the NDIS website.
| Supported decision-making | NDIA nominee |
|---|---|
| The participant makes the final decision | The nominee makes decisions about NDIS supports and funding on behalf of the participant |
| The supporter acts as a coach or mentor | The nominee acts with authority in the participant’s best interest |
| Focuses on building capacity and independence | Only considered when the participant cannot make decisions, even with support |
| Does not require NDIA approval | Requires a formal application and approval by the NDIA |
This table explains the key differences between the two roles.
When your young person cannot give consent.
Sometimes a young person is not able to give informed consent, even with support – for example, because they cannot understand what is being asked or cannot communicate a clear choice.
If your young person cannot give consent to the NDIA about a nominee, when turning 18 you will usually need to:
- Contact the NDIA or your LAC
- Attend an NDIA or LAC office with your young person to go through the nominee application process
- Provide information and evidence about why a nominee is needed.
Only once the NDIA approves you as a nominee are you the authorised decision-maker for NDIS matters.
Good to know. This process can take time, so if you believe your young person will need a nominee, it is worth starting the conversation with your LAC at least 12 months before they turn 18.
Guardians, power of attorney and the NDIS.
Guardianship, administration and powers of attorney are separate from NDIS nominee arrangements. These are decided by state or territory tribunals or courts, not the NDIA.
Key differences:
- A guardian makes decisions in certain areas of life (for example, health or accommodation)
- An administrator may manage financial or legal matters
- A power of attorney is a legal arrangement usually set up by the person themselves
- These roles may or may not overlap with NDIS decisions.
Someone can:
- Have a guardian, but still be involved in NDIS decisions
- Have a nominee without any formal guardianship
- Be their own decision-maker with no nominee or guardian at all
- If there are family disagreements, the NDIA may ask for court or tribunal orders to work out who has authority in different areas.
More info on this topic.
3. Future planning and goal setting.
What you need to know.
- Start preparing around ages 16 to 17 so everything is ready by 18
- Gather reports early to avoid delays
- Plan reassessments are not automatic and may need to be requested.
Many young people on the NDIS have had the same plan for years. Plans may be extended or ‘rolled over’ without a full reassessment. However, needs and goals can change significantly for young people as they get older.
Future planning helps make sure their NDIS Plan keeps up with life and new goals.
What happens to an NDIS Plan as your young person approaches 18?
As you near the end of your teen’s current NDIS Plan, one of three things may happen.
1. Plan rollover.
The current plan continues for another period (often 12 months) with the same funding and goals. This often happens when a new plan is not ready on time or when the NDIS considers that nothing major has changed.
2. New plan with the same supports.
This is usually offered when your young person’s situation is stable and their supports are working well.
3. Plan reassessment (S48).
A full review of the plan, supports and goals. A reassessment is recommended if:
- Finishing school or changing education settings
- A new or different diagnosis
- Changes to health or functional capacity
- Big changes in informal supports or living arrangements.
You or your young person can:
- Tell the NDIA about the change
- Ask for the goals and plan details to be updated
- Request a plan reassessment if the current plan no longer meets their needs.
Good to know. If something changes, you can use a ‘change of circumstance’ form to request updates to your young person’s goals or supports. This can be for a small change or a bigger one. The NDIA may still choose to reassess the plan, depending on what is requested and the evidence provided.
Visit the NDIS website to request a reassessment.
What information to gather.
Having up-to-date information can make plan reassessments smoother and help the NDIA understand your young person’s support needs. Useful examples include:
- Recent therapy reports
- Functional assessments
- School or transition reports
- Letters from health professionals
- Notes about any changes to informal support at home.
When requesting reports, ask providers to:
- Link recommendations to your young person’s NDIS goals
- Be clear about the type and amount of support at home.
Support coordination.
If your young person is preparing to take on more responsibility for their NDIS Plan, support coordination can be a useful Capacity Building support. A support coordinator can help them understand their plan, build confidence managing supports and learn how to make decisions that ultimately develop independence. Ask your LAC or NDIA Planner if support coordination can be added to the plan and talk to them about why it will be valuable.
Internal review of a decision (S100).
This is an internal review of a reviewable decision – for example, when a plan is approved and you do not agree with the funding, or when funding for a specific item is declined.
Key points:
- You have three months from the date of the decision to lodge an S100
- A different NDIA staff member will review the decision and evidence.
This process is about whether the original decision was reasonable, not about new changes in circumstances.
Goal setting: Real examples.
As your young person grows up and changes, often the goals on their NDIS Plan need to change too. Goals need to be clear and specific so the NDIS can understand what they want to work towards. Below are some examples of real-life goals from teenagers and young adults.
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I would like to be supported to get my driver’s license and save money to buy a car. -
I would like to maintain a baseline concerning my health and well-being.
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I would like to be supported to be more confident in socialising with like-minded people.
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I want to build independence in every aspect of my life. I would like to live independently.
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I would like to build my independence to be confident enough to travel when I finish school.
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I want to improve my strength and coordination so I can be involved in sports.
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I would like to be supported to develop strategies and techniques to cope with stressful situations so one day I will be able to successfully attend university.
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I would like to be supported to complete my HSC.
Check out this video: Assume that I can, featuring Madison Tevlin.
4. Social and community participation.
What you need to know.
- Many families do not see social and community supports in early plans because much of this help naturally comes from parents and carers
- As children become teenagers, you may be able to request funding in Core or Capacity Building to support social and community participation
- Plans differ from person to person, so it is important to link requests to specific goals at a plan reassessment or review
- This funding can help your young person build confidence, try new things and take steps towards independence.
What social and community participation means at 16 to 18.
This is where supported decision-making, personal goals and independence start to come together. As your young person gets older, the NDIS recognises that they may need disability-related support to get out, meet people and take part in experiences that help them grow.
At this age, social and community participation is not only about ‘getting out of the house’. It is about:
- Building friendships and confidence
- Joining groups or activities that match their interests
- Learning how to navigate new environments.
Where the funding sits.
Most supports come from either:
Core supports – Assistance with Social, Economic and Community Participation.
Used for a support worker to help your young person join activities, access their community and take part safely and confidently.
Capacity Building – Increased Social and Community Participation.
Used to build skills for independence. This might include mentoring, travel training or learning how to manage social situations.
Every plan is different, which is why goals matter. If you want this type of funding included, it helps to explain how social and community activities support your young person’s bigger goals at a reassessment or review.
What can be funded?
The NDIS may fund a support worker to assist your teen with activities like:
- Joining a sporting club or team
- Attending art, music or drama classes
- Learning to cook, garden or explore hobbies
- Participate in social groups
- Volunteering with a local organisation
- Going to community events
- Visiting your local library or other community facilities
- Developing skills to use public transport safely
- Building new interests and skills
- Attending camps or classes.
What’s not covered?
This is where Social and Community Participation funding can get a little tricky. You can’t generally use your NDIS funding to pay for the cost of coaching, activity fees or class fees.
The NDIS will not fund:
- Costs such as movie tickets, gym memberships or event entry fees
- Day-to-day living expenses not related to their disability
- Ticket or entry fees for a support worker
- Meals, coffee or other food while they are at an activity
- Equipment (unless it’s specialised and related to their disability)
- Items that are not listed as an NDIS support
- Duplicates of other funded supports.
Mable Can-Do guides.
If you want ideas for things to try, the Mable Can-Do guides are a great place to start. They were created with people with disability and include practical tips and a range of different activities or outings that your young person might like to try out.
5. Support workers.
What you need to know.
- Support workers can help your young person do more of what they want
- They can be funded through different parts of an NDIS Plan depending on the type of support.
As your teenager becomes a young adult, you may find that the support they need changes. Many families find that bringing a support worker into the mix creates breathing room for everyone and gives young people more chances to do things on their own terms.
A support worker might be the person who helps them get to TAFE, try a new hobby, cook independently, head to a music gig or simply spend time with someone who isn’t part of the family. And for your young person, it can feel good to have someone who is there for them, but not in charge of them.
What support can your young person get?
Support is different for everyone. You might be picturing personal care, but your teen might be thinking about:
- Having someone to go swimming with
- Getting help practising travel routes
- Learning to make their favourite meal
- Going for a walk, going shopping or joining a club
- Trying something new without relying on you.
Some teens feel unsure or embarrassed at first, especially if you’ve always been the one doing the supporting. Exploring profiles together can help them see real people with shared interests, similar ages or specific skills.
Check out this video from Mable featuring Eddie and his support worker.
How support workers are funded.
Support workers can be funded from different parts of an NDIS Plan depending on what they’re doing:
- Core: Assistance with Daily Life – day-to-day support at home
- Core: Social, Economic & Community Participation – getting out and taking part in activities
- Capacity Building: Increased Social & Community Participation – building skills to do things more independently.
For some young adults, having a support worker becomes the bridge between wanting more independence and feeling confident enough to try.
Tip. Ready to explore support options? Leap in! can help match your young person with support workers who suit their goals, interests and preferences. Call 1300 05 78 78 or email [email protected].
More info on this topic.
6. Leaving school and further education.
What you need to know.
- The NDIS may fund disability-related supports that help with the move from school to further education or training
- Most education costs are the responsibility of schools, universities and TAFE providers
- The NDIS does not fund course fees, standard equipment (like laptops or textbooks) or adjustments that education providers are responsible for.
Transitioning from school.
Is your young person hoping to learn a new skill or gain a qualification? Whether they are finishing high school or thinking about study to help them get a job, the NDIS may be able to support that next step.
Further education can build confidence, strengthen independence and open up future employment options.
Getting started.
Within Capacity Building supports, there is a budget called Improved Learning. If your young person has a goal related to study, training or a specific job, they may receive Improved Learning funding to help them work towards it.
Including a clear goal in their NDIS Plan is important. For example, “I want to complete a TAFE course”, “I want to do training to help me get work” or “I want to build confidence with study” can help ensure the right supports are considered.
What learning-related supports can the NDIS fund?
Depending on your young person’s needs and goals, the NDIS may fund supports that help with:
- Course applications
- Orientation and getting familiar with the campus
- Planning and managing study workload
- Setting up a student budget
- Specialised transport if needed because of disability
- Organising student accommodation or living arrangements
- Transitioning from high school to further education.
What education providers are responsible for.
Schools, universities, TAFEs and training organisations must provide reasonable adjustments so students with disability can access learning on the same basis as others. This might include:
- Disability support or accessibility services
- Adjustments to assessments or exams
- Accessible learning materials
- Note-taking or captioning support
- Assistive technology that is standard for all students.
Case study: Amelia’s story.
Amelia has cerebral palsy and recently started a law degree. Although she manages most things independently, the shift from a small school to a large university campus took some adjusting. She was excited about her course but unsure how she would handle the longer days, the fast pace of lectures and finding her way around a new environment.
Before uni started, Amelia met with her occupational therapist to plan what her week might look like and how to pace her energy. She also used her NDIS funding to have a support worker come with her during orientation week. Spending time on campus, working out where her classes were and practising the routes between buildings helped her get familiar with the layout.
Her university’s disability support service helped too, organising a quiet room for exams and extra time when she needed it.
Looking back on her first year, Amelia feels she handled the change better than she expected. “Once I knew where everything was and had a routine that worked for me, it all started to feel pretty normal,” she says.
7. Employment and the NDIS.
What you need to know.
- The NDIS funds supports to help young people prepare for, find and keep a job
- School Leaver Employment Supports (SLES) can help some school leavers build work skills
- Employment supports are usually funded under Finding and Keeping a Job budget category.
Getting ready for work.
Work can look different for every young adult. It might be open employment, supported employment, casual work, self-employment, starting a micro-business or volunteering.
If your young person has goals like ‘getting a job’, ‘earning money’, ‘building work skills’ or ‘moving into open employment’, NDIS employment supports may be able to help.
Employment supports can cover the whole journey, including:
- Working out a job or career pathway
- Transitioning from school to work or further training
- Getting a job and settling in
- Staying employed and planning the next career step.
Tip. When you talk to your LAC, NDIA Planner or support coordinator, you can ask:
• What options are available locally for school leavers and young adults
• Whether funding should sit under Finding and Keeping a Job, Supports in Employment, or both.
Types of NDIS employment supports.
Core – Supports in Employment.
These supports are usually about practical assistance in the workplace or to get to work. They are most helpful when a person is less independent with work tasks or needs coaching to stay on track.
Supports might include:
- Workplace assessments to understand the impact of disability
- Support with communication or behaviour at work
- Help learning workplace expectations and routines
- Travel support to and from the job
- Personal care at work, such as help with toileting, eating and drinking.
These supports are generally funded from Core – Assistance with Social, Economic and Community Participation, when specified in the plan.
Capacity Building – Finding and Keeping a Job.
This budget is about building skills and capacity around employment and career. It usually sits alongside what is reasonably provided by employers or Disability Employment Services (DES), not instead of them.
Supports might include:
- Exploring job interests and strengths
- Communication skills for work
- Employment-specific assessment or counselling by an allied health professional
- Building foundation skills like following instructions, problem solving and working with others
- Managing complex barriers to employment, such as mental health or fluctuating conditions
- Job customisation or support to change jobs
- Planning a pathway from an Australian Disability Enterprise (ADE) into open employment.
School Leaver Employment Supports (SLES).
SLES is for people on the NDIS who are finishing school, typically aged 16-26 and are working towards employment, and is funded from the Capacity Building – Finding and Keeping a Job budget. The goal of this program is to prepare young people for work by building the foundational skills needed to find and keep a job.
What the NDIS will not fund.
The NDIS will not duplicate mainstream employment systems or employer responsibilities.
It generally will not fund:
- Government employment programs like DES or Workforce Australia
- Reasonable adjustments that employers must make, such as most workplace modifications
- Wages, wage subsidies, business start-up costs or general employee training.
Employers still have a legal responsibility to be inclusive and make reasonable adjustments for workers with disability.
Ellen’s story. Putting an NDIS Plan to work.
Ellen is 26 and was diagnosed with autism at 18, just after finishing high school.
“It was difficult during high school because I hadn’t been diagnosed, so it was a struggle with learning,” she says. “I struggled with the schoolwork and I struggled with fitting in and finding a group of friends.”
Getting started.
Ellen received her first NDIS Plan two years after her diagnosis. With her dad as her plan nominee, they make decisions together about the therapies and activities she takes on.
Over the years, she has used her funding for a range of supports, including a community life skills program where she learned practical skills such as banking, hygiene, cooking, and travelling in a group. When the program closed, Ellen looked for new activities that aligned with her goals and routines.
Ellen’s NDIS goals.
- Building friendships and social skills within the community
- Building independent living skills to move out of home
- Attend life skills development programs and allied health therapy
- Increase independence from dad in daily activities.
Putting supports and funding in place.
- Support worker at home and in the community: One day a week, a support worker helps at home, goes to the gym with Ellen and supports quick trips to the shops
- Community participation: Ellen attends a weekly group and is learning landscaping skills like digging, planting and using “I even learned how to drill!”
- Occupational therapy (OT): Every second Tuesday, Ellen sees her OT to build skills like reading social cues, something that helps her at her job at Big W where she has worked for the past seven They also focus on practical cooking strategies, including writing recipes in a way that makes sense for her.
Working with a support coordinator.
For Ellen, getting the most from her NDIS Plan is a team effort, one where she, her dad and support coordinator Natalie are all part of the conversation.
“I remember our first meeting, Ellen was on the loudspeaker with her dad and it was great,” says Natalie. “Sometimes people don’t want to talk on the phone, especially teenagers and even some adults, but with Ellen, she was right there in the conversation.”
Natalie helps link all the pieces together so everyone is on the same page. Early on, she found a new occupational therapist when Ellen’s waitlist dragged on. “We got the new OT on board and started sharing information straight away,” she says.
She also spends time helping Ellen and her dad plan ahead. Together, they’ve talked about future education or training and the possibility of Ellen moving out of the home.
Part of that planning is thinking ahead to times when her dad might not be able to support her, whether that’s a hospital stay or another unexpected event. “We’ve been building a wall of support, connecting with providers, getting communication flowing, so everyone’s ready to step in if needed.”
Looking ahead.
Ellen’s big goal is to live more independently. “I want to be able to cook more and be more independent so I can live on my own,” she says.
More from Leap in! and partners.
8. Home and living options: ILO, SIL and SDA.
What you need to know.
- Start with your young person’s own vision for what feels comfortable, supportive and right for them?
- There are many different housing options to explore, such as renting, buying, living with family or sharing with friends
- NDIS supports can be shaped around different living options
- The NDIS looks for a clear picture of your young person’s goals and solid evidence of the support they need.
1. Start with the life, not the funding.
Planning for independent living is one of the most significant and exciting milestones for young adults and their families. The process can feel overwhelming especially if families jump straight into NDIS funding types, like SDA, SIL, ILO (more on that below), before defining what a successful, fulfilling life actually looks like.
2. Create a vision for home.
A strong vision frees your young person from traditional, one-size-fits-all models and opens the way to personalised options. It centres on quality of life, belonging and the supports that help them grow and thrive.
Below are key questions to explore together. There are no right or wrong answers, this is simply about capturing what matters.
The person
- What’s important to the person about their home?
- What are their rhythms (early riser, night owl)?
- What kinds of things do they want to be able to do or achieve (work, study, hobbies) by living in their home?
- What role/s do they want to have in their home (eg. the chef, the organiser, the gardener, the entertainer)?
The household
- Do they want to live alone or with others?
- Is sharing with someone who provides some support an option?
- If sharing, what characteristics matter – age, lifestyle, routines, culture or interests?
- Do they want a pet or have an assistance animal?
The home and location
- Where do they feel most connected? Near family, friends, work or study?
- What accessibility features are essential?
- Do they need to be close to transport or specialist services?
- Are there community groups or activities that matter?
The support
- What happens overnight?
- What keeps them safe?
- Which daily tasks need help and which could be learned with support?
- Are there safety systems or equipment needed?
How others are doing it.
Paul lives with a supportive housemate. Sherlyn is living with Serena in Serena’s home (host arrangement). Anna is living with friends and using SIL funding. Trevor lives independently in an SDA apartment.
3. How can you start gathering information?
Once your young person’s vision is clearer, the next step is showing the NDIA what support they need day to day. As a starting point, you can:
1. Map current support.
Create a record of each day for a couple of weeks. Write down what you already help with, including planning, prompting and organising and how long you spend doing this. This shows the level of support needed if family help was not available.
2. Document task abilities.
Ask allied health professionals to outline what your young person can do on their own, what they can do with setup help and what needs direct support. An OT will need to undertake an assessment and make recommendations if you are asking for home and living funding.
3. Clarify support across the day.
Instead of saying “my child needs 24/7 support”, describe exactly when support is needed, how close it needs to be and where technology or capacity building could increase independence.
Managing your concerns: Turning fear into safeguards.
It is natural to have questions about your young person’s safety, especially when thinking about them living more independently.
As Libby Ellis, lead consultant for Mable’s home and living service, explains, those concerns can actually be useful. They point to:
- Where your young person might be vulnerable
- What needs to be in place to keep them safe
- Who needs to be in their life and checking in regularly.
The ‘What if’ planning matrix.
A simple way to work through questions is to map them out. The matrix uses four key questions to turn a worry into a practical safeguard and helps you see what support your child may need as they become more independent.
What if…?
What is my concern?
Example: What if Robert gets overly distressed by loud environmental noises, such as the vacuum cleaner. He will get focused on the sound and may attempt to leave home.
How to lessen the chance.
Proactive step: Document all the triggering sounds. The vacuum cleaner is only used when Robert is out of the house.
What would we do if it did happen?
Back-up plan: Robert has access to noise-cancelling headphones and a designated quiet space in the house in the event of an unexpected loud noise.
How could the NDIS help?
Link to goals and evidence: OT assessment to design the sensory environment and create the specific sensory support plan.
“The best safeguards are not just a secured door. They are a strong vision, a robust support model, and a committed network of people who know our children, care about them and will actively protect their right to a full life.” – Libby Ellis.
Ella’s* story.
Ella* always knew she wanted more independence but did not want to lose the support and connection of living close to her family. Working part-time at Coles, she saved over several years and, with her family’s help, built a tiny home in her parents’ garden. Ella needs 24-hour support, so her provider used her funding to design a flexible roster of staff around her daily routine, rather than fitting her into a traditional group home. Now she has her own front door, her own space and her own routines, while staying close to the people and places that matter most to her.
*Name changed.
4. Home and living options: ILO, SIL and SDA.
Once your young person’s vision and evidence are clear, you can look at the NDIS options that might support it.
The NDIS has three home and living options: Individualised Living Options (ILO), Supported Independent Living (SIL) and Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA).
- ILO and SIL are about support in the home
- SDA is about the house itself (the ‘bricks and mortar’).
A brief explainer.
- Supported independent living is for people who need a significant amount of help throughout the day, 7 days a A common arrangement involves two to four people living in the same home with support workers always available. This is also known as shared supported accommodation or a group home. (For more information on SIL, see the NDIS website.)
- Individualised living options like SIL, is about the supports your young person needs to live in their It is a way for them to explore different ways of living other than shared supported accommodation or a group home. (For more information on ILO, read NDIS Individualised Living Options (ILO): Support to live your way.)
- Specialist disability accommodation is funding for specially designed housing for people with extreme functional impairment or very high support needs and is separate from the funding that pays for support workers. You might think about SDA if your young person has very high support needs or their disability makes it hard to live in housing that most people live (For more information on SDA, check the NDIS website.)
Good to know. If your young person needs less than 6 hours of support daily, they can use their Core Supports funding to support them in their home.
More info on this topic.
• Mable’s resources on Home and living planning
• My Home My Way
• ILO Toolkit
• More stories
Content in this chapter has been informed by resources from Libby Ellis, lead consultant with Mable Home & Living Consultants and the Housing Hub. Mable Home and Living Consultants can help you plan and achieve your vision for home with NDIS support.
Leap in! and Mable are part of the Attain Healthtech group.
9. How Leap in! can help.
As your young person transitions into adulthood and becomes the decision-maker for their NDIS Plan, you can still be involved with their permission.
Leap in! can help you both understand the plan together, track budgets and goals in the app and help ease the admin burden of managing their plan.
Staying involved.
The day your young person turns 18, Leap in! must treat them as the primary contact for their NDIS Plan (unless there is another arrangement in place with the NDIA).
That does not mean you have to step out. It means we need your young person to provide consent for you to stay involved if that’s what they want.
Practically, that can be as simple as:
- You and your teen calling Leap in! together so they can say, “I’m happy for you to talk with Mum/Dad about my plan.”
- Your young person calling us themselves and confirming who they want us to speak with.
Once we have their consent recorded, we can keep talking with you about budgets, invoices and questions, while still recognising them as the decision-maker.
If your young person is not able to give consent, you will need to go through the NDIA nominee process with your LAC (see more about consent in Chapter 1).
Understanding the NDIS Plan together.
Leap in! offers ‘Understand your plan’ sessions so your young person can:
- Understand the funding in their NDIS Plan
- Know what the different budget categories are
- Discuss the kinds of supports they can use.
You can do this together on the phone or online. Many families find this helpful as part of ‘handing over’ some responsibility, without expecting an 18-year-old to suddenly manage everything alone.
Plan management for teens and young adults.
Most young people don’t want to spend their time paying invoices or trying to understand NDIS price limits. Plan management takes the admin off their plate so they can focus on study, work, friends and life.
With plan management through Leap in!:
- We receive and pay invoices on their behalf
- We check every claim against the plan and NDIS rules
- We keep clear records and flag any issues or overspending early
- Your young person keeps full choice and control over the providers they use.
The Leap in! app also helps your teen understand their budget, update goals and see how their funding is tracking – all in one simple place.
And when they’re ready to find the right supports, our matching service with Mable can help connect them with support workers who fit their interests, routines and goals.
Connect with us.
- Call us: 1300 05 78 78 (AEST)
- Email us: [email protected]
- Chat with us online: Available on our website, Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm (AEST)
- TY voice call: 133 677
- Speak & listen: 1300 555 727
- SMS Relay: 0423 677 767
- If you need an interpreter: Call 131 450 and ask them to call Leap in! on 07 3724 0368
- Via post: GPO Box 1744, Brisbane QLD 4001
Our office hours are 9am to 5pm AEST, Monday to Friday.