Closed setting SIL homes – Policy Position Statement by the Summer Foundation
October 2021
Closed setting SIL homes – Policy Position Statement by the Summer Foundation
Tags: for policy makers, Supported Independent Living (SIL)
Description:
The Summer Foundation has released a position statement about the model of housing and support known as, closed setting supported independent living (SIL) homes. This is where the SIL provider owns or head leases a property and is responsible for tenancy management as well as SIL support delivery within the home. The closed setting SIL home model is outdated and does not resemble a contemporary approach to independent living but it is currently responding to demand for housing from NDIS participants who have been deemed ineligible for SDA or are facing SDA approval issues. The model brings risk to NDIS participant safety, compromises housing security and removes a participants right to exercise genuine choice and control.
The Summer Foundation believes that the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission must undertake a quality audit of existing closed-setting SIL homes and implement a regulatory framework as an interim measure, supporting SIL providers to conform to contemporary standards that uphold NDIS participants’ legal rights.
The NDIA must ensure SDA eligible participants do not live in, or are not reliant on, closed setting SIL homes.