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THE SDA HOUSING PODCAST
The SDA Housing Podcast is a leading voice in the Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) sector, delivering in-depth discussions, expert insights, and the latest updates related to housing solutions for people with disabilities. Through interviews with industry leaders, advocates, and lived-experience voices, we explore policy developments, innovative best practices, and real-world stories shaping the future of disability housing.
Listeners will gain valuable knowledge on emerging trends, sector challenges, and inspiring success stories, making this podcast an essential resource for investors, providers, advocates, and anyone passionate about inclusive housing.
Debbie – General Manager, NDIS Property Australia:
With over 20 years of expertise in tourism, finance, and property, Debbie has played a pivotal role in transforming NDIS Property Australia from a two-person team to a 22-member powerhouse. Her leadership drives the successful marketing, sales, and development of SDA properties nationwide, working closely with builders, designers, lenders, and support providers to ensure high-quality, compliant housing solutions.
Minh – Founder, NDIS Property Australia:
A visionary in the SDA space, Minh is dedicated to accelerating the delivery of purpose-built disability housing across Australia. By fostering collaboration among stakeholders, investors, and NDIS participants, he champions choice, control, and dignity for people with disabilities, ensuring they have access to homes that truly meet their needs.
Together, Debbie and Minh are committed to ethical, sustainable, and impactful solutions in the SDA sector, bridging gaps and driving meaningful change.
Engaging with the SDA Community:
Each week, we feature guest speakers from across the sector, sharing their expertise, experiences, and contributions to social impact in SDA. From innovative housing designs to policy advocacy, our conversations highlight how we can collectively improve living options for NDIS participants.
As the SDA landscape evolves, we invite you—our listeners—to join us on the journey. Whether you're an investor, provider, advocate, builder, developer, parents of participants, or simply passionate about inclusive housing, this podcast equips you with the knowledge to make a difference in the lives of People with Disabilities (PWDs).
Share Your Story:
Have an SDA journey you’d like to share? We’d love to hear from you!
📞 Call us: 1300 254 397
📧 Email us: podcast@ndis.property
🌐 Visit us: www.ndis.property
Join the conversation and help shape a more inclusive future in disability housing.
THE SDA HOUSING PODCAST
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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NDIS PROPERTY AUSTRALIA:
Our team conducts thorough research on Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) and provides appropriate technical advice through premium and strategy-based solutions. We also use complex feasibility calculation spreadsheets to help investors understand the expected annual income of an SDA dwelling, the timeline stages of construction of their property, as well as revealing the hidden costs. By staying up-to-date with the latest SDA data and pricing payments information, we help clients make better-informed decisions and achieve their investment goals.
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CONTACT:
Please feel free to call us on 1300 254 397 to talk to one of our friendly staff, otherwise, just pop on over to our website to find out more.
For any podcast related queries or suggestions, please contact our podcast team via podcast@ndis.property