Touring a SIL House?
The Twelve Questions That
Tell You Everything

About the people

1. Who are the current housemates, and how were they matched?

Compatibility determines daily life in shared accommodation more than any other factor. Ask how residents were matched, what the mix of needs and ages looks like, and what happens when a match is not working. A provider who treats matching as first-come-first-served is filling beds, not building homes.

2. Will my family member meet the housemates before committing?

There should be a transition process: visits, shared meals, an overnight stay. Anyone pushing for a quick decision on a vacancy is solving their problem, not yours.

3. Who actually works in the house?

Ask how many regular staff are rostered, how long they have been with the provider, and how often casuals fill gaps. High worker turnover in a SIL house is destabilising for everyone living there.

About the support

4. What does the overnight arrangement really mean?

"24/7 support" can mean an awake staff member all night or one asleep down the hall. Both are legitimate models with different price points; you just need to know which one your family member is getting and whether it matches their needs.

5. How are health needs managed?

Medication systems, clinical oversight, escalation when someone deteriorates, hospital communication. If your family member has health complexities, ask to see how the provider documents and audits this, not just hear that they do.

6. How does the house handle behaviour support?

If any resident has a behaviour support plan, staff should be trained in it. Ask about restrictive practice authorisation and reporting. Hesitation on this topic is disqualifying.

7. What does daily life actually look like?

Ask for a normal week: who cooks, who shops, what residents do on weekends, how individual routines are accommodated. The answer reveals whether residents shape the household or fit around a staff roster.

About the money and the agreement

8. What exactly does the SIL funding cover, and what will be charged separately?

Rent, board, utilities and groceries sit outside SIL funding. Get the full picture of out-of-pocket costs in writing before any agreement.

9. Is the provider delivering both the housing and the support?

Sometimes one organisation owns the property and another delivers support. Neither model is wrong, but you need to know who is accountable for what, and what happens to the tenancy if you change support providers.

10. What are the exit terms?

Read the part of the agreement covering notice periods and what happens if the placement is not working, before you sign, not after.

About accountability

11. How do residents and families raise concerns, and what happened with the last complaint?

Every provider has complaints. The good ones can tell you how the process works and give you a sense of how issues get fixed. The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission also takes complaints directly, and a provider should tell you that without being asked.

12. Can we speak to a current family?

A provider proud of their houses will find a family willing to talk. Take the opportunity.

Where GoodCare fits

GoodCare Disability Services helps families choosing SIL accommodation Western Sydney-wide, delivering supported independent living Liverpool, Blacktown and the wider region, with consistent staffing, clinical oversight for residents with health needs, and a matching process we will happily walk you through, because we wrote this list from the questions we believe families are entitled to ask us.