8.30am - 8.55am 

Arrival and Registration  

9.00am - 9.15am

Welcome and Introductions 

9.15am - 10.00am  

The New NDIS Reform Agenda 2026: SIL Sustainability, Compliance and Operational Readiness

David Moody 

Management Governance Australia 

The Supported Independent Living sector is entering a period of significant change as NDIS reforms, funding pressures and strengthened regulatory oversight reshape provider responsibilities and participant outcomes.

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This session provides a strategic overview of the 2026 NDIS reform agenda and examines how emerging policy changes are influencing SIL funding, participant reassessments, housing and support separation, workforce requirements and provider sustainability.

It also explores the practical implications of the new SIL Practice Standards, including compliance expectations, audit readiness, governance obligations and quality assurance frameworks.

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Attendees will gain a clear understanding of the regulatory environment ahead and learn how to position their organisations for sustainability, compliance and growth while continuing to deliver high-quality participant-centred supports.

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Topics Covered
The 2026 NDIS reform agenda and current national policy priorities.

• Changes to participant planning, funding assessments and budget decisions.

• The future direction of Supported Independent Living funding and commissioning.

• The impact of housing and support separation on service delivery models.

• Understanding the new SIL Practice Standards and regulatory expectations.

• Preparing for audits, surveillance activities and compliance reviews.

• Governance, quality assurance and workforce capability requirements.

• Managing provider sustainability and business risk in a changing environment.

• Building systems that support continuous improvement and participant outcomes.

• Strategic planning for organisational resilience under ongoing reform.

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10.00am - 10.30am 
Strengthening Safeguards: Implications of the NDIS Integrity & Safeguarding Bill 

Catherine Myers

NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission

This session provides an in-depth examination of the NDIS Amendment (Integrity and Safeguarding) Bill 2025 and its implications for SIL providers in 2026.

Delegates will gain a detailed understanding of how this legislation enhances the NDIS Commission’s regulatory powers, strengthens the integrity of SIL services, and introduces new obligations for providers, auditors, and consultants.

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The presentation focuses on the macro-level regulatory context, exploring how legislative changes translate into sector-wide compliance expectations.

Attendees will examine the Bill’s key provisions, understand the risks of non-compliance, and consider strategic responses to embed proactive safeguards into organisational governance and operations.

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Topics covered include:

• Expanded banning powers for providers, auditors, and consultants posing risks to Participants.

• Strengthened civil and criminal penalties to support compliance enforcement.

• Anti-promotion and marketing measures to protect participants from predatory practices.

• Enhanced investigation and information-gathering powers to support effective oversight.

• Practical implications for SIL providers, including risk management strategies and operational adjustments to align with 2026 requirements.

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Outcomes for Attendees:
Providers will leave with actionable guidance to strengthen organisational safeguards, ensure regulatory compliance, and implement proactive, high-level strategies to maintain safe and high-quality SIL operations under the 2026 reforms.

9.50am - 10.15am 

Morning tea 

10.15am - 10.30am 

Q & A 

10.30am - 11.00am  

Mandatory SIL Registration 2026: Business Continuity, Provider Viability and Navigating the Registration Transition

The move to mandatory registration represents one of the most significant regulatory shifts in the history of Supported Independent Living.

While the reforms aim to strengthen participant safeguards and service quality, they also introduce substantial operational, governance, audit and financial requirements for providers.

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This session explores the strategic implications of mandatory registration for SIL operators, including audit readiness, workforce capability, compliance costs, participant retention, pricing considerations, funding administration changes and organisational sustainability.

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Providers will gain practical insights into balancing compliance obligations with business viability while navigating one of the most significant market transitions since the introduction of the NDIS.

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Topics covered

• The business impact of mandatory registration and the 2026 transition arrangements.

• Registration Group 0138 and the operational changes required for compliance.

• Workforce capability, supervision and compliance obligations.

• Pricing arrangements, claiming pathways and funding administration changes.

• Risk management strategies for providers considering registration.

• Market consolidation, competition and the future SIL provider landscape.

11.00am - 11.45am 

Defensible SIL Rostering: Justifying Support Hours in a High-Scrutiny NDIS

In the evolving National Disability Insurance Scheme environment, SIL rostering has become a frontline compliance and funding issue -not just an operational function.

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Under reform direction from Mark Butler, providers are expected to clearly demonstrate how every rostered hour aligns with functional capacity, participant risk, and “reasonable and necessary” funding criteria.

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As scrutiny increases, inconsistencies between rostered supports and documented need can lead to plan reductions, funding disputes, audit findings, and heightened regulatory risk.

This session will explore how to design and maintain defensible rostering frameworks that align with assessed need while maintaining service quality and workforce sustainability.

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Attendees will gain practical strategies to:

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• Translate functional capacity assessments into justified support hours

• Evidence complex supports including overnight care and shared arrangements

• Strengthen documentation for audit readiness and funding continuity

• Balance participant outcomes, workforce constraints, and funding integrity

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In a more controlled and evidence-driven system, rostering is no longer just about coverage -it’s about defensibility, sustainability, and survival.

11.45am - 12.15pm 

Audience Q & A and Panel  

12.15pm -1.00pm 

Lunch 

1.00pm - 1.45pm

Funding uncertainty, Plan Reviews and SIL Sustainability: Managing risk during NDIS Reassessments and Appeals

Panel Session 

As NDIS planning reforms, support needs assessments and funding reviews continue to reshape the disability sector, Supported Independent Living providers are increasingly required to navigate periods of funding uncertainty while continuing to deliver essential supports.

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Participants may experience funding reductions, delayed reassessments, internal reviews, Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) proceedings, or significant changes arising from evolving planning methodologies and evidence requirements.

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For SIL providers, these situations create complex operational, financial and ethical challenges, particularly where participants continue to require high-intensity support despite funding outcomes remaining unresolved.

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This session explores the growing impact of NDIS funding uncertainty on SIL service delivery, provider sustainability and participant outcomes. Delegates will examine emerging trends in plan reassessments, funding reductions, review processes and appeals, while considering practical strategies for managing occupancy, workforce commitments, service continuity and financial exposure during periods of funding instability.

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The session will also explore the critical role of Functional Capacity Assessments (FCAs), allied health evidence and participant documentation in funding decisions, reassessments and appeals. Attendees will gain insight into the evidence gaps that commonly contribute to funding reductions, what constitutes persuasive evidence for SIL supports, and how providers can work collaboratively with occupational therapists, support coordinators, participants and families to strengthen review and appeal outcomes.

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In addition, delegates will examine the responsibilities of providers, support coordinators and participant representatives when funding decisions are disputed, and how organisations can strengthen governance frameworks to manage risk while maintaining participant-centred service delivery.

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Topics Covered

• Understanding NDIS reassessments, funding reviews and the evolving planning framework.

• The impact of funding reductions and delayed decisions on SIL participants and providers.

• Navigating internal reviews and Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) processes.

• The role of Functional Capacity Assessments (FCAs) and allied health evidence in SIL funding decisions.

• Common evidence gaps that contribute to funding reductions and unsuccessful review outcomes.

• What makes evidence persuasive when demonstrating ongoing SIL support requirements.

• Managing service continuity where participant funding is uncertain or under dispute.

• Financial risk management, occupancy pressures and cashflow considerations for SIL providers.

• Working collaboratively with participants, families, support coordinators and allied health professionals during review processes.

• Governance strategies to support organisational sustainability in an environment of increasing funding scrutiny.

• Preparing organisations and participants for future support needs assessments, reassessments and funding reviews.

• Strengthening documentation, reporting and evidence collection to support participant outcomes and funding sustainability.

1.45pm - 2.15pm 

Restrictive Practices in SIL: How everyday support decisions shape Participant freedom

Mark Hunn 

NDIStress 

Restrictive practices in SIL environments rarely begin as formal decisions—they often emerge gradually through everyday routines, staffing pressures, and well-intentioned attempts to manage complexity.

Over time, these patterns can unintentionally reduce participant choice, independence and quality of life, even in well-run services.

This session focuses on the practical reality of support delivery and how frontline decisions—often made under pressure—shape how restrictive or enabling a service becomes.

It explores how staff behaviours, household routines, communication styles, and team habits can either support autonomy or unintentionally limit it.

Rather than focusing on rules or regulatory interpretation, this session is about recognising how “normal practice” develops, how restrictive patterns embed into daily routines, and what providers can do to shift culture and strengthen person-centred support in real time.

Topics Covered:
•    How restrictive practices emerge gradually through routine SIL operations 
•    The impact of workforce pressure, habits and shift-to-shift variation 
•    Identifying “quiet restriction” in everyday support delivery 
•    How team culture influences participant autonomy 
•    Practical ways to rebuild enabling routines without increasing risk or workload 
•    Strengthening consistency in support without relying on rigid systems 
•    Real examples of shifting from reactive support to proactive engagement

2.15pm - 2.45pm

Workforce Governance & Capability Assurance for SIL Services in 2026

This session explores the evolving workforce requirements under the strengthened 2026 NDIS regulatory and compliance environment, with a focus on governance, capability assurance, and risk management in Supported Independent Living settings.

Providers will examine how workforce systems must now demonstrate not only compliance with mandatory requirements, but also ongoing competency, suitability, and risk awareness in high-support and shared living environments.

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Topics include:

• Workforce screening requirements, including national criminal history checks and suitability assessments

• Competency-based workforce frameworks for SIL and shared living environments

• Embedding capability assurance into day-to-day service delivery and governance systems

• Workforce planning for complex and high-risk participant support environments

• Incident prevention, escalation pathways, and organisational accountability

• Ongoing professional development linked to compliance, quality, and participant safety outcomes

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Outcome: Providers will leave with practical strategies to strengthen workforce governance, embed capability assurance systems, and maintain a compliant, skilled, and risk-aware workforce aligned with 2026 SIL regulatory expectations.

2.45pm - 3.30pm 

Q & A 

3.30pm - 4.30pm

Networking and Depart