8.30am - 8.55am 

Arrival and Registration  

9.00am - 9.15am

Welcome and Introductions 

9.15am - 9.50am 

 The SIL Reset: Commissioning, Cost Control & the Redesign of Supported Living in the new NDIS

The 2026 NDIS reform agenda announced by Mark Butler , marks a fundamental shift from a demand-driven scheme to a controlled, outcomes-based model…

​With the introduction of standardised functional assessments, tighter eligibility thresholds, and a planned transition toward commissioned SIL services from July 2028, the traditional SIL operating model is being reshaped in real time.

Growth is being deliberately constrained, high-cost supports are under intensified scrutiny, and funding is increasingly tied to demonstrable functional need and measurable outcomes.

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These reforms are expected to reduce participant inflows, recalibrate funding intensity, and shift individuals with lower needs into foundational or mainstream supports -placing pressure on occupancy, rostering models, and long-term service viability.

At the same time, SIL providers must navigate increased audit activity, tighter plan management controls, and reduced flexibility in reassessments, all while maintaining quality, workforce stability, and participant outcomes.

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This session will take a system-level view of what the “SIL reset” truly means -exploring the transition from block-funded growth to commissioned service delivery, the evolving SIL–SDA interdependency, and the strategic decisions providers must make now to remain viable in a capped, compliance-driven market.

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Attendees will gain critical insight into how to reposition their services, manage funding risk, and adapt operating models in a future where SIL is no longer guaranteed—but earned through evidence, performance, and alignment with government priorities.

9.50am - 10.15am
Strengthening Safeguards: Implications of the NDIS Integrity & Safeguarding Bill 

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.

10.15am - 10.30am 

Q & A 

10.30am - 10.45am

Morning tea 

10.45am - 11.15am 

Victorian Housing, SIL & Tenancy Governance: Managing Boundaries, Risk & Compliance Under Increased Scrutiny

This session examines the evolving intersection between Victorian housing law and NDIS Supported Independent Living (SIL) arrangements, with a focus on governance, compliance, and operational risk in the current regulatory climate.

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While the legal frameworks governing residential tenancies and SDA arrangements are well established, recent reforms and heightened scrutiny have significantly sharpened expectations around the separation of housing and support provision. Providers are now operating in an environment where tenancy arrangements, service delivery models, and participant choice must be demonstrably independent, well-governed, and free from conflicts of interest.

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Delegates will explore how SIL and SDA arrangements interact with Victorian residential tenancy law in practice, and the implications this has for provider accountability, service continuity, and participant rights.

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Key areas covered include:

• The practical distinction between SDA housing arrangements and residential tenancy agreements within SIL settings

• Evolving expectations around separation of housing provision and support delivery

• Managing provider influence, conflicts of interest, and governance risk within shared living environments

• Navigating exits, disputes, and service continuity where tenancy and SIL arrangements intersect

• Aligning operational practice with Victorian tenancy obligations, safeguarding requirements, and NDIS compliance expectations

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Providers will gain practical insights into strengthening governance frameworks, reducing operational and regulatory risk, and ensuring SIL delivery remains compliant, defensible, and aligned with participant rights in Victoria’s increasingly scrutinised housing environment.

11.15am - 11.45am 
Safeguarding and Incident Management: Strengthening Governance and Compliance in SIL

This session provides a practical, operational focus on how SIL providers can meet strengthened regulatory expectations in daily service delivery. With the 2026 SIL Practice Standards in effect, the NDIS Commission is increasingly focused on incident identification, reporting, escalation, and governance oversight, particularly in shared living environments.

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Attendees will explore how these regulatory expectations translate into frontline practice, learning how to manage restrictive practices, behaviours of concern, psychosocial hazards, and cumulative risk while embedding robust governance and compliance processes.

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Topics covered include:

• Understanding evolving regulatory expectations for incident management in SIL.

• Identifying, reporting, and escalating incidents effectively in shared living settings.

• Managing restrictive practices, psychosocial hazards, and behaviours of concern.

• Strengthening governance oversight and executive accountability for incident response.

• Preparing for audits, compliance reviews, and NDIS Commission investigations.

11.45am - 12.15pm 
NDIS Enforcement & Compliance: Preparing for Intensified Regulatory Oversight

With new SIL Practice Standards and increased NDIS Commission enforcement, providers face elevated expectations in governance, workforce capability, and operational compliance.

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This session will cover:

• The upcoming SIL Practice Standards: participant-centred, human-rights aligned, and workforce-focused.

• Enforcement trends, including corrective actions, registration reviews, and banning orders.

• Strategies for integrating compliance into daily operations, including governance and reporting frameworks.

• Practical approaches for mitigating regulatory risks while maintaining service quality.

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Outcome: Providers will gain in-depth guidance to strengthen governance, reduce compliance risk, and proactively respond to regulatory oversight.

12.15pm - 12.30pm 

Audience Q & A and Panel 

12.30pm - 1.00pm 

Lunch 

1.00pm - 1.30pm 

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.

1.30pm - 2.00pm 

SIL & Support Coordination in the Reset Era: Managing Alignment, Referrals & Risk

SIL providers and Support Coordinators are operating in an increasingly constrained and controlled NDIS environment, where alignment is no longer just best practice -it is critical to service viability.

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Following reform direction from Mark Butler, tighter eligibility, capped growth, and increased scrutiny are reshaping referral pathways, funding decisions, and accountability across the ecosystem.

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Support Coordinators are exercising greater influence over access and continuity of SIL supports, while providers face rising vacancy risk, compliance pressure, and reduced flexibility in service delivery. In this environment, misalignment is not just inefficient -it is a direct commercial and operational risk.

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This session focuses on how to operate effectively within the SIL reset -addressing referral dependency, clarifying roles and expectations, reducing administrative burden, and managing competing priorities around participant choice, workforce capability, and regulatory compliance.

Attendees will gain practical strategies to strengthen alignment, protect occupancy, and build sustainable, transparent partnerships in a system where collaboration and performance are increasingly scrutinised.

2.00pm - 2.30pm 

Navigating Tribunal Reviews in 2026: SIL, SDA, and Funding Implications

This session provides a strategic overview of the evolving NDIS review and appeals landscape in the context of recent federal reforms, including strengthened internal review processes and increased focus on funding integrity, functional evidence, and plan consistency.

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Delegates will explore how emerging review structures, staged funding decisions, and heightened scrutiny of support levels are reshaping dispute pathways and operational risk across SIL and broader disability service delivery.

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Key considerations include:

• The evolving scope of external review mechanisms and their interaction with strengthened internal review processes under current NDIS reform settings

• The implications of increased funding scrutiny for SIL, SDA, plan variations, and service continuity

• Operational risks associated with contested plans, staged funding decisions, and delayed review outcomes

• Downstream impacts on cashflow, workforce stability, housing viability, and governance obligations

• Practical strategies to strengthen evidence preparation, improve review readiness, and support compliant, defensible service delivery

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Attendees will leave with actionable insights to strengthen governance, improve review preparedness, enhance communication with participants and families, and align operational practices with the current and emerging NDIS review and funding integrity environment.

2.30pm - 3.00pm 

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.

3.00pm - 3.40pm

Q & A 

3.45pm- 5.00pm 

Networking and depart