Arrival and Registration  

Welcome and Introductions 

Opening Address : Hon Hannah Beazley MLA 

Thousands of Australians with disability in regional and remote Western Australia are set to benefit from a major initiative designed to improve access to tailored NDIS services.

The Joint Work Program, a collaboration between the Federal and Western Australian Governments, is being rolled out across 5 regional areas: the South-West, Gascoyne, Great Southern, Wheatbelt, and Goldfields-Esperance.

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This presentation will explore how the program aims to strengthen NDIS delivery in regional and remote areas, with a focus on First Nations participants and other priority cohorts.

Building on insights from a $7.6 million pilot in Katanning, the program emphasises community-led approaches, working directly with people with disability, families, carers, and local disability organisations to identify service gaps and develop tailored solutions.

The session will be essential for policy makers, disability service providers, SDA developers, local government representatives, and community organisations committed to improving equitable access to the NDIS and inclusive housing solutions across Western Australia’s regional and remote communities.​

From mid-2026, the NDIS will implement a structured, rule-based planning framework that will affect SDA supports within participant plans nationwide. This session provides a national overview of the reforms and their practical implications for WA providers.

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Delegates will explore:

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• How plan structures and funding consistency impact SDA support allocations.

• Changes in appeals and reassessment pathways influencing budget certainty and participant access.

• Adjustments to provider engagement and operational practices to align with new planning timelines.

• Opportunities to streamline service delivery while maintaining participant-centred outcomes.

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Attendees will gain practical strategies to navigate the new planning framework and ensure SDA operations are fully aligned with the mid-2026 reforms.

Morning Tea 

Securing a suitable home under the NDIS is only one part of the journey for participants with complex needs.

The long-term success of an SDA placement depends on the quality, coordination, and sustainability of wrap-around supports -a coordinated network of services that surrounds the participant, addressing their health, behavioural, daily living, and community needs.

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Wrap-around supports are essential for:

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• Preventing crisis and hospital readmissions: Participants with complex needs are vulnerable to health deterioration, behavioural escalation, or social isolation. When wrap-around supports are coordinated effectively, health issues can be monitored early, behavioural supports can prevent crises, and care teams can respond quickly to changes. This is especially critical during hospital-to-community transitions.

• Improving quality of life and independence: Beyond meeting basic care needs, wrap-around supports help participants build daily living skills, participate in work or community activities, maintain social relationships, and achieve personal goals. This approach moves beyond “supporting needs” to enabling a full, meaningful life in the community.​

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This presentation explores best practice approaches to designing and implementing wrap-around supports when identifying and transitioning into an SDA home.

It will examine how housing providers, support providers, allied health professionals, hospitals, and coordinators can collaborate to ensure the right support ecosystem is in place before and after a participant moves into SDA.​

In 2026, delivering inclusive, accessible, and sustainable homes for people with disability in Western Australia relies on strong partnerships between government, SDA providers, community housing organisations, and support services.

This presentation highlights effective collaborative models that are shaping WA’s disability and social impact housing landscape. Delegates will gain insight into how cross-sector partnerships are designed, implemented, and evaluated to deliver meaningful social outcomes alongside housing supply.

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Key focus areas include:

• Legacy Stock, Redevelopment & Transition Mapping: Leveraging KPMG statistics and example programs to guide SDA and SIL providers through redevelopment, transition planning, and practical implementation pathways.

• Integrated Delivery Models: Showcasing joint planning and execution strategies that combine SDA builds, community housing stock, and wrap-around supports to create holistic housing solutions.

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What attendees will gain:

• Practical insights into building and sustaining partnerships across the housing and disability sectors.

• Strategies to integrate support services with housing delivery to meet the diverse needs of participants.

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This session is essential for SDA and community housing providers, government and local authority representatives, investors, support agencies, and anyone involved in disability-inclusive housing solutions in Western Australia.

Transitioning participants from the child protection system into adult NDIS Specialist Disability Accommodation is a critical period that requires careful planning, collaboration, and risk management.

This session focuses on strategies to ensure safe, compliant, and low-risk housing outcomes for young people aged 15 and above as they move into adult SDA.

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Delegates will explore:

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• Key considerations for planning successful transitions from child safety to adult NDIS SDA.

• Coordinating supports across multiple agencies to maintain continuity of care.

• Addressing compliance, safety, and risk mitigation in housing placements.

• Practical approaches for engaging participants and families in decision-making.

• Case studies highlighting effective WA-based transition models and lessons learned.

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Attendees will leave with actionable strategies to support young people in achieving stable, secure, and person-centred housing outcomes as they enter adulthood.

Q& A and panel session 

Lunch 

With the July SIL registration deadline approaching, SDA providers must ensure housing management is separated from support delivery to remain NDIS-compliant.

This session provides practical guidance on operational, governance, and participant-focused considerations, while also highlighting why investors in SDA assets need to understand the implications.

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Key discussion points include:

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• Regulatory rationale for separating SDA housing and SIL support services.

• Operational strategies for providers to maintain compliance and deliver high-quality participant outcomes.

• Critical financial and strategic considerations for investors, including occupancy ratios, funding allocations, and cash flow impacts — because if SIL providers cannot meet the required ratios, participants may not be serviced, directly affecting SDA provider revenue and investor returns.

• Structuring provider-investor arrangements to safeguard compliance, mitigate risk, and support sustainable service delivery and investment performance.

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Attendees will gain insights to align provider operations with NDIS requirements and understand the financial and operational implications for investors, ensuring SDA services are compliant, viable, and sustainable for both participants and stakeholders.​

The landscape of Specialist Disability Accommodation  is increasingly shaped by complex legal and advocacy challenges that affect participants, providers, and investors alike.

As NDIS reforms roll out in 2026 - including changes to external appeal rights, administrative processes, and regulatory enforcement - understanding these challenges is critical to maintaining safe, compliant, and sustainable housing outcomes.

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This session will explore:

• Accessing and Appealing SDA Funding Decisions

• Planned changes to external review mechanisms (AAT/ART) may reduce participants’ ability to obtain legally enforceable reconsideration of their funding.

• Implications for SDA participants: limited recourse could delay access to appropriate housing and essential supports.

• Provider impact: potential uncertainty in funding continuity and operational planning.

• Administrative Appeals and Participant Burden

• Many Participants represent themselves in appeals while the NDIA engages external legal counsel, creating inequities.

• Limited advocacy resources mean participants may divert plan funding or time away from frontline supports, affecting quality of life.

• Emotional and practical stress on participants and families highlights the need for improved support pathways.

• NDIA Payment Holds and Administrative Delays

• Consequences for providers include cashflow pressures, risk to service continuity, and increased administrative burden.​

In 2026, Specialist Disability Accommodation  providers face a dynamic funding landscape shaped by the NDIA’s ongoing pricing reforms and CPI-indexed adjustments.

Understanding these changes is critical for aligning operational plans, optimising investment decisions, and maintaining participant-focused housing outcomes.

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This session provides a comprehensive overview of SDA pricing and funding trends, covering both immediate 2025–26 benchmarks and longer-term adjustments anticipated through 2026. Delegates will gain clarity on how pricing reforms affect provider revenue models, investment planning, and participant plan structures, particularly in high-cost or low-demand regions.​

Afternoon break 

In 2026, Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) is navigating a period of significant policy, regulatory, and planning evolution.

The NDIA’s ongoing SDA Design Standard review and discussions on potential SDA Rules reform are creating opportunities to modernise the sector, ensure compliance, and enhance participant outcomes

At the same time, national and state-level trends — influenced by government policy, Royal Commission recommendations, and shifting community expectations — are driving a move toward smaller, flexible, community-integrated housing that promotes independence and social inclusion.

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This expert panel brings together regulatory advisors, SDA providers, investors, and participant representatives to explore the intersection of policy, design, rules, and planning trends, offering a comprehensive view of the future SDA landscape.

Key discussion points include:

• Implications of the Design Standard review for new builds, refurbishments, budgets, and compliance planning.

• Potential SDA Rules reforms and alignment with updated design, funding, and operational frameworks.

• Strategies for providers to transition from traditional group homes to participant-centred, community-integrated housing.

• National and state policy trends shaping SDA and broader disability housing, including opportunities for innovation and scalable models.

• Practical approaches to future-proof SDA projects, ensuring flexibility, participant choice, and alignment with evolving regulatory requirements.

• Integrating SDA planning within community housing pipelines, leveraging partnerships and land-use planning for inclusive housing outcomes.

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Delegates will gain a clear understanding of how national SDA policy, the Design Standard review, and Rules reform converge with broader community-based housing trends, providing actionable guidance for strategic planning, compliance, and investment in 2026 and beyond.

Across Australia, the NDIA is phasing out large group homes, shifting funding toward smaller, individualized Specialist Disability Accommodation .

This national reform responds to recommendations from the Disability Royal Commission, which proposes a 15-year transition away from congregate housing to more person-centred, inclusive housing models.

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In Western Australia, the transition has been slower, with many group homes yet to be enrolled in the NDIS

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This presentation examines the implications of this national shift for WA, exploring strategies for aligning local housing with federal policy, ensuring safe and high-quality living environments, and supporting participants through individualized housing options.

Delegates will gain insight into:

• The national policy drivers behind the phase-out of group homes and the push for individualized SDA.

• Challenges and opportunities for WA providers in transitioning existing group homes into NDIS-compliant, person-centred housing.

• Practical approaches to redevelopment, participant engagement, and service integration to meet the needs of diverse individuals.

• Policy alignment with the Disability Royal Commission’s recommendations and the broader goal of inclusive, community-based housing.

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This session is essential for SDA and community housing providers, government representatives, support agencies, and anyone involved in planning or delivering disability housing in Western Australia.

In 2026, delivering Specialist Disability Accommodation in Western Australia is as much about navigating town planning and local government frameworks as it is about meeting participant needs.

Providers face complex zoning restrictions, lengthy approval timelines, and community consultation requirements that can delay projects, increase costs, and limit the availability of accessible, high-quality housing for people with disability.

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This session explores the key planning barriers facing SDA providers and offers practical strategies for overcoming them, ensuring compliance while delivering homes that meet NDIA Design Standards and participant expectations.

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Key focus areas include:

• Zoning and Regulatory Restrictions: Understanding local council requirements, occupancy limits, and special permits for High Physical Support, Robust, and Fully Accessible SDA dwellings.

• Community Engagement: Managing “Not In My Backyard” (NIMBY) concerns and building neighbourhood support for inclusive housing projects.

• Planning vs. Design Compliance: Reconciling SDA Design Standard requirements with local setback, height, and density regulations.

• Infrastructure & Regional Considerations: Addressing land availability, essential services, and council capacity, particularly in regional WA.

• Collaborative Approaches: Partnering with councils, developers, and community housing providers to streamline approvals, align policy, and reduce delivery risk.

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What attendees will gain:

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• Practical insights into navigating WA town planning processes for SDA developments.

• Strategies to accelerate approvals while maintaining participant-centred design and compliance.

• Lessons from case studies demonstrating successful community engagement and council collaboration.

• Guidance on integrating SDA planning into broader community housing initiatives to enhance efficiency and social impact.

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This session is essential for SDA providers, investors, developers, architects, support coordinators, and regulatory stakeholders who want to understand the planning landscape in WA and ensure projects are delivered on time, on budget, and to the highest standards for participants.

Panel and Q & A from the audience 

Networking on the rooftop  and depart