Many SIL providers assume a fixed national staffing ratio exists. It doesn’t. The NDIS Practice Standards require providers to determine staffing ratios through a documented, individualised process based on each participant’s plan, support needs, and risk profile.
This guide explains what the framework requires, how ratios are determined and documented, what auditors look for, and how staffing decisions connect to SIL costs.
What the NDIS Practice Standards Actually Say About SIL Staffing
The Practice Standards take a needs-based approach. They do not prescribe fixed staffing numbers for any SIL home.
What the framework does require is specific. Staffing levels must be sufficient to deliver the support commitments documented in each participant’s NDIS plan and Roster of Care.
Providers must document a clear, risk-informed rationale for the ratio used in each home. This rationale must be reviewed whenever a participant’s circumstances change materially.
From 1 July 2026, strengthened SIL-specific Practice Standards and mandatory registration apply to all SIL providers. This brings workforce governance under far greater scrutiny than in previous years.
Understanding SIL Support Ratios (What 1:1, 1:2, and 1:3 Actually Mean)
Providers work with three common support ratios in shared living arrangements. Each one changes what a shift roster needs to look like.
1:3 — One Worker, Three Participants
This is the most common SIL arrangement in shared homes. It suits participants who need regular prompting and assistance but remain relatively independent day to day.
Operationally, this looks like shared morning routines, group meal preparation, and prompting spread across the day. It carries the lowest per-participant staffing cost, since one wage is divided three ways.
This ratio only works where no resident requires dedicated or immediate individual attention. One high-need resident can make a 1:3 arrangement unsafe for the whole household.
1:2 — One Worker, Two Participants
A 1:2 ratio gives each participant more hands-on time. Workers can spend more time on personal care, skill-building, and individualised community access.
This ratio suits participants with higher personal care needs or more frequent prompting requirements. The cost sits between 1:3 and 1:1, reflecting the smaller group size.
1:1 — One Worker, One Participant
A 1:1 ratio provides continuous dedicated support for a single participant. It is required where a participant cannot safely share support time.
This includes complex behaviours of concern, high medical support needs, two-person transfers, or constant supervision requirements. The cost implications are significant, so providers need strong evidence to justify this ratio in a plan and Roster.
Blended Ratios
Many shared SIL homes run blended ratios. A single house might support one 1:1 participant alongside two 1:3 participants under the same roof.
This requires careful rostering to meet each individual’s funded commitments at the same time. It is one of the most operationally complex scenarios providers manage.
| Ratio | Who It Suits | Relative Cost | Key Compliance Consideration |
| 1:3 | Independent participants needing light prompting | Lowest per person | No resident can require dedicated attention |
| 1:2 | Moderate personal care needs | Medium | More frequent hands-on support time |
| 1:1 | Complex behaviours, medical needs, two-person transfers | Highest | Strong documented rationale required |
| Blended | Mixed-need households | Varies by resident | Roster must meet each participant’s plan separately |
How SIL Staffing Ratios Are Determined — The Six-Step Process
Setting a compliant ratio follows a structured sequence. Skipping steps is one of the most common sources of audit findings.
Step one: Review each participant’s NDIS plan and funded support hours. This is the starting point for every ratio decision.
Step two: Review or conduct a SIL quote and Roster of Care. This document itemises shift types, overnight arrangements, and total funded hours.
Step three: Assess support needs and risk across all residents in the home. Household dynamics matter as much as individual assessments.
Step four: Document the rationale explicitly, in writing, per home. Reference participant-specific needs assessments rather than general assumptions.
Step five: Align the actual roster to the documented ratio. Rostering below the agreed Roster is a non-conformance under the NDIS Act 2013.
Step six: Review ratios when participant needs change materially. Health events, new behaviour support plans, new residents, or updated restrictive practice authorisations all trigger a review.
Overnight Support — Active vs Sleepover and Why It Matters for Staffing
Overnight staffing splits into two distinct models. Each has different requirements, costs, and audit expectations.
Active overnight support means the worker stays awake and actively available all night. It suits participants with nighttime personal care needs, seizure management, medication schedules, behaviour support requirements, or constant supervision needs.
Active overnight costs significantly more than sleepover support. Providers must document the rationale and show clear capacity to respond to incidents during these hours.
Sleepover support means the worker sleeps on-site but is available if needed. This suits participants who are generally settled overnight.
Even so, the provider must explicitly document how incidents will be handled during sleepover periods. This is a specific area of auditor attention under the strengthened 2026 Practice Standards.
| Overnight Type | When Required | Cost Impact | Compliance Requirement |
| Active overnight | Nighttime medical, behaviour, or supervision needs | High | Documented rationale and incident response capacity |
| Sleepover | Participant generally settled overnight | Lower | Clear written incident response procedure |
Key Risk Factors That Drive Higher Staffing Ratios
Certain participant and household factors consistently push ratios higher. Providers need stronger documentation whenever these are present.
- Behaviours of concern requiring behaviour support plans and restrictive practice authorisations, particularly where strategies call for an immediate two-staff response
- Complex medical support needs, including PEG feeding, seizure management, or respiratory support
- Two-person manual handling requirements that structurally need two workers on shift regardless of the general household ratio
- Mixed household dynamics, where one resident’s behaviours create safety risks for others and require dedicated rather than shared supervision
- Active overnight requirements where a participant’s safety cannot be assured under a sleepover model
What SIL Staffing Ratios Mean for Cost
Staffing ratios drive SIL costs directly. Providers managing Rosters, and participants trying to understand their funding, both need to see this connection clearly.
Cost drivers include weekday, weekend, and public holiday rates, along with the gap between active overnight and sleepover pricing. The 2025–26 NDIS Pricing Arrangements changed how these costs are calculated, so always verify current rates before quoting.
Rosters prepared under earlier pricing may need updating. This applies particularly where a participant’s plan has not been reviewed since the most recent Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits came into effect.
For full funding and rate detail, see our guide on [NDIS SIL Funding Explained For Providers].
What Auditors Check During a SIL Staffing Audit
Approved auditing bodies focus on specific evidence when assessing staffing practices. Knowing this list helps providers prepare properly.
Auditors check whether the Roster of Care for each participant matches the funded hours in their NDIS plan. They also check whether the provider holds a written rationale for the staffing ratio used in each home.
They compare actual shift records against rostered and funded commitments. They confirm all workers hold current NDIS Worker Screening clearances.
Auditors also check whether behaviour support plans and restrictive practice authorisations appear in shift handover documentation. Finally, they look for a documented process for reviewing ratios when needs change.
The most common non-conformances are consistent across audits. These include insufficient documentation of ratio rationale, rostering gaps that leave participants under-covered against their plan, and workers delivering supports outside their training.
Join VCCG and Vertex360 for a practical walkthrough of SIL staffing obligations, what auditors assess, and how to prepare your organisation. [Register Free → vertex360.io/sil-webinar/]
Practical Steps to Strengthen Staffing Compliance Now
Start by auditing each SIL home’s current roster against the funded hours in every resident’s active NDIS plan. Identify any gaps immediately.
Make sure every home has a current, signed Roster of Care that reflects actual staffing arrangements on the ground. Document the rationale for the staffing ratio in writing, referencing participant-specific needs assessments.
Check that all workers hold current NDIS Worker Screening clearances. Confirm their documented competencies match the support tasks they actually perform.
Review incident management procedures to confirm after-hours coverage is explicitly addressed. Then schedule staffing ratio reviews into the governance calendar, at minimum annually or whenever circumstances change.
Getting Your Staffing Compliance Right
Staffing ratios sit at the centre of SIL compliance. Getting them wrong creates risk for participants and exposure for providers at audit.
VCCG works with SIL providers on Roster of Care preparation, ratio documentation, and full audit readiness. Our team has guided organisations through the strengthened 2026 Practice Standards from day one.
Book a Free SIL Staffing Compliance Consultation with VCCG
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a fixed national SIL staffing ratio?
No. The NDIS Practice Standards require an individualised, needs-based ratio for each home, documented against participant plans and risk profiles.
How often must staffing ratios be reviewed?
At minimum annually, and immediately whenever a participant’s needs change materially, such as a health event or new behaviour support plan.
What documentation do auditors expect for ratio justification?
A written rationale per home, referencing participant-specific needs assessments, linked to the Roster of Care and funded plan hours.
Is a sleepover model permitted for all participants?
No. Sleepover only suits participants who are generally settled overnight, and providers must still document their incident response procedure for those hours.
What happens if actual staffing falls below the funded Roster?
This is a non-conformance under the NDIS Act 2013. It is one of the most common findings raised during SIL audits.
Can ratios change mid-plan?
Yes. Ratios should change whenever a participant’s needs shift materially, supported by updated documentation and a revised Roster of Care.