Glossary

Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA)

NDIS-funded specialist housing; about where a person lives, not the daily support they receive.

Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) is NDIS funding for housing that has been designed or modified for people with very high support needs. Think purpose-built features like reinforced walls, ceiling hoists, wider doorways or assistive technology. SDA is about the physical home itself, not the day-to-day support a person receives inside it.

That is the key thing to understand: SDA and Supported Independent Living are two different funding streams that often sit side by side. SDA pays for the dwelling, while the personal care, cooking and skill-building support is funded through SIL. A participant can have one without the other.

For workers and providers, the support delivered in an SDA home looks much like any other disability support setting. Anyone providing that support still needs a current NDIS Worker Screening Check, and most providers also expect the NDIS Worker Orientation Module. Because police history is bundled into the worker screening check, there is no separate police check to chase. Tracking those clearances for everyone rostered into an SDA dwelling is straightforward to keep on top of with a worker compliance approach.

See also
Supported Independent Living

This is general information, not compliance advice. Always confirm requirements with the relevant regulator, and remember that providers keep the legal responsibility to sight credentials and decide who can work.

We work hard to keep it accurate, but the rules change and we will not always get every detail right. If you think something here needs updating, email us at resources@koora.care. We would genuinely rather know, because we all do better when we help each other get it right.

Related guides
Disability

Supported Independent Living (SIL): provider compliance

What SIL providers need for NDIS workforce compliance: mandatory registration from 1 July 2026, NDIS Worker Screening Clearances, orientation and audit readiness.

Read guide

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