You might have noticed things shifting. Your family member has grown. They're frustrated by rules they didn't choose, housemates they didn't pick, or a routine that no longer fits who they are. Or maybe nothing dramatic has happened, but a quiet sense has built: this arrangement used to work, and now it doesn't quite.

Leaving a group home under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is a legitimate, supported path. This guide covers when to recognise that group living is no longer the right fit, how to raise the conversation and advocate for change, what the NDIS process for transitioning from group home to independent living actually involves, and what your options look like on the other side. We also look at how families can support the journey practically and emotionally.

When Group Living Is No Longer the Right Fit

Group homes serve an important purpose. For many people, they provide stability, companionship, and consistent support. But they are not the right fit for everyone at every stage of life.

Signs that leaving a group home under the NDIS might be worth exploring include:

• Your family member has limited choice over who they live with, who their support workers are, or what their daily schedule looks like
• Their independence and capacity have grown, but the structure around them hasn't changed to match
• They are regularly expressing frustration, distress, or a clear desire for more privacy or autonomy
• The goals in their NDIS plan, things like community participation, employment, or relationship-building, are not being supported by the current living arrangement
• You notice that the current provider's interests and your family member's interests are not always aligned

Only you and your family member know what's not working. You don't need to have a crisis on your hands to start asking questions.

It's worth knowing the broader context too. Australia's Disability Royal Commission has recommended a phased move away from group home settings toward more individualised options. This is a nationally recognised direction of travel, not a fringe idea. Your family member's aspiration for something more independent is both legitimate and increasingly supported by policy.

If you're wondering whether your family member might be ready for more independent living, our SIL readiness checklist is a practical tool for families and support coordinators at exactly this stage.

How to Raise the Conversation and Advocate for Change

This is the step most guides skip entirely. Recognising that a change is needed is one thing. Knowing how to actually advocate for it, inside a system where the current provider often also manages the support, is another.

Your first call should be to your family member's support coordinator, if one is funded in their plan. This is what support coordinators are there for. They can help you frame the conversation with the current provider, document your family member's expressed preferences, and begin building the case for a housing change request. If no support coordinator is in the plan, you can contact the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) directly.

What to document before raising the conversation formally:

• Your family member's expressed wishes and housing goals, in their own words where possible
• Specific examples of how the current setting limits their choice, independence, or wellbeing
• Evidence from allied health professionals, Occupational Therapists (OTs), psychologists, or speech pathologists, where available, supporting a different living arrangement

The role of families matters here too. You can advocate alongside your family member, attend planning meetings with their agreement, and help compile evidence. But where your family member can participate in the conversation and express their own views, they should lead it. Their voice carries weight with the NDIA.

The discomfort of raising concerns with a current provider is real and normal. Many families hesitate because the provider handles both the housing and the support, and the relationship feels fragile. Document everything in writing. If there are concerns about the quality of care in the current setting, the NDIS Commission has a formal complaints process.

The NDIS Process for Changing Your Housing Arrangement

This is where transitioning from group home to independent living becomes a formal process.

Home and living supports can be changed through two routes. The first is a scheduled plan review, before a plan expires (plans are typically 12 months). The second is an unscheduled review: participants can request a Change of Situation if their circumstances have changed significantly. You don't have to wait for the annual review.

When requesting a housing change, according to the NDIS, participants can submit a Supporting Evidence Form for Home and Living. Allied health reports, particularly OT assessments, carry significant weight. The NDIA looks for functional assessments, the participant's own goals and preferences, and evidence that the current arrangement is not meeting their needs. For more detail on the process itself, see our complete guide to SDA transition steps.

Be honest with yourself about the timeline. SDA-specific assessments typically take 4-8 weeks; complex cases can take 3-6 months. We can't tell you exactly how long it will take. The uncertainty is frustrating, and acknowledging that is more useful than false reassurance.

One practical option worth knowing: Medium Term Accommodation (MTA). According to the NDIS, MTA can fund temporary accommodation for up to 90 days while waiting for a confirmed long-term housing solution. It's a bridge that's often overlooked.

The NDIS guide to requesting home and living supports covers the formal process in detail.

Please note: eligibility and funding decisions are made by the NDIA. This is general information only and does not constitute advice. Speak with your support coordinator or planner for guidance specific to your family member's situation.

Independent Living Options: What They Actually Look Like

There is not one single "independent living" model. Three NDIS-funded options are relevant for people leaving group home arrangements, and they work differently.

Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) is purpose-built accessible housing, funded separately as a line item in the NDIS plan. SDA covers the physical home, not the support. To access it, your family member needs SDA funding approved in their plan, which requires extreme functional impairment or very high support needs as assessed by the NDIA. Not everyone will qualify for SDA, and it's important to be clear-eyed about that. If SDA funding is approved, your family member can choose their own Supported Independent Living (SIL) provider separately. For a detailed breakdown of the difference between SDA and SIL, our comparison guide covers this well.

Supported Independent Living (SIL) is the support services, not the building. SIL funding pays for the workers and assistance your family member receives. It can be delivered in a private rental, SDA home, or other setting, and can range from 24/7 support to daytime-only or drop-in arrangements. If your family member needs more information on what SIL involves day to day, our complete introduction is a good starting point.

Individualised Living Options (ILO) is a flexible alternative that focuses on the support arrangements rather than the dwelling itself. ILO can include living with a host family, co-residency, or other participant-designed arrangements. It follows a two-stage NDIA process: an exploration phase, then an implementation phase. ILO may be more accessible for participants whose needs are less complex and who don't qualify for SDA.

For the full overview of home and living options available through the NDIS, the NDIS home and living options page is the authoritative reference.

Paramount Disability Homes provides SDA across Melbourne's northern, eastern, and western suburbs. Our properties are purpose-built with the accessibility features participants need, and we focus on locations close to family networks and community connections. If your family member may qualify for SDA funding, browse our SDA homes in Melbourne to see what's available across the city.

How Families Can Support the Transition

The practical side of this process matters. So does everything else.

For a person who has lived in a group home for years, the familiarity of that place is real, even when the arrangement is no longer right for them. Change involves loss, even when the change is wanted. Families who understand that tend to support their loved one more effectively through it.

What you can do practically:

• Help document your family member's expressed preferences, in writing, in their own words
• Attend planning meetings with their agreement, and make sure their voice is at the centre of those conversations
• Research options together: look at SDA providers, SIL providers, and suburbs close to your family. Proximity works both ways.
• Visit potential properties before committing. Your family member deserves to see what their options actually look like.

What to be careful about:

• Don't make the decision for your family member where they can participate. Taking over the process can undermine the independence you're trying to support.
• Don't assume that "more independent" is always what your family member wants right now. Check in and listen.
• Don't rush. Moving at the right pace for your family member matters more than moving quickly.

If your family member is building independence skills and earlier in this journey, our guide to 25 skills to develop before moving to supported independent living is worth reading together.

Got questions about SDA options close to your family? Call us on (03) 9999 7418. We're happy to talk through what might be available near you.

Conclusion

Leaving a group home is not a small decision. It is also not an impossible one.

The aspiration for more independent, more self-directed housing is legitimate. It is supported by the NDIS, by national policy, and by what we know about what people with disability actually want for their lives. Transitioning from group living to supported independence takes time, advocacy, evidence, and patience. It does not always go smoothly. But it is a real path, and more families are successfully navigating it.

The key steps: recognise the signs that the current arrangement no longer fits, document your family member's preferences and begin working with a support coordinator, understand the NDIS plan review and change-of-situation process, and explore the full range of independent housing options, including SDA, SIL, and ILO.

We're here to help with the housing side of that journey. Got questions? Call us on (03) 9999 7418 or email admin@paramounthomes.com.au. We're happy to talk through your situation, no pressure.