Historically, people with disability have been offered a limited range of supported accommodation and housing options, such as block-funded group homes, placement in residential aged care, or long-term stays in our public hospital system. With SDA, people with disability have greater housing options and are given a choice on where they live, how they live, and who they live with.

Purpose-built housing ensures the safety, security, and independence of NDIS participants. SDA also includes a range of special design elements and physical safety features and aids for those who may require a higher level of intellectual, cognitive, or sensory support.

Four building types can be used for SDA. A house, apartment, townhouse (also known as a villa or duplex), or group home.

Cocoon provides well designed homes and personal support and care for NDIS Participants. In addition to this, Cocoon is a registered NDIS provider. This allows us to build and provide accommodation, from houses to apartments, in any area of Australia where the NDIS has rolled out.

At Cocoon, We Build, We Nurture, We Care and we base our whole service delivery around this ethos. Cocoon builds platinum homes in well-located areas to NDIS accredited standards. Our passion lies around matching participants to our shared homes. We carefully coordinate with all parties involved to make sure there is a smooth transition into our SDA or SIL (Non-SDA) homes. It isn’t about filling the homes immediately – we carefully match participants, especially as this could be the first time a participant is living independently and may not be used to living with other people. Our point of difference at Cocoon is we welcome open communication between the Participants, guardians/family members, Support Coordinators, and Service Providers. Our goal is for all Participants to be happy and to reside in our homes on a long term basis.

If you are a Participant, guardian, Support Coordinator, or Support Services provider, please call 1800 cocoon / 1800 262 666 to co-ordinate a day/time suitable. In the meantime, you can email info@cocoons.com.au or fill out one of our Expression of Interest forms.

Yes you most certainly can. We have Cocoon Representatives in every state of Australia who can show you through our various properties in different states, 7 days a week including weekends.

Yes, absolutely! We are very open to collaborating with Support Service Providers. We are open to connecting with as many Support Service Providers as possible around Australia. We also have more information under the ‘Support Service Provider’ tab to find out more.

Yes we do have SIL (Non SDA) accommodation in all states of Australia. Please scroll through our homes to find out more information. If you are interested to learn more, please email info@cocoons.com.au or fill out one of our Expression of Interest Forms.

Yes, we DO provide Support Services; at Cocoon we provide both support and accommodation.

Specialist Disability Accommodation or SDA is housing specifically built for people with Disabilities. There are 5 levels or categories of SDA. – High Physical Support, Robust, Fully Accessible, Improved Liveability, and Basic. Each of these is suitable for different support needs in the home. The NDIA is removing basic level housing as of 31st June 2020.

The two most targeted categories are High Physical Support, which is for people who have severe disabilities and require 24/7 assistance for everyday life and the activities of daily living. Robust is typically for participants who have lots of high impact behaviors requiring a personalized behavioral support plan.

It is estimated that only 6% of NDIS participants will qualify for SDA as it is intended for those who have an extreme functional impairment or very high medical and support needs. To access SDA funding, you need to have it included in your NDIS plan.

If you are assessed as needing SDA as part of your reasonable and necessary supports, you will receive funding to cover the costs of SDA. The amount of SDA funding provided will differ depending on each individual’s medical requirements and support needs.

You will need to work with an NDIS planner to develop an individualised plan, including an assessment of your needs for SDA.

This assessment will consider whether providing you with SDA funding will:

• Help you to maximize your independence and reach the goals in your NDIS Plan.
• Support you to participate in family, social, and economic activities.
• Represent good value for money for the NDIS.
• Be appropriate considering what your family, informal networks, mainstream services, and the community can provide.

SDA is often confused with Supported Independent Living (SIL) as both are designed to assist people with disability to live independently. Those with SDA in their NDIS plans often require the SIL service as well, but there is a clear difference. SDA is about the bricks-and-mortar home.

SIL is about the support services you are provided while in your chosen home, which is often available 24/7. Support can include personal care, skills development, and household management like cooking, cleaning, and shopping.

Once you have decided that Cocoon SDA Care is your provider of choice, we can start to talk to you about what you are looking for in your new home. Currently, there is a significant shortage in SDA properties Australia-wide, but Cocoon SDA Care has stepped in to boost supply by offering a range of SDA building types across Australia in all categories. We will talk you through our vacancies, and you can decide to apply for consideration once a suitable property is identified.

Rest assured, though, that we will never fill vacancies based on an expression of interest alone. We go through a House and Participant Assessment to make sure the house suits your needs and is consistent with the dwelling type, design features, and location funded in your NDIS Plan. For example, if your NDIS Plan funds a Robust category home in Adelaide, we can’t offer you a Fully Accessible category home in Brisbane.

People with disability can face unique challenges within the home. However, with the use of smart home technology, the home environment can be made safer, completing tasks can be made easier, and as a result, participant’s lives can be made fuller and more independent.

To provide a safe, secure, and comfortable environment for our participants, all Cocoon SDA Care homes incorporate assistive technology to NDIS Platinum standards. This includes a combination of smart technology from internet-equipped devices that are button or voice-operated via an individual’s smartphone, tablet, or computer, through to home automation technologies.

While most of the assistive technology within our homes is focused on environment and comfort, there is also a wide range of technology that can offer participants more independence to move around their home and community. Assistive technology may be included in your plan if it is identified as a reasonable and necessary support to help you achieve a better outcome and quality of life.

Here are some of the ways we incorporate smart technology into Cocoon SDA Care:

• Intercom in every room for easy access to carers
• Emergency calling
• Security and alarm system to ensure maximum security of the residents
• Sensor lights to provide energy-efficient illumination as required
• Google Home Assist
• Automated blinds and doors
• Adjustable kitchen benches
• Keyless entry
• Air conditioning and heating throughout, with temperature control in every room
• Ceiling-hoist readiness
• Anti-slip flooring

Although Cocoon SDA Care works in collaboration with preferred Providers, participants while residing in Cocoon SDA Care’s accommodation, are still able to choose for themselves who their NDIS Provider/s is/are for their supports and services.

The SDA funding in your plan is designed to cover the cost of the house as well as ongoing costs, such as maintenance. In addition to this funding, you will need to pay rent. As an SDA tenant, you need to pay a ‘reasonable rent contribution’ to the property owner, which is 25% of your Disability Support Pension, plus 100% of your Commonwealth Rent Assistance. All of this will be discussed with you before you decide to move into a property.

The good news is that there are many locations to choose from – and more and more accommodation is being built. To find the home that is right for you, we recommend keeping a few things in mind.

You want a location that will suit your lifestyle, so consider how close it is to shops and public transport as well as your friends, family, and place of employment. You will also want to make sure that the home and the people who live there are well suited to your needs.

When you are ready, a Cocoon SDA Care team member will provide further guidance on what to consider when choosing the home that is right for you.