If you or someone you love is applying for Supported Independent Living (SIL) funding under the NDIS, you will almost certainly hear the term Roster of Care or ROC. For many participants and families, it’s one of the most confusing parts of the SIL process. What exactly is it? Who writes it? Why does it affect how much funding is approved?
At CARE I WISH, we believe every NDIS participant deserves to understand the documents that shape their daily support. This guide breaks down the SIL Roster of Care in simple language whether you are a participant, a carer, a family member, or a support coordinator navigating the NDIS for the first time.
What Is a Roster of Care in NDIS?
A Roster of Care (ROC) is a structured document that details the support a participant will receive in a Supported Independent Living arrangement. It maps out hour by hour, day by day what support is being provided, when, by how many workers, and in what format.
Think of it as a detailed support timetable. It shows the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) exactly how a participant’s daily needs are being met in their shared or individual living arrangement.
The ROC is not just a scheduling tool. It is a funding document. The NDIA uses the information in the Roster of Care to assess whether SIL funding is reasonable and necessary under the NDIS Act, and to calculate how much funding should be included in a participant’s plan.
Key facts about the Roster of Care
- It is mandatory for all SIL funding applications
- It is prepared by the SIL provider, in collaboration with the participant
- It must reflect real support needs — not estimates or assumptions
- It is submitted to the NDIA alongside supporting assessments
- It directly influences the funding amount approved in your NDIS plan
Why the Roster of Care Matters for Your SIL Funding
The NDIS is a needs-based funding scheme. Every dollar allocated in a participant’s plan must be justified by evidence of genuine support needs. For SIL, the Roster of Care is that evidence.
When the NDIA reviews a SIL application, the planner looks at the ROC to understand:
- How many hours of support per day and per week are required
- Whether supports are shared with other residents or provided one-on-one
- What types of support are needed (personal care, meal preparation, community access, supervision)
- How overnight and sleepover supports are structured
- Whether informal supports from family or friends have been factored in
If the Roster of Care is incomplete, inaccurate, or not aligned with functional assessments, the NDIA may reduce the funding approved, request additional information, or delay a decision. Getting the ROC right from the start matters enormously for participants and their families.
What Does a Roster of Care Include?
A well-prepared Roster of Care is a detailed and structured document. While formats may vary slightly between providers, the NDIA uses an official ROC Submission Tool (an Excel template) that captures specific information across several categories.
Daily Support Hours and Activities
The ROC must document the specific hours of support provided across each day of the week — typically broken into morning, afternoon, and evening shifts. For each time block, it identifies what type of support is being delivered, such as:
- Personal care (showering, dressing, hygiene)
- Meal preparation and supervision
- Medication management
- Community participation and transport
- Domestic assistance
- Social and recreational activities
The level of detail here is important. Vague descriptions like ‘general support’ are less effective than specific, activity-based documentation that clearly links to the participant’s goals and functional capacity.
Overnight and Sleepover Supports
Overnight support is one of the most significant cost components in any SIL arrangement, and the ROC must clearly distinguish between two types:
- Active overnight support: A support worker is awake and actively available throughout the night. This is required when a participant has significant overnight support needs, such as frequent repositioning, seizure monitoring, or behavioural support.
- Passive sleepover: A support worker is present in the home overnight and can be woken if needed, but is not expected to provide continuous active support. The worker is available but resting.
The distinction between active and passive overnight care has a substantial impact on funding calculations. The ROC must include clinical or functional evidence to justify whichever model is proposed.
Shared vs Individual (1:1) Support Ratios
In shared SIL arrangements where multiple participants live together the ROC must specify the staffing ratio at every point in the day. For example, during a weekday morning, a ratio of 1 worker to 3 participants might be appropriate for low-need periods, while personal care time may require a higher ratio.
Where a participant requires one-on-one (1:1) support due to their disability, behaviour support needs, or complex health conditions, this must be clearly documented and supported by assessments from allied health professionals or a behaviour support practitioner.
Informal Support Considerations
The NDIS expects that informal supports such as care provided by a family member, partner, or unpaid carer are taken into account when calculating funded support hours. The Roster of Care must reflect whether informal support is available, the nature and extent of that support, and why it may or may not be appropriate in certain contexts.
It is important to note that informal carers cannot be required to provide support they are unwilling or unable to provide. If a family member is not available for certain shifts, the ROC should document this clearly so the NDIA can fund those hours appropriately.
Who Prepares the SIL Roster of Care?
The Roster of Care is prepared by the SIL provider, the registered NDIS provider who will be delivering the day-to-day support in the participant’s home. At CARE I WISH, we work closely with each participant, their family, and their support coordinator to ensure the ROC truly reflects the person’s life, not just a set of hours on a spreadsheet. A high-quality ROC is developed through a genuine collaborative process that involves:
- The participant themselves (with support as needed)
- The participant’s family, guardian, or nominee (where appropriate)
- The participant’s support coordinator or specialist support coordinator
- Allied health professionals who have completed functional capacity assessments
- Behaviour support practitioners (if a behaviour support plan is in place)
The SIL provider’s role is to translate this information into the official ROC format and ensure it accurately captures the participant’s support needs in a way that meets NDIA requirements. The document is then signed and submitted alongside the Supporting Evidence Form for Home and Living.
Participant rights in the ROC process:
- You have the right to be involved in developing your Roster of Care
- You can request changes if your needs are not accurately reflected
- You should receive a copy of your ROC before it is submitted
- You can seek independent advocacy support if you disagree with the ROC content
- You have the right to ask your support coordinator to review the ROC on your behalf
The ROC Submission Process Step by Step
Understanding how the Roster of Care fits into the broader SIL application process helps participants and families know what to expect and when.
- Functional Capacity Assessment — An allied health professional (occupational therapist,hysiotherapist, or similar) assesses the participant’s support needs and daily functioning.
- SIL Provider Consultation — The chosen SIL provider works with the participant and support coordinator to understand daily routines, goals, and specific support requirements.
- ROC Development — The provider prepares the Roster of Care using the NDIA’s official ROC Excel Tool, mapping support hours across each day of the week.
- Participant Review — The ROC is shared with the participant (and their representative) to ensure it accurately reflects their needs and preferences.
- Supporting Evidence Package — The ROC is submitted alongside the Supporting Evidence Form for Home and Living, functional assessments, and any relevant clinical reports.
- NDIA Review — The NDIA assesses the ROC and supporting documentation, and may request additional information before making a funding decision.
- Plan Funding Approved — Once accepted, SIL funding is included in the participant’s NDIS plan, reflecting the hours and support model documented in the ROC.
ROC vs Support Roster : What’s the Difference?
Many people confuse the Roster of Care with a support roster or work roster. These are two very different documents with different purposes, audiences, and functions.
| Feature | Roster of Care (ROC) | Support Roster / Work Roster |
| What it shows | Daily & weekly support hours per participant | Staffing allocation across the whole house |
| Who creates it | SIL provider (with participant & SC input) | SIL provider, informed by the ROC |
| Who receives it | NDIA (for funding decisions) | Staff team & house manager |
| When it’s updated | At plan review or if needs change significantly | Weekly or as routines shift |
| NDIS requirement | Mandatory for SIL funding approval | Operational tool — not submitted to NDIA |
The Roster of Care is the strategic, NDIA-facing document that determines funding. The support roster is the operational, day-to-day scheduling tool that ensures the right staff are present at the right times to deliver the support outlined in the ROC.
What Makes a Strong Roster of Care? (Common Mistakes to Avoid)
A well-prepared Roster of Care directly improves a participant’s chances of having their SIL funding approved at the right level. At CARE I WISH, every ROC we prepare is built around real routines, genuine goals, and up-to-date clinical evidence. Here is what distinguishes a strong ROC from a weak one — and the most common mistakes to avoid.
Characteristics of a strong Roster of Care
- Grounded in current functional assessments, not outdated reports
- Specific about support activities, not just hours
- Clearly distinguishes between active and passive overnight support
- Documents shared vs individual support accurately and transparently
- Reflects the participant’s stated goals and preferences
- Accounts for informal supports honestly
- Is consistent with the participant’s behaviour support plan (where applicable)
Common mistakes that delay or reduce SIL funding
- Overestimating support hours without sufficient clinical evidence
- Underestimating support needs, leading to a funding gap
- Submitting without participant input or sign-off
- Failing to differentiate overnight support type (active vs passive)
- Using generic descriptions rather than participant-specific details
- Not aligning the ROC with functional capacity assessment findings
- Submitting an ROC that does not account for informal carer capacity
Your Rights as a Participant in the ROC Process
The Roster of Care process is not something that happens to you — it is something you should be an active part of. Under the NDIS Act and the NDIS Code of Conduct, participants have clearly defined rights in relation to their home and living supports. These include:
- The right to be involved in all decisions about your SIL arrangement
- The right to receive information in a format you can understand
- The right to request a review of the ROC if it does not reflect your needs
- The right to choose your own SIL provider
- The right to independent advocacy support if you are in dispute with your provider or the NDIA
- The right to have your cultural, linguistic, and individual preferences respected in the ROC
If you feel your Roster of Care does not accurately reflect your needs, or if you believe your SIL funding is insufficient, speak with your support coordinator first. You may also contact the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission or seek support from an independent disability advocate.
Final Thoughts — From the CARE I WISH Team
The SIL Roster of Care is one of the most important documents in your NDIS journey. It is the evidence the NDIA uses to understand your support needs and calculate the funding that shapes your day-to-day life. Understanding what it is, how it is built, and what rights you have in the process puts you in a much stronger position to advocate for the support you genuinely need.
At CARE I WISH, we know that behind every Roster of Care is a real person with real goals — not just a set of support hours. If you are currently navigating the SIL application process, our team is here to help you build an ROC that is accurate, detailed, and genuinely reflects the life you want to live. The NDIS is built around your goals, and we are here to make sure your plan reflects that.
