24/7 Supported Independent Living for spinal cord injury, acquired brain injury, MS, and cerebral palsy with vacancies available now in Hervey Bay and across the Fraser Coast.
If you’re searching for Supported Independent Living for someone with complex, high-support needs — a spinal cord injury, an acquired brain injury, multiple sclerosis, or cerebral palsy — you already know how hard this search is. You’ve probably been through providers who said yes and then couldn’t deliver. You’ve navigated waiting lists that went nowhere. You’ve sat across from assessors and coordinators trying to explain what a day in your family member’s life actually looks like.
Fraser Coast Disability Services offers SIL for participants with complex and lifelong support needs in Hervey Bay and across the Fraser Coast — and we have vacancies available right now. Here’s what that actually means in practice.
Supported Independent Living is NDIS-funded 24/7 support in a home environment. For participants with complex support needs, that means something specific: support workers who are trained and experienced in high-level personal care, not just companionship or domestic tasks. It means understanding the difference between a good day and a day that needs clinical attention. It means consistency — the same workers, the same routines, the same approach — because for participants with significant physical or neurological disability, inconsistency isn't just inconvenient, it's destabilising.
At FCDS, we support participants with complex and lifelong physical disabilities including spinal cord injuries, acquired brain injuries, multiple sclerosis, and cerebral palsy. These are participants whose support needs don’t diminish over time — they require the kind of team that’s in it for the long haul.
Participants living with spinal cord injuries — whether from accident, illness, or a degenerative condition — often require high levels of physical support across all areas of daily life: personal care, manual handling, pressure care, and community access. The specific support picture varies significantly depending on the level and completeness of the injury. At FCDS, we work with participants and their allied health team to understand exactly what's needed and build a support environment that reflects that — not a generic SIL arrangement.
Acquired brain injury presents differently in every person — affecting cognition, behaviour, communication, emotional regulation, and physical function in combinations that are unique to the individual. Supporting someone with ABI well requires workers who understand that variability, who don't interpret a difficult day as a behavioural problem, and who are consistent enough that the participant can begin to trust and relax into their environment. This is the kind of support that takes time to build, and we take it seriously.
MS is a progressive condition, which means the support picture changes over time. What works now may need to adapt in twelve months. We support participants with MS across the spectrum of the condition — from those with significant but stable support needs to those whose needs are evolving. Our approach is to build support arrangements with flexibility built in, so that changes don't require a full renegotiation every time the clinical picture shifts.
Cerebral palsy affects movement, muscle tone, and motor skills, often alongside communication and sensory processing differences. Adults with cerebral palsy moving into SIL — whether for the first time or transitioning from a previous arrangement — need workers who understand the physical demands of the role and the importance of getting to know the person, not just the diagnosis. We take our time with the matching process for all our participants, and for CP in particular, getting that match right matters enormously.
A growing number of families are relocating to the Fraser Coast specifically to access SIL — and in particular, SIL that’s a better fit than what they could find closer to home. A few reasons come up consistently.
The cost of living in Hervey Bay means that NDIS funding goes further. A SIL arrangement that would be stretched thin in Brisbane or on the Sunshine Coast can provide a genuinely good quality of life here. Families who own property on the Fraser Coast or who have extended family in the region find that combining a SIL placement with that local network creates a quality of life that's hard to replicate in a city.
The environment matters too. For participants with complex neurological or physical conditions, the sensory environment of a major city — noise, traffic, unpredictability — can be genuinely challenging. Hervey Bay is quieter, flatter, and more accessible. The bay beaches are calm and easy to access. The community is tight-knit. The day-to-day environment is one that works for people who need calm and consistency.
We know that placing a family member with complex needs into SIL is not a decision made lightly. It's usually the result of years of planning, multiple assessments, and a level of trust that has to be earned. Here's how we approach it. The first conversation is just a conversation. No forms, no intake paperwork, no commitments. We want to understand who your family member is — their history, their goals, their support needs, what's worked before and what hasn't. We'll be honest about whether we're the right fit and what we can offer. If we're not the right match, we'll say so. If we proceed, we work with you, your Support Coordinator, and your allied health team to build a support plan that reflects the participant's actual needs — not a generic template. Worker matching is done carefully and deliberately, with personality and experience both considered. We don't place a participant with complex needs with a worker who isn't ready for that role. Once a placement begins, we maintain open communication with families and SCs. Complex needs SIL requires a team approach — FCDS, the family, the SC, and the allied health professionals all need to be working from the same page.
Yes. We support participants with spinal cord injuries, acquired brain injuries, multiple sclerosis, and cerebral palsy — all of which involve significant physical support requirements. We work with each participant’s allied health team to ensure our workers are appropriately trained and that the support environment is built around the individual’s specific needs.
Absolutely — and we’d encourage it. We want you and your family member to feel comfortable with the environment and the team before any agreement is signed. Meeting the workers and seeing the home is a normal and important part of the process for any SIL placement, and especially for participants with complex needs.
SIL is funded through the NDIS under Supports in Daily Life. For participants with complex needs, the funding level is generally based on a support ratio determined through an assessment process — often involving an OT or behaviour support practitioner. Your Support Coordinator and plan manager can help navigate this. We’re happy to talk through what your participant’s current plan covers and whether it aligns with what we offer.
Yes. We regularly work with families who are still in their current city when they first contact us. We can have detailed conversations remotely, share information about our homes and support approach, and begin the intake process before you’ve made the move. For complex needs placements especially, starting early makes a significant difference to how smooth the transition is.
Staffing ratios for SIL are determined by the participant’s NDIS plan and support needs assessment — there’s no single answer that applies across all participants. For those with high physical support needs, one-to-one support for certain activities and overnight support are common. We’ll work through what your family member’s plan allows and what their actual needs require, and be transparent with you about both.
Call us directly on 0418 22 84 52 or email josie@fcds.net.au. We’re happy to have a preliminary conversation about whether we’re a good fit before any formal referral is made. We understand that SCs carry significant responsibility when placing a participant with complex needs, and we take referrals seriously.
Can’t find what you’re looking for? Reach out to our friendly team and we can find the answers for you.
We have SIL vacancies available in Hervey Bay right now for participants with complex support needs. Complex placements take time to set up properly — the sooner we have a conversation, the better the outcome for your family member.
If you’re relocating to the Fraser Coast for a SIL placement, call us before you finalise your move. We can give you an honest picture of what’s available, what the transition process looks like, and whether we’re the right provider for your family member’s needs.
Prefer email? Reach Josie directly at josie@fcds.net.au
