Development of daily living and life skills is NDIS support that helps you learn the practical skills you need for everyday life. Rather than doing things for you, a support worker coaches you to do them yourself, at a pace that suits you. At Serene Disability Support, we’re a registered NDIS provider supporting people with disabilities across NSW to build confidence, independence and the life skills that open doors.
Whether you want to cook your own dinner, manage your money, catch the bus to TAFE or move into your own place one day, life skill development starts with what matters to you.
What is NDIS life skills development?
Life skills development is a type of capacity building support. That means it’s about building your ability to do things, not just getting things done. The aim is that over time you need less help with daily tasks, or different help, because you’ve built the skills to manage them yourself.
This support is listed in the NDIS as Development of Daily Living and Life Skills. It’s flexible. It can happen in your home, at the shops, on public transport or out in the community, wherever you actually use the skill.
It’s different from daily support. With personal care or household tasks, a support worker helps with or does the task. With life skills support, they teach, prompt and step back as you get more confident. Many NDIS participants use a mix of both.
Daily living skills we can help you build
Every person is different, so every program is different. We start with your goals, then work out the specific skills you need to get there. Life skills include:
Home and self-care
- Cooking simple, healthy meals and planning what to eat for the week
- Cleaning, laundry and keeping your living space organised
- Personal hygiene and self-care routines, like showering and getting dressed
- Building daily routines that work for you, morning and night
Money and planning
- Budgeting and keeping track of what you spend
- Paying bills and understanding your bank account
- Shopping for groceries with a list and a budget
- Time management skills, like using a calendar or phone reminders
Health and wellbeing
- Remembering appointments and getting to the GP
- Understanding and managing your medication, with oversight from our registered nurse
- Looking after your mental health and knowing who to call when things get hard
Communication and social skills
- Communication skills, like speaking up for yourself and asking for help
- Social skills for making friends and getting along with housemates
- Interpersonal skills for work, study or volunteering
- Problem-solving and decision-making in everyday situations
Getting out and about
- Using public transport and planning a trip
- Finding your way to the shops, uni, TAFE or work
- Joining in with community life, from sport to local groups
If getting around is a big goal, we can combine coaching with travel and transport support while you build confidence.
How our life skills support works
We keep things practical and steady. Here’s how a typical life skills program runs with us:
- Get to know you. We talk about your goals, what you can already do, and where you’d like to be. Family, carers and your support coordinator are welcome to be part of this.
- Set clear goals. We break big goals into small steps. “Live on my own” might start with “cook three dinners a week.”
- Practise in real life. Skills training happens where you’ll use the skill. Learning to shop happens at the shops, not at a kitchen table.
- Step back over time. As you get more confident, your support worker gives fewer prompts and lets you take the lead.
- Review and adjust. We check in on progress, share feedback and update your goals as your skills grow.
Because our team is nurse-led, health is part of the picture from the start. If you have health conditions that affect your daily routines, our nurse can make sure the plan is safe and realistic.
Who is life skills development for?
Development of daily living and life skills can help people living with disabilities of all ages. It’s often a good fit if you:
- Want to live more independently, now or in the future
- Are getting ready to move out of the family home or into supported independent living
- Are leaving school and starting work, study or volunteering
- Have had a change in health or circumstances and need to relearn skills
- Want more confidence managing daily life without relying on others
Life skills support can also help people with intellectual disability, autism, acquired brain injury, psychosocial disability and physical disability. The key is that the support is built around you, not your diagnosis.
NDIS funding for life skills
To use NDIS funding for life skills, the support needs to be included in your NDIS plan. Life skills development is usually funded through capacity building supports, and some skill building may also be covered within core supports, depending on how your plan is set up.
The NDIA has to agree the support is reasonable and necessary and linked to your goals. Things that can help when you ask for it at your plan meeting:
- Clear goals about independence, like “I want to cook for myself” or “I want to catch the train to work”
- Reports from an occupational therapist or other allied health professionals
- Information about what support you have now and what you’d like to change
If your plan already includes this funding, you can choose your provider. If you’re not sure where it sits in your plan, your support coordinator or plan manager can help.
Why choose Serene for life skills development
Building new skills takes patience and trust. Here’s what we bring:
- Nurse-led care. Our founder is an ICU-trained registered nurse, so health and safety are built into your plan
- Steady support workers. You’ll work with a small team who get to know you and how you learn
- Registered NDIS provider. We work to the NDIS Practice Standards and the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission’s rules
- Culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD). With multilingual staff and interpreters, we can coach you and talk with your family in any language
- Joined-up support. We can link your life skills work with community participation and other supports, so your skills carry into everyday life
Life skills are about more than tasks. They build self-esteem and a sense of control, which leads to a more fulfilling life.
Start building your skills
If you’d like to build more independence, the first step is a chat. Give us a call or request a callback and we’ll get back to you within one business day. We’ll talk about your goals, your NDIS plan and how we can help. Support coordinators and families are welcome to get in touch too.