In short: Life skills are everyday abilities such as cooking a meal, managing money and getting around on public transport. People with disability may work on these skills with support that suits their needs, goals and pace. NDIS funding depends on the person's circumstances and plan. Supported Independent Living (SIL) can include skill-building at home; it funds support, not accommodation or rent.
What are life skills?
Life skills are the practical things we do to look after ourselves, our home and our day. Many people learn them gradually without noticing. For someone with an intellectual, physical, psychosocial or other disability, these skills may need to be taught more deliberately, broken into smaller steps or adapted to suit the person.
Life skills commonly include:
- Personal care: showering, dressing, grooming and toileting
- Food and nutrition: planning meals, shopping, cooking simple dishes and storing food safely
- Home management: cleaning, laundry, putting rubbish out and keeping a routine
- Money: understanding prices, budgeting, paying bills and using a bank card safely
- Getting around: planning a trip, using public transport and knowing what to do if something goes wrong
- Communication: speaking with service providers, making appointments and asking for help
- Confidence and decision-making: making choices, solving problems and trying new things
The aim is not to make anyone do everything alone. It is to give each person as much choice and control over their daily life as they want and can safely manage.
How does building life skills support independent living?
For many families, independent living is a long-term goal: moving out of the family home, sharing a house with peers, or living alone with drop-in support. Life skills can help make that move more realistic and safer.
Skill-building can be part of Supported Independent Living (SIL). SIL funds help or supervision with daily tasks at home for people with higher support needs. It does not fund the accommodation itself, rent or groceries. Whether SIL is suitable and funded depends on the person's support needs and NDIS plan. A support worker might cook alongside a person, adjusting the help to their preferences and support needs.
People who are not in SIL can build skills too, whether they live with family, in their own place, or are preparing for a move. If you are weighing up housing and support options, our guide to choosing a SIL provider and accommodation in Melbourne explains what to look for.
What does life skills training look like in practice?
Life skills support may involve practising tasks together in everyday settings. The amount of help can be adjusted to the person's needs and preferences; some people will continue to need support.
Cooking and nutrition
Cooking skills often begin with something small and motivating, such as making a favourite snack. From there, a person might work on:
- Choosing a simple recipe and writing a shopping list
- Finding items at the supermarket and paying for them
- Using the stove, oven or microwave safely
- Following steps, using visual recipes or picture prompts where helpful
- Cleaning up and storing leftovers
Any existing dietary or mealtime support needs should be taken into account when choosing tasks to practise.
Budgeting and money
Money skills range from recognising coins to managing a weekly budget. Support might include:
- Comparing prices and understanding value
- Using a simple budget for food, transport and leisure
- Paying bills on time and keeping receipts
- Using a bank card and recognising scams
These skills can help reduce the risk of a person being taken advantage of, as well as helping them make their own choices about how they spend.
Public transport and getting around
Travel training helps people get to work, study, appointments and social activities without always relying on a lift. It usually starts with planning and practising one familiar route, then expanding. A person may learn to:
- Plan a trip using a timetable or journey planner app
- Use a myki card and keep it charged with credit
- Recognise their stop and what to do if they miss it
- Stay safe, ask for help and contact someone if plans change
Practising a route in real life, several times, often helps more than only talking it through at a table.
Who can help build life skills?
Several roles can be involved, depending on the person's needs and goals:
- Occupational therapists assess daily living skills, break tasks into achievable steps and recommend strategies or equipment
- Support workers practise skills with the person in real situations, day to day
- Allied health assistants can deliver parts of a therapy program under the supervision of a qualified therapist
- Dietitians support healthy eating and meal planning, especially where there are health conditions
- Speech pathologists help with communication skills, such as making a phone call or ordering food
- Other practitioners may be involved according to the person's individual support needs
When these people work from the same goals, skills are practised consistently across settings, which can help them stick. If you are considering engaging workers directly, our guide to choosing independent NDIS support workers covers funding and safety checks.
How is life skills training funded by the NDIS?
Funding for life skills support depends on the participant's disability support needs, the NDIS funding criteria and their individual plan. Skill-building may form part of support delivered at home, including SIL where it is funded. A goal alone does not confirm that a particular service is funded.
Because every plan is different, check with your planner, local area coordinator or support coordinator about how your plan covers life skills. It helps to write goals in your plan that describe the skills you want to build, such as "I want to catch the train to TAFE on my own" or "I want to cook dinner twice a week".
What makes life skills support work well?
A few principles can help:
- Start with what matters to the person. Skills linked to a personal goal, like going to the footy or cooking for friends, are more motivating.
- Break tasks into small steps and celebrate progress along the way.
- Practise in real places: the actual kitchen, supermarket and train station.
- Keep the approach consistent between family, support workers and therapists.
- Allow time. Learning can take longer for some people, and that is fine.
- Respect choice. Supporting independence includes respecting decisions you might make differently.
How can Reliance Care and Support help?
If you would like to discuss life skills support, contact our team on (03) 9958 6699. Tell us about the skills you want to work on and ask what support can be arranged, in which locations, and whether language assistance can be arranged for your preferred language.
Before making arrangements, ask about current availability, costs and any funding requirements. You can also make a referral for the team to review.
Frequently Asked Questions
What life skills does the NDIS fund?
Life skills support may cover tasks such as personal care, meal preparation, household tasks, budgeting or travel. Funding is individual and depends on NDIS criteria and the participant's plan. Ask your NDIS contact or support coordinator what your plan covers before arranging a service.
Is life skills training part of SIL?
SIL can include building skills during daily tasks at home, with support tailored to the person. SIL funds support workers, not accommodation, rent or groceries. Suitability and funding depend on the person's support needs and NDIS plan.
Who teaches life skills to people with disability?
It is often a team effort. Occupational therapists assess skills and plan the steps, support workers practise them day to day, and dietitians, speech pathologists or psychologists may help with specific needs. Families and carers play a big part in keeping practice consistent.
How long does it take to learn a new life skill?
It varies from person to person and skill to skill. Breaking tasks into small steps and practising in familiar settings may help, but there is no set timeframe or guaranteed outcome. Some people will continue to need assistance.
Can someone learn to use public transport independently?
Many people are able to, with travel training that starts with planning and practising one familiar route, then builds from there. Safety planning is part of the process, such as what to do if a stop is missed. Progress depends on the person's needs and goals.
Do life skills help someone get ready to move out of home?
Yes. Skills like cooking, cleaning, managing money and getting around are a big part of preparing for independent living, whether that means SIL, a shared home or a place of your own. Starting early, while still at home, can make the move smoother.
Trusted sources for further reading
- NDIS — What is supported independent living (SIL)?
- NDIS — Guide to your NDIS home and living options
- Healthdirect — Occupational therapy
- Occupational Therapy Australia — the peak body for occupational therapists
This article is general information only and does not replace individual advice. For advice about your situation and plan, please contact the NDIS or speak with your support coordinator or planner.
