Roster of Care Template and Example

What Is a Roster of Care?

A roster of care (ROC) is a participant-level document that records exactly what funded supports are provided, when they are delivered, by whom, and for how long. In Supported Independent Living (SIL) settings, the roster of care sits at the intersection of the participant's NDIS plan, their individual support plan, and the provider's day-to-day staffing schedule.

Critically, a roster of care is not the same as a generic staff roster. A staff roster shows who is on shift. A roster of care shows what individualised supports each participant receives during that shift — including overnight active or passive supports, personal care tasks, community access assistance, and household tasks.

Under the strengthened NDIS Practice Standards (taking effect progressively from 2026), SIL providers are expected to maintain documentation that demonstrates each participant's supports are delivered in line with their funded plan and that staffing ratios reflect individual assessed needs. The roster of care is the primary evidence source for this requirement.

Why the Roster of Care Matters Under the 2026 Framework

The NDIS Commission's strengthened framework places increased emphasis on participant outcomes, individualised planning, and verifiable evidence of support delivery. Quality auditors reviewing a SIL provider will specifically examine whether:

• Each participant has a current, individually tailored roster of care rather than a house-wide generic schedule.
• The supports described in the ROC match the participant's NDIS plan funding and their individual support plan.
• Actual hours delivered align with the funded supports agreed with the participant's planner or Local Area Coordinator.
• The ROC is reviewed when the participant's needs, goals, or plan change.
• Workers recorded on the ROC hold the required qualifications and NDIS Worker Screening clearances.

Failure to maintain an accurate roster of care can constitute a non-conformance under the NDIS Practice Standards, particularly under the core module on Supports Provision and Environment (Module 1), and can lead to findings against the provider during an audit or following a complaint or incident investigation.

What to Include in a Roster of Care — Required Fields

The following fields should appear in every participant-specific roster of care document:

1. Participant details: Full name, NDIS number, date of birth, SIL property address.
2. Plan reference: NDIS plan start and end dates, relevant support budget category (Core — Assistance with Daily Life).
3. Support type per shift: Specific tasks funded — e.g., morning personal care, meal preparation, medication prompting, community access.
4. Shift structure: Day shift, afternoon shift, overnight active, overnight passive (sleepover). Note start and end times for each.
5. Hours per shift and per week: Total funded hours broken down by shift type.
6. Staffing ratio: The agreed ratio for that participant (e.g., 1:1, 1:2, shared supported with other residents).
7. Worker assigned: Name and employee ID of the worker rostered to deliver each shift. Leave a space for actual worker name if different from planned.
8. NDIS Worker Screening status confirmation: A checkbox or reference field confirming each listed worker holds a current clearance.
9. Review date: When the roster was last reviewed and next scheduled review.
10. Participant (or representative) acknowledgement: Signature or dated record that the participant has been consulted about the roster.

Roster of Care — Filled-In Example

Below is a realistic example for a single participant in a shared SIL home. This is a template illustration only — providers must tailor content to each participant's assessed needs and funded plan.

Step-by-Step: How to Complete a Roster of Care

1. Obtain the participant's current NDIS plan and SIL quote. The SIL quote (submitted to the NDIS and agreed with the planner) defines the funded hours and ratios. Your ROC must reflect this, not exceed it without plan approval.
2. Review the individual support plan. Identify specific daily living tasks, medical or behavioural supports, and goals. These inform the support-type column of the ROC.
3. Consult the participant (and their representative if applicable). The ROC must be developed with the participant, not imposed on them. Document this consultation with a date and signature.
4. Map shifts to support tasks. For each shift type (day, afternoon, overnight), list the specific supports funded and any known staffing ratio requirement.
5. Assign workers and verify clearances. Confirm each worker listed holds a current NDIS Worker Screening clearance. Keep a linked register.
6. Set a review trigger. At minimum, review the ROC when the NDIS plan is reassessed, when the participant's needs change materially, or at least every six months.
7. Store and make accessible. The ROC should be accessible to the relevant workers on shift, the participant, and the provider's compliance team. Do not store it only in paper form at the property — maintain a digital copy in your records management system.

Common Mistakes Providers Make with Rosters of Care

• Using a house roster instead of a participant-specific ROC. A shared-house schedule showing "Staff on shift: 2" does not demonstrate individualised support delivery.
• ROC hours exceed funded hours. Claiming more hours than the SIL quote allows is a compliance risk and can constitute incorrect claiming under the NDIS Pricing Arrangements.
• No participant consultation documented. Auditors look for evidence the participant was involved in developing or reviewing their ROC.
• Outdated after plan changes. Many providers fail to update the ROC when a participant's plan is reassessed or their needs change. Set calendar reminders tied to plan end dates.
• No link to individual support plan goals. The ROC should reference the goals it supports, not just list tasks.

Keeping Your Documentation Audit-Ready

Quality auditors assessing SIL providers under the NDIS Practice Standards will cross-reference the roster of care against the SIL quote, the individual support plan, actual timesheets or shift notes, and NDIS plan funding categories. Having each of these documents internally consistent and current is the benchmark for a conformance finding.

Providers preparing for registration renewal or an unannounced audit should ensure every participant has a current ROC on file, with a clear audit trail of reviews and participant consultation. If you are building or overhauling your SIL documentation suite, ndiscompliant.com.au offers a 74-document audit-ready SIL compliance kit that includes a roster of care template alongside individual support plan, incident reporting, and restrictive practice documentation.