SDA Robust housing explained
What the Robust SDA design category is, who it is for, and how its resilient, escape-proof design supports people whose behaviour can pose a risk to themselves or others
Who is Robust SDA for?
What features does a Robust home include?
How does Robust differ from the other SDA categories?
How do you build the evidence for Robust SDA?
How Robust housing works with positive behaviour support and specialist SIL
A typical path into Robust housing
Your rights and safeguards in a Robust home
Frequently asked questions
What is SDA Robust housing?
Robust is the SDA design category for people whose complex behaviours can pose a risk to themselves, others or the property. It uses durable, impact-resistant materials and secure, escape-reducing design to lower risk and reduce reliance on restrictive practices, while still feeling like a home.
Who qualifies for Robust SDA?
People with very high support needs linked to behaviours of concern, where a resilient and secure environment is a reasonable and necessary response. It is often relevant for people moving from restrictive, hospital or forensic settings toward community living, and requires OT and clinical evidence.
How is Robust different from other SDA categories?
Robust focuses on durability, security and reducing behavioural risk, whereas High Physical Support and Fully Accessible focus on physical access, hoists and mobility. It is matched to behavioural and safety needs rather than to physical impairment.
Does Robust housing reduce restrictive practices?
That is the intent. By making the environment safer and more resilient, Robust design aims to reduce injuries and property damage and lower reliance on restrictive practices — working alongside a positive behaviour support plan and skilled staff.
Is Robust housing like an institution?
No. Robust SDA is designed to be a genuine home that happens to be very durable and secure. The features are built in discreetly so the person has privacy and dignity, not an institutional setting.
What evidence do I need for Robust SDA?
You generally need an OT SDA housing assessment recommending Robust and a behaviour support assessment, backed by clinical and incident history that shows the level of risk. The evidence must demonstrate that behaviours of concern pose a genuine risk and that ordinary housing cannot safely manage them. A support…
Does Robust housing come with support workers?
No — Robust SDA pays a contribution toward the building only, not for staff. The daily support is usually funded separately as specialist SIL from your Core budget, delivered by workers trained in positive behaviour support. The home and the support are set up together but assessed and funded separately.
What if my needs are both behavioural and physical?
Some people have needs that touch more than one SDA design category — for example, both Robust and High Physical Support features. Your OT SDA housing assessment addresses this and recommends the category, or combination of provisions, that best matches your assessed needs. The NDIA then decides based on that evidence.