Your monthly update from The Grampians Sector Development Team!
AGED CARE SECTOR
Coming Soon: The Act & Support at Home Communication Kit
The Grampians Sector Development Team in partnershipwith 5 other Victorian SSD organisations has engaged Enkindle Consulting to develop a practical and time-saving communication kit to support CHSP providers during the transition to the new Aged Care Act and Support at Home program.
With limited time before the new Act takes effect, providers must ensure their staff, clients and governing boards understand what’s changing and why it matters.
This Communication Kit bridges the gap between government-issued materials and what providers need on the ground. It includes:
Editable templates to tailor communications to staff, clients and boards
Clear, audience-specific messaging to support understanding and reduce confusion
FAQs and staff scripts to help frontline teams respond confidently and accurately
Resources that promote compliance, minimise risk, and maintain trust across all stakeholder groups.
The kit will ensure all key messages are delivered consistently and clearly, saving providers the time and pressure of creating materials from scratch.
We will ensure the toolkit is accessible via the Grampians Sector Development Team website shortly and will let you know once it is ready.
Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) Sector Readiness Webinar
This webinar is for Commonwealth Home Support Programme providers. It will include information about changes to the Commonwealth Support Programme (CHSP) from 1 July 2025.
Thursday 5 June 2025 @ 2pm -3pm (AEST)
About the webinar
This webinar will include information about:
Changes to the CHSP from 1 July 2025.
CHSP provider obligations under the Aged Care Act, including deeming and registration categories.
The role of the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission with CHSP providers from 1 July 2025.
Resources to support CHSP providers now and from 1 July 2025.
Effectiveness of the Commonwealth Home Support Programme
The Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) is undertaking an audit of the Commonwealth Home Support Programme. The ANAO proposes to examine the following questions from members of the public:
Does the Commonwealth Home Support Programme meet community needs?
Are Commonwealth Home Support Programme services delivered effectively?
Is the Commonwealth Home Support Programme meeting its objectives?
We encourage all CHSP service providers to get their communities involved and submit a response before 26 October 2025. A full report will be made available to the sector in March 2026.
More information on how to submit is available HERE
AGED CARE REFORM
Updated Support at Home Program Manual
The Support at Home Program Manual was recently updated on 8 May 2025. This guide helps registered providers navigate and adhere to the program's rules, procedures, and obligations.
This manual provides information on how the Support at Home program will operate, how to work with participants to develop a care plan and a budget, participant contributions, and the short-term pathways for AT-HM, restorative care, and end-of-life services.
DEX is changing. Stage 1 of DEX changes will start on 1 July 2025. This toolkit outlines the IT and system changes required by CHSP providers. This should be done at the first opportunity, as some updates require DEX Helpdesk approval.
From 1 July 2025, DEX reporting requirements will change to ensure services align with the new CHSP service list. The DEX Dictionary provides policy guidance on entering data into DEX consistently, to best reflect the activity being delivered.
The Department of Health & Aged Care has released provider training to support Home Care Package (HCP) and Short Term Restorative Care (STRC) providers to learn about the changes and their responsibilities under the Support at Home Program. There are 2 learning packages – 1: Program Overview and 2: Delivering Services Modules.
This online learning is available in a range of formats: online, PowerPoint presentations and SCORM files to embed into your own eLearning Management System.
Whilst this training is not mandatory, it would be beneficial for staff to complete at least the program overview.
Provider Operational Readiness – Priority Actions List
This list aims to guide aged care providers on what you need to do before and after 1 July 2025, to implement the new Aged Care Act and Support at Home program.
This list consolidates information and guidance that has been (or soon will be) released to support transition and readiness.
It is recommended that providers consider these actions to prepare for the changes. The approach taken by your organisation may be different from others and individual circumstances should be considered.
CHSP provider update – Draft Aged Care Rules (Release 4b)
A new document was released on 6 May 2025 to further explain the draft rules under the Stage 4b consultation on the Rules for the new Aged Care Act.
The consultation has now closed; however, this document provides some very important information on service agreements, care and service plans, and the provision of information to individuals applying to CHSP.
Reflective Conversation Workshop: Garry & Les’s Story
Join us as we explore the challenges faced by some older Australians when accessing in home aged care services.
In this interactive workshop, we will use the case study of Garry and Les, which highlights one couple’s journey of accessing in-home aged care services.
During this workshop, we will use the case study to:
Understand the impact of history on older LGBTIQA+ people, including barriers to accessing aged care services.
Identify the challenging experiences some people from diverse communities and backgrounds may have in receiving services within their homes.
Explore the importance of providing safe and welcoming services and key actions to demonstrate inclusion, including Specialisation Verification Framework and the benefits to both clients and providers.
Find practical ways to demonstrate person-centred care and respond to the diverse experiences, values and needs of each service user in line with the new Aged Care Act and strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards.
Target Audience: Program Managers, Team Leaders and Coordinators from CHSP service providers.
Grampians CHSP Provider Best Practice Forum Wrap-Up: Connection, Collaboration & Insights
The annual Grampians CHSP Provider Forum – Into the Future: Highlighting Excellence, took place last week at the iconic Goods Shed in Ballarat, with approximately 80 providers coming together for a dynamic and informative day.
Attendees explored key topics shaping the future of aged care, including updates on Aged Care Reform, Assessment practices, Wellbeing & Resilience, Workforce challenges, Data use, Client Management Systems, and Communications. The sessions sparked thoughtful conversations and shared learnings across the sector.
A strong focus of the day was on connection—networking opportunities were a highlight, with plenty of time for participants to engage, collaborate, and exchange ideas. The energy in the room was fantastic, with challenges discussed openly and a few creative solutions already taking shape!
Adding a bit of fun to the mix, attendees also had the opportunity to take team photos and update their professional headshots. Not to mention the initial release of the Aged Care Rap!
The Grampians Sector Development Team extends a warm thank you to all who participated. Your enthusiasm, openness, and willingness to share made the event a success. We look forward to continuing the conversation and building on this momentum together!
Understanding the Aged Care Act: Code of Conduct workshop
Prepare for the new Aged Care Act by joining the Grampians Sector Development Team in conjunction with Andy Price, the Director of Intake and Complaints Resolution at the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, for a workshop on the Code of Conduct.
The new Code of Conduct will support a person's right to personal choice, will promote kind, honest and respectful behaviour and keep people receiving aged care safe from harm.
What will be covered: - An in-depth look at the different sections of the Code of Conduct. - Clarification on the various CHSP obligations for service providers based on your registration category under the Support at Home. - Examples of behaviours that align or conflict with the code. - Case Study examples of best practice. - The opportunity to ask Andy Price questions.
Audience: Quality and Compliance Managers, Executive Management, Program Managers and Team Leaders from CHSP Service Providers.
Volunteer Training - Professional Boundaries & Documentation and Reporting
The Grampians Sector Development Team is offering two educational sessions specifically for volunteers supporting CHSP services – Delivered Meals, Social Support etc.
These sessions will be presented by Kate Pascale & Associates and will be targeted toward the role of volunteers. The sessions will be presented virtually, via Zoom, so participants will need access to appropriate technology.
Volunteers: Professional Boundaries – 4th June 2025
This session will provide an overview of professional boundaries and why they’re so important in our everyday work.
We will explore what professional practice looks like and the guidelines and policies that support you. We will also consider when things can go wrong and what to do if a breach of professional boundaries happens.
Volunteers: Documentation & Reporting - 6th August 2025
This course will look at what, who and when you should be documenting information.
We will provide an overview of the practices for documenting and reporting and why this skill is so important in our everyday work. We will explore what should be documented and reported and discuss the use of templates used in your workplace and recording verbatim language. We will also consider when things can go wrong and the importance of having clear documentation that can be reviewed.
Professional Development for Direct Care & Social Support Staff: June - November 2025
The Grampians Sector Development Team are excited to share the upcoming calendar of events of Professional Development for Direct Care Staff – supporting both in-home services and social support activities.
The training will be delivered by Kate Pascale & Associates and will be held virtually via the Zoom platform.
