RESOURCES & SERVICES
CHSP 2025-27 Manual and Summary of Changes
The CHSP 2025-27 manual (from 1 November 2025) is available for reading. This includes CHSP changes under the new Aged Care Act, hoarding and squalor assistance, new and updated content for grandfathered clients, and more.
New Guide for Families and Substitute Decision-Makers
Developed by End of Life Law for Clinicians, this guide will assist in decision-making for people who are not able to make decisions for themselves. An online training module on this topic is available through the End of Life Law for Clinicians training program.
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Amendments to the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 have been put forward, and the bill is open for feedback until the extended deadline of 1 June 2026. The Amendment Bill seeks to clarify the definitions of functional capacity and permanence by introducing the concept of “all appropriate treatment”, clarify the requirement for support needs to be directly related to a participant’s eligible impairments, refine the framework for assessing ‘reasonable and necessary’ supports, expand the National Disability Insurance Agency’s powers to identify, investigate and respond to fraud and non-compliance, and other amendments.
Securing the NDIS for Future Generations Timeline
The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing has released a timeline along with a simplified version with key dates, for implementing the Government’s NDIS reforms. This timeline outlines important information such as introduction of legislation, consultation times, and any other changes relevant to participants and providers. An additional document has been developed which answers questions about what the changes mean for providers. You can also visit the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing’s Consultation Hub to be informed of current and upcoming consultations, including on new framework planning, design of a commissioning approach for Supported Independent Living (SIL) participants, and more.
Transitioning a Loved One from In-Home Care to Residential Aged Care
CarerHelp has developed resources to help families support their loved ones as they transition from in-home aged care to residential aged care. This resource helps carers to identify when residential aged care may be required, and how to prepare for the transition. Useful questions are also included to ensure quality end-of-life care in an aged care home.
Provider and Worker Toolkit: Choice, Dignity, Respect – Older People’s Rights in Aged Care
The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission has developed a toolkit as part of a public information program, ‘Choice, dignity, respect – your rights in aged care’. This resource will help to support older people to understand their rights under the new Aged Care Act, what to expect from their provider, and how to provide feedback or voice concerns. As part of the toolkit, there are fact sheets, posters, webpage links and videos available.
Inclusive Workplace Guide
The Council for Intellectual Disability has developed an Inclusive Workplace Guide for businesses wanting guidance on how to support people with intellectual disability in the workplace. Tools and templates that can be found in this guide include a business inclusion checklist, employee characteristic list, Easy Read guidelines, accessible work schedule, Easy Read Work Health and Safety policy, and more. These tools aim to help staff increase confidence, improve communication and provide support for employees with intellectual disability.
Designing Culturally Safe Aged Care Homes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People
This resource, developed by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, guides culturally safe, respectful and healing aged care home design for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It has been co-designed with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, the aged care sector and design experts. This resource can be downloaded, or a printed copy can be ordered if needed.
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT & RESOURCES
Western Sydney Community Forum 2026 Community Care Forum Calendar
Throughout the year, Western Sydney Community Forum delivers a range of events to support organisations and their staff to engage with others in the sector and stay up to date with reforms, training, and best practice. These include Community Care Forums tailored to those on the front line of the aged care, disability and community care sectors, and Community Care Leaders Forums to provide leaders, managers and CEOs with the latest resources, collaboration and training opportunities across Western Sydney. To get ahead on these events, as well as access information on related forums convened by others in the Western Sydney region, see our 2026 Community Care Forum Calendar.
Policy and Practice Support and Advisory Service
Western Sydney Community Forum provides a support and advisory service to disability advocacy organisations, CHSP providers and other community organisations. This service provides assistance with enquiries relating to policy, governance and operations and on a range of areas including sector reform and impact on operations, evaluation and measurement, leading consultation, engagement and inclusive practices, and much more.
First Nations CHSP Support Advisory Service
A First Nations CHSP support advisory service is offered to providers by Gilgai Aboriginal Centre. This is to support First Nations organisations and CHSP providers who work with First Nations older people. For more information, contact Gilgai on 02 9832 3825 or at [email protected].
Customised Training and In-House Facilitation
Western Sydney
Community Forum can deliver customised training and in-house facilitation
services to the human services industry. The facilitators’ areas of speciality include
(but are not limited to) strategic and business planning, project planning and
development, and review and evaluation sessions. And training can be tailored and delivered at a venue of your choosing,
and can cover areas such as governance, leadership and evaluation. Our members
are also entitled to subsidised services.
Western Sydney Community Forum Affordable Translation Services
Western Sydney Community Forum offers a trusted document translation service for small and large organisations and businesses. We use NAATI-accredited translators with expertise in translating a range of documents to assist with your service delivery, from simple brochures to complex and sensitive publications. Members can access this service at a subsidised cost.
For more information, contact [email protected].
Community Care News Digest Feedback Survey
The News Digest is primarily focused on disseminating information about aged care and older people, and disability and disability advocacy. It also shares information that is useful to people working with people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, LGBTIQA+ communities, and people with disability, and other areas that may intersect with aged care and the older population. We welcome feedback on how you use the News Digest, whether the information distributed has been valuable for your work, and if there is anything else you would like to see added into the Digest. The survey will remain open for ongoing feedback.
My Aged Care consumer resources
The My Aged Care website features a range of resources for you to share with consumers about how to get started with My Aged Care.
These resources include case study videos for:
- people who speak languages other than English
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
- You can view or download all of these resources from the My Aged Care website.
Free guide: Adding value to governance in aged care
The Governance Institute of Australia has a free guide, ‘Adding value to governance in aged care’ to help providers manage their governance responsibilities.
The free guide addresses a broad range of issues including:
- the role of governance and a director
- the unique challenges facing the sector
- factors to consider before taking a board position
- issues the board should consider when appointing a new member
- the relationship between the board and management
- risk management
- interaction with stakeholders.
