Welcome to the NSW CS&H ITAB February enews PDF Free Download
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Welcome to the February issue of the NSW Community Services and Health ITAB enews. You’ll find the
latest industry news including NSW and national news, policy updates and reviews, events and activities.
Please feel free to share this enews with your networks. You are also invited to contribute content on
events and activities that promote skills, jobs and careers or you can provide feedback on unmet skills
needs, training or other workforce issues.
NSW update
NSW Training Awards. A reminder that applications for the NSW Training Awards 2025 are
open. Click here to see the award categories, check eligibility requirements and access resources to
support your application. Please note that Individual Award entries close 14 March and Organisation
Award entries close 2 May 2025. Regional finalists go to the NSW Training Awards in September and
winners go to the Australian Training Awards Finalist Week in December.
NSW Mental Health update. Mental Health Carers NSW (MHCN) is the peak body for NSW mental
health carers. It represents the voice and lived experience of carers to support its advocacy for mental
health reform. It is conducting a survey of carers on the impact of the psychiatry crisis in NSW. This will
provide evidence of how those with mental health issues under carer supervision are experiencing
difficulties or new unmet needs. This research will be used to raise awareness with other stakeholders
on the impacts of the psychiatrist workforce crisis from the mental health carers perspective. If you are
a mental health carer, click here to access to the survey.
Welcome to the NSW CS&H ITAB February enews
Coordinaire South Eastern NSW Primary Health Network has developed a Palliative Approach
Framework (EPAF) to support decision making in symptom management, planning and care coordination
for practitioners in the Illawarra Shoalhaven, ACT and Southern NSW region. The Palliative and End of
Life Model of Care is an interactive, individualised needs-based approach for the care of patients with
life-limiting disease in the last year of life. The ePAF aims to assist and guide carers and healthcare
professionals (primary, community and aged care) to assess, plan, communicate and care for their
patients, residents or customers. Click here for the ePAF guide.
National update
Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Agreement Review. The Australian Government has
asked the Productivity Commission to conduct the final review of the Mental Health and Suicide
Prevention Agreement. The review will assess the impact of programs delivered under the Agreement
and make recommendations to enhance the effectiveness, accessibility, affordability and safety of the
mental health and suicide prevention system. The Productivity Commission will consult with government
agencies, commissioning bodies, service providers, peak bodies, people with lived experience of mental
ill-health and suicide, First Nations communities and other priority groups. Public hearings will be held
as part of the consultation process. An interim report will be delivered ahead of the final review due
October 2025. Click here to make a submission (due 12 March), or to complete a short survey.
Defence and Veteran Mental Health. Both the Department of Defence and Department of
Veterans’ Affairs have been working to develop the new joint Defence and Veteran Mental Health and
Wellbeing Strategy 2024-29. This follows the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide which
identified that more needs to be done to support the mental health and wellbeing of defence personnel,
veterans and their families. The strategy to be delivered over the next five years will promote and
support wellbeing through early intervention and prevention, timely access to care and support, and a
positive and connected community while focussing on suicide prevention and using data for positive
outcomes. The draft strategy is available for public feedback through either a survey or written
submission. Consultation closes Friday 7 March 2025.
Aged Care - DoHAC Grant opportunities:
Aged Care wages - historic leave liabilities. This grant will help supplement award increases (from
1 January 2025) to leave entitlements for aged care workers affected by the Fair Work Commission Stage
3 decision, which provides 25% for residential aged care workers and 50% for other aged care programs.
Eligible leave liabilities (accrued to 31 December 2024) include:
• long service leave
• recreation leave (annual leave)
• personal leave (sick leave)
A second grant opportunity will be available to meet further award wage increases from 1 October 2025.
Apply online on GrantConnect by 2pm AEDT 6 March 2025.
Specialist Dementia Care Program. This grant opportunity is for eligible providers in the Western
NSW Primary Health Network who are located in the Orange region. It supports people with very severe
behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia who cannot be cared for in mainstream aged care
homes. Eligible providers can apply through GrantConnect. Applications close 1 April, 2pm (AEDT).
EngAged, DoHAC’s Aged Care monthly newsletter keeps stakeholders up to date on initiatives, funding
and other programs and changes. Click here to sign up.
Support at Home program provider transition guide. Ahead of the transition to Support at
Home (SaH) replacing Home Care Packages (HCP) and Short-Term Restorative Care (STRC), DoHAC has
released a provider transition guide. It provides step by step advice on the actions HCP and STRC
providers should commence to be operationally ready for SaH by 1 July 2025. The guide is divided into
5 transition stages:
1. understand the impact of the SaH program
2. prepare for transition
3. deliver services
4. receive payments
5. facilitate change in service.
Step by step actions with timeframes and resources are designed to support providers navigate this new
landscape. Click here to access the guide.
DREAM, new training in dementia respite care. This new education program is designed to help
aged care workers deliver high-quality, dementia-specific respite care. It’s freely available for all aged
care workers and organisations Australia wide. It includes:
• tailored, innovative education for respite care
• an online forum to connect with the dementia respite community
• coaching sessions to ask questions and get support.
This government funded education program was developed by the Wicking Dementia Centre at the
University of Tasmania in collaboration with Dementia Support Australia. Click here to access the DREAM
course information and resources.
National Skills Agreement – Jurisdictional Action Plans. The Australian Government and each state
and territory is publishing a Jurisdictional Action Plan to detail actions and ambitions to deliver on the
outcomes and priorities of the National Skills Plan and National Skills Agreement (NSA).
The Australian Government Jurisdictional Action Plan:
• provides information on Government investment, actions, programs and ambitions to advance
the goals of NSA and the National Skills Plan
• explains how the Government will address national priorities and deliver outcomes
• supports shared stewardship, transparency and accountability
• establishes an annual cycle of planning and review with future iterations to be informed by
stakeholder engagement and evidence-based evaluation.
Links to state and territory plans are being provided as they are published, including NSW, WA, Tasmania,
QLD and NT. The NSW Skills Plan 2024-2028 Building Skills and Shaping Success is available here and was
covered in our January enews. For more information visit DEWR Jurisdictional Action Plans.
Workforce Australia for Business – Business News December edition includes useful articles and
information on:
• the benefits of hiring mature age people
• Hiring Outside the Box webinars
• what Net Zero means for the Hunter region in NSW
• safety leadership and your business
• a case study on transition to work.
Click here to subscribe to Workforce Australia for Business news.
Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA)
Gender Economic Equality Study. JSA is seeking
feedback on the Gender Economic Equality Study.
The study focuses on two key policy challenges:
• how education choices, divides and outcomes are shaped by gender
• how these intersect with gendered industries and occupations
The study will consider how factors like cultural identity, indigeneity, geography, disability and caregiving
responsibilities interact with gender, to create unique experiences of privilege and of discrimination. It
will analyse workforce and education challenges to offer deeper policy insights and fill key evidence gaps
such as intersectional pay gaps and education outcomes. Feedback from Community Services and Health
sectors will be important to strengthen the findings and present comprehensive evidence to assist with
the development of policies that reflect the real-world experiences of Australia’s diverse labour market.
Click here to download the consultation paper and review the guiding questions included to assist with
submissions. Feedback closes 7 March 2025.
Labour Market Update September 2024. The quarterly Labour Market Update provides
information about issues affecting the Australian labour market. The September 2024 report highlights
include;
• the labour market remained resilient, supported by strong working age population
• some labour market indicators point to a softening in labour market conditions
• professional occupations recorded the highest recruitment difficulty rate
• recruitment difficulty significantly decreased in all states and territories, except Tasmania.
Employment outcomes varied across industries, occupations and skill level. Employment change by
industry (August 2023 to August 2024) saw healthcare and social assistance jobs grow by 86,400 with
community and personal services workers up by 75,200 or 4.7% to 1,667,000 representing an increase
of 268,600 or 19.2% over 5 years. Click here for the full report.
Productivity Commission Reports
on Government Services (RoGS) have been
released for Health; Childcare, Education
and Training; and Community Services.
RoGS provide data from all Australian
governments on the services they provide including health services, aged care and disability services,
childcare, schools, police, courts and corrective services, housing and homelessness. Government
expenditure on these services was $374 billion (b) for 2022-23, accounting for 70% of expenditure.
The Part B Report on Childcare, Education and Training provides data on early childhood education and
care (ECEC), school education and vocational education and training (VET). Government expenditure for
the latest years covered in this report was $112.0B. For 2022-23 this represented 28.8% of total
government expenditure covered in this report. Click here for the full reports.
In summary for 2023-24;
• ECEC services government expenditure was $17.9b
• there were 14,732 Australian Government child care subsidy (CCS) approved child care services
• 13,284 ECEC services delivered preschool programs in 2023, with 67.6% in centre based day care
• 1,423,979 (34.5%) of children 0–12 years attended CCS approved child care services in 2024
• 560,384 children 3–6 years were enrolled in a preschool program in 2023
• VET services government expenditure was $8.1b in 2023
• 1,285 RTOs delivered government-funded nationally recognised training in 2023 (35.6% of all
RTOs deliver nationally recognised training)
• 1.2 million students participated in government-funded VET in 2023 with 802,000 in Certificate
III or IV qualifications.
The Part E Report on Health provides data on primary and community health, ambulance services, public
hospitals and services for mental health. Government expenditure was $152b for 2022-23, representing
40.7% of total government expenditure covered in this report.
In summary for 2022-23;
• primary & community health services expenditure was $50.3b
• there were 29,215 full-time equivalent (FTE) general practitioners (GPs), equating to 109.7 per
100,000 people nationally in 2023
• 226 million services were subsidised under Sections 85 and 100 of the Pharmaceutical Benefits
Scheme (PBS) in 2023-24
• ambulance services government expenditure was $5.9b in 2023-24
• ambulance service organisation revenue was $5.6b in 2023-24
• there were 25,345 registered paramedics in Australia in 2023-24
• 5.8 million ambulance responses to 4.4 million incidents in 2023-24
• public hospitals government expenditure was $96.1b in 2022-23
• there were 700 public hospitals in Australia in 2022-23, comprising 65,051 public hospital
beds (equivalent to 2.5 beds per 1,000 people).
• mental health services government expenditure was $12.6b in 2022-23
• $5.3b was provided to support people with a significant and enduring primary psychosocial
disability through NDIS in 2022-23, and
• 12.6 million Medicare-subsidised services for mental health were provided.
The Part F Report on Community Services includes performance reporting for aged care and for services
for people with a disability, child protection and youth justice. Total government expenditure for the
community services in this report was around $94.6b in 2023-24, a 65% increase over 5 years, primarily
due to increased NDIS expenditure. For 2022-23 community services represented 20.9% of government
expenditure covered in this report. The most significant component was NDIS and specialist disability
support services ($46.7b), aged care ($36.4b), child protection ($10.2b) and youth justice ($1.5b).
In summary in 2023-24;
• aged care services expenditure was $36.4B or $7,452 per older person. Residential and flexible
care services accounted for the largest proportion of expenditure ($22.6b, or 62.2%). Home care
and home support services accounted for much of the remainder ($11.5b)
• Australian Government provided 98.9% of aged care government funding
• disability services expenditure was $46.7b, up 14% on 2022-23, representing an average annual
growth rate over 5 years of 19%
• governments contributed $42.4b to the NDIS, with a further $1.8b in government expenditure
on direct service delivery outside of the NDIS
• In 2023-24, the NDIS committed $52.6b in support to participants, an increase of $4.3b (9.0%)
on the previous year
• expenditure on family support services, intensive family support services, protective intervention
services, and care services (out-of-home-care, other supported placements) was $10.2b up 6.6%
from 2022-23. Care services accounted for $6.6b (64.9%), of expenditure.
• expenditure on all child protection services per child aged 0–17 years was $1,765 nationally
• expenditure on detention-based supervision, community-based supervision and group
conferencing was $1.5b in 2023-24 and youth justice services per young person was $581.
Department of Education
ECEC professional development opportunities. The Department of Education is supporting early
childhood education and care (ECEC) providers to offer professional development opportunities for
teachers and educators. Support includes subsidies and an online network to help staff complete training
and practicums, as part of a $72.4 million investment to strengthen skills and professional experience,
improve staff retention, build supply and increase capacity.
The Professional Development Subsidy will help qualified staff to complete training that adds to their
skills. It covers 1 day of training and aims to build capacity and skills and allows services to maintain their
ratios while staff complete training.
Training can include;
• mandatory training such as first aid, child protection and food handling
• highly recommended training such as cultural competency and inclusion
• RTO delivered mentoring or leadership programs
Round 2 applications close 14 March 2025. Click here for guidelines and eligibility requirements.
HumanAbility Update
Significant progress is being made on qualification updates in both CHC and HLT training packages:
• Certificate III in Health Services Assistance; qualification review to better align with contemporary
practises, the latest technology, increased emphasis on patient centred care, preparedness for
disease outbreaks and job roles such as Nurse’s Aide/Assistant in Nursing, Operating Theatre
Technician, Orderly, Patient Support/Care Assistant, Ward Assistant, Ward Clerk, Maternity
Support Assistant. Employers, industry experts and training providers are invited to register for
a full day workshop to inform the review. Click here for the project details and to register. Sydney
workshop is scheduled for Tuesday 8 April 9am - 5pm as well as dates for online workshops.
• Outside School Hours Care; functional analysis workshops completed
• Individual and Disability Support qualifications Implementation Review; report to DEWR
• Career Pathways for the Care and Support Sectors (Aged, Disability and Veterans Care project);
reporting and submission stage
• Mental Health and Alcohol and other Drugs qualification review: functional analysis stage
• Community Services qualification review; functional analysis stage
• Early Childhood Education and Care entry requirement review; finalisation and submission stage
Consultation feedback on following projects is available on their project pages (click here):
• Audiometry qualification review - summary of feedback
• CHC Case Management - summary of feedback
• Optical Dispensing qualification review - summary of feedback
• Pathology qualification review - summary of feedback
HumanAbility is also seeking contact with individuals working towards a qualification in the Care and
Support Sectors: Aged, Disability and Veterans Care, who would be willing to be interviewed and filmed
in their workplace or community. They may have had a varied or challenging pathways to get to their
current role or have stayed in the same role up to senior leadership. HumanAbility wants to capture and
share their story to promote the range of opportunities for advancement and development in these
critical and rewarding sectors. Filming, to be conducted between late February to April, would ideally be
conducted at the workplace to promote the individual and their employer. If you know someone who
has a story to share, or an organisation that may be willing to nominate staff members to participate,
contact matty.harris@humanability.com.au or 0498 060 248.
World Economic Forum Future of Jobs Report 2025.
The bi-annual Future of Jobs Report
explores how jobs and skills will evolve.
The report is based on survey data of a
cross-section of the world’s largest
employers related to how socio-economic
and technology trends will shape the
workplace of the future. It follows
evolving technological, societal and
economic trends to understand
occupational disruption and identify opportunities for workers to transition to the jobs of the future.
Transformational breakthroughs, particularly in generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), are reshaping
industries and tasks across all sectors. These technological advances, however, are converging with other
challenges such as economic volatility, geoeconomic fragmentations, environmental challenges,
demographic shifts and evolving societal expectations.
The most transformative trends include;
• broadening digital access, including AI and robotics having a divergent impact on jobs both the
fastest declining and growing roles
• cost of living with a general economic slowdown impacting job creation
• climate change mitigation and green transition is driving demand for renewables skills and jobs
• demographic shifts such as aging and declining working age populations in high income
economies (driving growth in healthcare) versus expanding working age populations in lower
income economies (driving growth in education-related professions). “Certain countries,
including Australia, Germany and Japan, experience more significant effects from declining
working-age populations” (p16).
• geoeconomic fragmentation and geopolitical tensions may increase restrictions on trade and
investment.
Frontline jobs predicted to grow significantly over the next 5 years include care economy jobs such as
nursing professionals, social work, counselling professionals and personal care aides alongside education
roles. Skill gaps were identified as the biggest barrier to business transformation by survey respondents,
with 63% of employers seeing them as a major barrier over the 2025-2030 period. Accordingly, 85% of
employers surveyed plan to prioritize upskilling their workforce, with 70% of employers expecting to
hire staff with new skills, 40% planning to reduce staff as their skills become less relevant, and 50%
planning to transition staff from declining to growing roles. Click here for the full report.
Events, activities and training
Building a Regional Workforce. The Greater Northern Skills Development Group (GNSDG) is
hosting an ITAB roundtable event for northern NSW industry stakeholders and employers. Hear from
Susan Scowcroft from Community Services and Health ITAB as we tackle the big issues of skills shortages,
upskilling and retention. We welcome participants from the community or health sector with queries to
come and discuss the sector. Updates will be provided on the support available to help retain and upskill
employees, network with industry colleagues and promote job opportunities to key agencies. This event
will be held Wednesday 19 March 4pm to 8pm at the Mercure Hotel (West Tamworth Leagues Club).
Click here for more information or to register.
Industry & School Forums - an invitation to employers on the mid north coast. You are invited to
express your interest in attending our Industry & School Forums across the Mid North Coast in Taree,
Port Macquarie & Coffs Harbour. The aim of the forums is to link local industry and schools (including
careers advisors, principals and other staff) and provide a platform for industry and schools to discuss
local market trends, skill shortages, skill gaps and school-based apprenticeships and traineeships.
In partnership with the Regional Industry Education Partnership (RIEPs) and Industry Training Advisory
Bodies (ITABs), employers are invited to represent your industry and build valuable connections with
schools. Susan Scowcroft will be attending all three forums to discuss the current community and health
industry priorities and skills pathways. Please share this invitation with regional employers who may be
interested in attending. Please use this registration link. (All interested attendees must register their
interest individually).
Dates for the forums are as follows (you can express interest to attend more than one location);
• Taree, Tuesday 27 May, 9am – 1pm
• Port Macquarie, Wednesday 28 May, 9am – 1pm
• Coffs Harbour, Thursday 29 May, 9am – 1pm
Forum sessions include regional overviews by Regional Development Australia, an employer’s discussion
panel, schools’ discussion panel, a speed meet session, and a session on supporting work placements for
School-based Apprenticeships & Traineeships (SBATs).
Early childhood educators and teachers are invited to register for the biennial Inspire Conference
20th to 22nd March 2025, Sydney International Convention Centre (ICC Sydney). Inspire an uprising;
challenge, advocate, resist. Through dynamic keynote sessions, interactive workshops, and collaborative
discussions, delve into the heart of what it means to be an advocate, a disruptor, and a beacon of change
in the field of early childhood education. Click here for more information.
ClubGrants opportunities. ClubGRANTS is one of Australia’s largest grant programs, providing more
than $100 million per year to community groups and charities in NSW. Since the program’s
establishment in 1998, more than $1.5 billion of funding has been allocated to support community
initiatives. Each of the participating ClubGrant regions have their own application opening and closing
dates, click here to search for your local club or suburb. Cumberland ClubGRANTS 2025 are conducting
an Online Information Session for their current round (open 3 Feb to 30 March) on Wednesday 5 March
2-3pm. Click here for more information and to register. ClubGrants support community welfare, social
services, community development, community health services and employment assistance activities.
Demonstrating Dementia Leadership. This fully funded nationally recognised short course is
available for front line care staff to build practical leadership skills. Designed to enhance team
effectiveness, communication, performance and practice, the program:
• is delivered online over six weeks
• offers a pathway to Certificate IV in Dementia Practice
• provides graduates with a Statement of Attainment.
The course is suitable for those working in aged care, allied health, disability care, home and community
care, hospitals, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, nursing, residential care or speech therapy.
Download the Demonstrating Dementia Leadership Program Handbook to check your eligibility.
Course commencement dates:
• 28 February to 11 April 12 to 1pm
• 5 March to 16 April 3.30 to 4.30pm
• 11 March to 22 April 12.30-1.30pm
• 14 March to 25 April 2-3pm
Careers events. Exhibitor and Sponsorship opportunities are now open for the 2025 series of Brett
Carter Career events. Over 20,000 visitors and 400 exhibitors participate in these event. Students,
careers advisers and parents can kick off career planning and start the recruitment process by talking
one-on-one to industry experts and exploring career options.
• Greater Western Sydney Careers Market 21 & 22 May, Penrith Valley Regional Sports Centre, for
school students and career advisers
• Apprenticeship/Traineeship & Jobs Expos
Central Coast Tuesday 29 July 3-7pm Mingara Recreation Club
Parramatta Hills District Tuesday 5 August 3-7pm Wenty Leagues Club
Newcastle Hunter Tuesday 19 August 3-7pm TBA
SW Sydney Macarthur Tuesday 26 August Liverpool Catholic Club
Sutherland Shire Tuesday 2 September 3-7pm Tradies Gymea
Western Sydney Tuesday 9 September 3-7pm Penrith Valley Sports Centre.
Skills for Education and Employment (SEE).
The Sydney Greater West Local Jobs Program will be delivering an online
information session on the SEE program on Friday 7th March 11am to
12pm. Western Sydney businesses and services are invited to see how
they can connect with training providers to deliver workplace-based
training projects to their employees. Industry and unions are also invited
to learn about co-designing industry tailored training that meets specific
industry need. Click here to register.
CHSP Futures Online Conference
Reimaging CHSP Together.
Join with service providers and professionals to
prepare for the upcoming changes in aged care
packages and unpack the 4 priority areas;
• future vision of workforce
• sustainability and viability into the future.
• future shaping service provision and capacity
• future focus for compliance and regulation
The two-day event, funded by DoHAC, will run from 10.30am to 4.30pm on Tuesday 25 and Wednesday
26 March and features keynote sessions, panel discussions, fireside chats and breakout sessions.
Key speakers include Robert Fitzgerald AM, Age Discrimination Commissioner, Mary Patetsos, Chair of
the Board, St John Ambulance Australia SA Ltd and Anita Courtney, Principal, Russell Kennedy Lawyers.
Click here to register.
Australian Healthcare Week.
Health and Aged Care professionals are
invited to join with colleagues at the 14th
annual Healthcare Week Expo to be held at
the International Convention and Exhibition
Centre (ICC), Darling Harbour, 19 to 20 March.
Hear from over 200 speakers including Faye
Spiteri OAM presenting the keynote on Aged
Care Transformation on Implementing
innovative care models for improved resident
outcomes. Ms Spiteri will address emerging
care models that integrate home-based and
community care as well as the use of AI, Robotics and data-driven approaches to enhance daily living
assistance and quality of life. Join 8,000 health and aged car professionals to gain cutting-edge and
transformative insights from the best in the field, with over 15 dedicated programs including digital
health, aged care, sustainability, patience experience, nursing and midwifery, AI and more.
Click here for more information and to register.
Contact your NSW CS&H ITAB
• Promote your activities, programs and resources contact itab@csh-itab.com.au
• Contact Susan Scowcroft, Executive Director; sscowcroft@csh-itab.com.au
• Contact Sarah Rosen, Workforce Liaison Officer; srosen@csh-itab.com.au
• Visit our website for news, events and resources; https://csh-itab.com.au
• Click here to Subscribe or to unsubscribe.
Your Community Services and Health ITAB plays an important role in informing the training landscape
for the community services and health sectors across NSW. We are an independent resource hub
providing advocacy, advice, support and leadership. We support our sectors by providing a voice to
government on skills needs, emerging issues, challenges and trends. Your input guides the key issues
around workforce and skills shortages, training needs and identifying barriers to accessing the skills that
employers need. Stakeholder insights and evidence can influence policy and funding for the VET sector
to support the delivery of a wide range of training programs.
*Funded by the NSW Department of Education, Training Service
