Aged Care - A Rapidly Changing Sector
From 1 November 2025, the new Aged Care Act 2024 and Aged Care Rules 2025 came into effect, introducing a new provider registration scheme for providers delivering services to older people in their homes. This new program is called Support at Home.
The industry is currently undergoing a raft of reforms following the Royal Commission into Aged Care and is focussed on the rights of older people in all aspects of care.
The changes mean that while Australia’s population continues to age, and new providers are keen to enter sector, the expectations on providers to deliver safe, high-quality care, that meets industry Standards and public expectations is also increasing.
New Aged Care Act and Strengthened Quality Standards
A New Aged Care Act and Strengthened Quality Standards are coming into effect from 01 November 2025 (deferred from 01 July). Provider Institute is currently rolling out updated Policy and Procedure templates and information explaining the changes to help providers prepare for the updated requirements.
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Sector Change is In Progress
The reality of the transition is that the sector is still very unsettled. A lot of processes and approaches are being learned about as the Support at Home program unfolds. While this is expected with major changes, it means that new providers may see some benefit in monitoring and watching for a short while to see how things develop so you are in the best position for success.
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Provider Institute's Support at Home Support
We are actively preparing resources and support to assist providers with navigating the reforms. As there are still a number of guidance materials being published by the Aged Care Safety and Quality Commission post 01 Nov, we are monitoring the latest information to ensure that we provide correct and appropriate advice for new and transitioning providers.
We appreciate your patience as we work through the high volume of information being published.
We Can Help You Deliver Safe and High-Quality Aged Care Support at Home Services
Provider Institute’s team brings a wealth of experience and expertise to helping providers navigate the Support at Home requirements. We can help you with:
Understanding the Support at Home Registration Process
The new provider registration model streamlines the application process and places a stronger emphasis on risk-based regulation and continuous improvement. In particular, providers will need to demonstrate how they will meet and comply with Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards, relevant to the services they provide.
Under the new framework, you must select which registration categories your organisation will operate in.
The six registration categories are:
- Category 1 – Home and community services:
- Domestic assistance
- Home Maintenance and Repairs
- Meals
- Transport
- Category 2 – Assistive technology and home modifications (AT-HM)
- Equipment and products
- Home adjustments
- Category 3 – Advisory and support services
- Social support and community engagement
- Hoarding and squalor assistance
- Category 4 – Personal care and care support (including respite)
- Allied health and Therapy
- Personal care
- Nutrition
- Therapeutic services for Independent Living
- Home or community general respite
- Community cottage respite
- Care Management / Restorative Care Management
- Category 5 – Nursing and transition care
- Nursing care
- Assistance with transition care
- Category 6 – Residential care (including respite)
- Residential accommodation
- Residential everyday living
- Residential non-clinical care
- Residential clinical care
You will need to consider which services you intend to deliver, which will determine the relevant registration categories.
Your registration categories will determine your Registration Pathway.
For providers delivering services in Categories 1 – 3, you will need to undergo an audit/verification process to verify your organisation and responsible person’s suitability, including commitment, capacity and capability to deliver services.
For providers delivering services in Categories 4 – 6, there will be a comprehensive audit process against the Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards as well as demonstrating your organisation and responsible person’s suitability, including commitment, capacity and capability to deliver services. You can see more about the audit process here. Note: you will only need to undergo 1 registration process with a comprehensive audit if you are providing services in Categories 1 – 6 (not 2 separate audits for Cat 1 – 3 and Cat 4 – 6).
You will submit your application with the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission specifying the registration category, services offered, and service delivery areas. To demonstrate suitability, your organisation will need to show evidence of:
- Organisational capacity – appropriately qualified staff, clear clinical oversight, and effective compliance systems.
- Financial and prudential management – the ability to operate sustainably and meet financial obligations.
- Workforce and safety compliance – meeting worker screening, quality standards, and safety requirements.
The costs of your registration audit will depend on your registration categories and services delivered. We strongly encourage you to use the Fees Calculator to estimate your audit costs. These costs are paid to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (ACQSC) who will manage the audit process.
Aged Care Application Coaching
As new information continues to be released we are actively looking at how best to support new providers entering the sector, to ensure you are well informed, prepared and ready to deliver Aged Care services. This will likely include a workbook, interactive webinar session and 1-1 Application support, depending on your registration categories.
While we finalise our support options, things you can do to get ready are:
- Decide which services and registration categories you want to apply for
- Suitability and Governance: check the suitability of your organisation and responsible persons and that you have an appropriate governance structure in place. You will need to have a Board and Committees once you have more than 40 participants.
- Complete the Support at Home Training Modules to understand your responsibilities as a registered provider (highly recommended)
- Commence development of your Policies and Procedures and understand processes for meeting the Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards.
Updated Policies and Procedures Aligned to the Strengthened Standards
We have a suite of Support at Home policies and procedures available, which are continuing to be updated based on newly published resources. Our policies and procedures are designed to meet the requirements of the Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards and new operating model. These updated documents will ensure providers are compliant, prepared, and aligned with best practice under the 2025 reforms. You can see our current Mapping Document here for a list of our policies and procedures to meet the Strengthened Quality Standards.
We have several options for purchasing Support at Home Policies and Procedures.
1. Hosted and Managed Policies and Procedures (Best Value)
This service includes tailored policies and procedures that suit your business requirements, hosted in an online system. For Support at Home (Cat 1-6) policies and procedures, this is $349 including GST per month, with a one-time set up fee of $499 including GST. Once your policies and procedures are set up, we will then maintain them ongoing with the latest regulatory and industry changes, along with any organisational changes you require. You can see more information about this option here. Note that these policies can be fully integrated with NDIS policies and procedures if you are delivering both service types!
If you wish to go ahead with this option, once you’ve signed up, we will set up an initial Information Gathering Session. This is a phone call that will take approximately 2 hours, to understand how your business operates or intends to operate, who will be responsible for what areas, and key processes/systems you will follow. It’s also an opportunity for you to ask any questions you have about registration, compliance or operating an Aged Care business. After this session is held, it will take five business days for us to have your policies and procedures ready and accessible to your team.
2. Tailored Policies and Procedures
If you prefer to have a Word version of your documentation that you manage internally, we can provide tailored documentation that meet all of the current requirements under Aged Care legislation and Strengthened Quality Standards. The cost to develop these is $4,950 inc GST. A 20% discount is applied to this pricing if you are a current Gold Standard or All Access member with us ($3,960 inc GST).
Similar to our Hosted and Managed option, once you have made your purchase, you will be provided with a link to make a booking for an Information Gathering Session. After this session is held, it will take 3 weeks for us to have your policies and procedures returned to you (provided all relevant information has been supplied to us).
3. Template Policies and Procedures (Lowest cost)
If you are confident in the development of the policies and procedures you require, then our All Access membership would be most cost effective. This is $1,319 inc GST (annual) and includes access to our full library of Support at Home Aged Care policy and procedure templates that meet the Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards. They are provided in Word format so can be easily edited, along with instructions on how to prepare them to suit your requirements. Please note that if you are delivering Clinical services, under our All Access membership they are purchasable at a 50% discount – $149 inc GST per area. Our clinical suite includes:
- Bowel Care Management
- Dementia and Cognitive Decline
- Diabetes Management
- Dysphagia Management
- Enteral Feeding Management
- Mealtime Management
- Stoma Management
- Urinary Catheter Management
- Wound Management
- Palliative Care
- Falls Management
- Portacath Management
Ongoing Education and Resources with Membership
Watch.Read.Do, Alerts, and Premium Articles
Our membership programs are evolving to reflect the changes in the aged care landscape. Members receive:
- Watch.Read.Do – bite-sized, actionable content to help you understand and implement reforms
- Alerts and premium articles – to keep you informed of regulatory updates, practical guidance, and sector insights
- Ongoing guidance and education to help you adapt proactively to the new requirements
- Access to updated policy and procedure and forms and documents templates as further changes roll-out
Responsive Help Desk Support
Our Help Desk is here to provide individualised support and clarification on reforms, compliance, and implementation questions. Whether you’re preparing new documentation or need help interpreting the new Standards, our team is available to assist. You can contact our support desk 24/7 at [email protected]
My PIA Hours
My PIA Hours are hourly blocks of time with one of our experienced consultants. You can use this time to seek one-on-one advice and support suited to your unique circumstances.
My PIA Hours are flexible, so you can always purchase more when you need them.
Aged care is a complex area and we try to make sure our clients are well-informed about its intricacies before commencing the registration journey. If you’d like to schedule a call with one of our team after considering the above information, we would be happy to conduct a formal consult with you to answer any further questions you have.
You can book an hour consult by purchasing one My PIA Hour. This My PIA Hour will be applied as credit towards any policy and procedure pack option purchased with us.