When the new Act started
Parliament passed the Aged Care Act 2024 on 25 November 2024 and it commenced on 1 November 2025, alongside the new Support at Home program. It replaced the Aged Care Act 1997, the Aged Care (Transitional Provisions) Act 1997 and the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission Act 2018. The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety found the old law was built around providers and funding. The new Act starts instead with the rights of the older person.
The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing names five changes that affect workers most: the Statement of Rights and Statement of Principles, worker screening, the strengthened Quality Standards, complaints, and whistleblower protections.
The Statement of Rights
The Statement of Rights replaced the Charter of Aged Care Rights on 1 November 2025, and providers must act consistently with it. In summary, older people have the right to:
- Make their own decisions about their services, money, belongings and how they live, even where there is some personal risk, with support to decide if they want it.
- Equitable access to a fair assessment that respects their culture, experiences, any trauma and conditions such as dementia.
- Safe, quality services that respect their identity and culture, are free from violence, abuse and neglect, and are delivered by workers with the right training, skills and experience.
- Privacy and access to information about their services and costs.
- Communication in their preferred language or method, including interpreters, and the right to complain without fear of being punished.
- Support and connection: help from an advocate or someone they choose, and staying connected with the people who matter, their community and their pets. For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people this includes Country and Island Home.
Under the new Act every older person is presumed able to make decisions. A registered supporter, such as a family member or friend, helps the person make and communicate their own decisions, but has no authority to decide for them. Read the full summary on the Commission website.
The Aged Care Code of Conduct and your obligations
The Code applies to registered providers, their responsible persons, and aged care workers of registered providers, including volunteers, independent contractors and employees of contractors. It sets out 8 behaviours. You must:
- Respect people's rights to freedom of expression, self determination and decision making.
- Treat people with dignity and respect, and value their diversity.
- Respect people's privacy.
- Deliver services safely and competently, with care and skill.
- Act with integrity, honesty and transparency.
- Promptly raise and act on concerns about quality and safety.
- Deliver services free from violence, discrimination, exploitation, neglect, abuse and sexual misconduct.
- Take all reasonable steps to prevent and respond to those harms.
If the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission has concerns about a worker, it can send a reminder or caution letter, require further training, investigate, or make a banning order that stops or restricts someone from working in aged care, either temporarily or permanently. Before deciding, it must give the worker a fair chance to respond. See how the Commission addresses concerns about workers. Providers must take reasonable steps to make sure you know and follow the Code, including regular training, and the Commission expects providers to check its banning order register when engaging workers.
The 7 strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards
Seven strengthened standards replaced the previous Quality Standards when the new Act began:
- Standard 1: The individual, the foundation, about identity, dignity, choice and independence.
- Standard 2: The organisation, covering governance, culture, feedback and complaints, workforce planning, training and supervision.
- Standard 3: The care and services, covering assessment, planning and delivering care that meets each person's needs.
- Standard 4: The environment, covering safe spaces, equipment and infection prevention and control.
- Standard 5: Clinical care, covering clinical governance and safe, quality clinical care.
- Standard 6: Food and nutrition, covering meals and drinks that meet each person's needs and preferences.
- Standard 7: The residential community, covering daily living and transitions in residential care.
Which standards apply depends on the provider's registration category. They do not apply to categories 1 to 3, such as domestic assistance, home modifications and social support, although the Statement of Rights and the Code still do. Category 4 (personal care and care support at home or in the community) must meet Standards 1 to 4, plus Outcome 5.1 where it provides care management and restorative care management. Category 5 (nursing and transition care) meets Standards 1 to 5, and category 6 (residential care, including respite) meets all seven. See the Commission page for workers.
Worker screening and registration
All aged care workers and responsible persons need either a police certificate no older than three years that does not record certain offences, or an NDIS worker screening check. If you hold an NDIS check you do not also need a police certificate. Tell your employer immediately if your circumstances change after your certificate is assessed, or if your NDIS check is suspended or cancelled. Providers cannot let someone work in aged care who does not meet the screening requirements.
The government is working with the states and territories on a national worker screening check for the care and support sectors, led by a taskforce in the Department of Finance. It is also progressing a national registration scheme for personal care workers, but no start date has been announced. Check the department screening page for the current position.
Serious incidents and speaking up
The Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS) continues under the new Act. Tell your team leader straight away about any incident or allegation, because Priority 1 incidents must be reported to the Commission within 24 hours and Priority 2 within 30 days. Our SIRS reporting guide explains the incident types and timeframes.
Whistleblower protections cover workers, older people and families who reasonably suspect the law is not being followed. You can make a disclosure in person, by phone or in writing to the Commission, the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, your registered provider or one of its responsible persons, another aged care worker of a registered provider, a police officer or an independent aged care advocate. You can stay anonymous, your identity is protected, and you must not be punished for speaking up. The Commission can be reached on 1800 951 822.
What changes for you day to day
- Ask the older person first, even when a family member or registered supporter is in the room.
- Support choices that carry some risk, and raise safety concerns with your team leader rather than overriding the person.
- Arrange an interpreter or communication aid instead of relying on relatives.
- Read the care and services plan before you start, and follow it.
- Treat every comment or complaint as feedback to record and pass on, never something to discourage.
- Report unsafe equipment, near misses and concerns promptly, and report incidents immediately.
- Keep your screening current, keep your training up to date, and tell us if your circumstances change.
Train your team
These courses take workers through the new Act, the Code and each standard, with scenarios from residential and home care:
50 minNavigating the New Aged Care Act and Quality Standards
The Aged Care Act 2024 commenced on 1 November 2025 and changed the way aged care works in Australia. It puts the rights of older people at the centre. This course explains the rights based approach, the Statement of Rights and the Statement of Principles, and the seven strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards. It also covers registered supporters, the Support at Home program, the new Complaints Commissioner and the whistleblower protections for workers, older people and families. Most importantly, it explains what these changes mean for you on every shift, in residential care and in people's own homes. Three case studies show the Act in action. Duration: 50 minutes.
45 minAged Care Code of Conduct
The Code of Conduct for Aged Care sets out how every aged care worker, provider and responsible person is expected to behave towards the older people we support. This course walks through all eight elements of the Code in plain language, with examples from residential care and care in people's own homes. You will learn who the Code applies to, how to raise concerns early, how whistleblower protections under the Aged Care Act 2024 keep you safe when you speak up, and what the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission can do when the Code is breached, including banning orders. Two case studies, one in a residential home and one in home care, show how the Code guides everyday decisions. The course finishes with a final assessment. Duration: 45 minutes.
60 minStarting Work in Aged Care
This induction course gives new aged care workers a clear picture of the system they are joining and what we expect on every shift. It explains the main settings of aged care: residential care, the Support at Home program and the Commonwealth Home Support Program. It introduces the rights based Aged Care Act 2024, which commenced on 1 November 2025, the Statement of Rights, the strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards and the Code of Conduct for Aged Care, and shows how they apply in daily work. You will learn about person centred care, supported decision making, infection control and safety basics, good records and privacy, incidents and the Serious Incident Response Scheme, complaints and whistleblower protections, and where to learn more. Duration: 60 minutes.
50 minStandard 1: The Individual
Standard 1 of the strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards sets the foundation for how we treat every older person we support. The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission now names it The individual, and it applies to home, community and residential services. This course explains the four outcomes in plain language: person centred care, dignity, respect and privacy, choice, independence and quality of life, and transparency and agreements. You will see what each outcome looks like on an ordinary shift, and learn when to speak up and tell your team leader. Three case studies follow a resident settling into care, a man travelling home for a funeral, and a client confused by a new agreement. Duration: 50 minutes.
50 minStandard 2: The Organisation
Standard 2 of the strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards is about how an aged care organisation is run. It makes the governing body responsible for safe, quality care, but every worker helps the systems work. This course explains the ten outcomes in plain language, grouped into what they mean for you: partnering with older people, a culture of quality and safety, managing risk and incidents, welcoming feedback and complaints, handling information properly, having a skilled workforce, and being ready for emergencies. You will learn practical examples, such as reporting a near miss, writing clear notes and knowing your part in an emergency plan. Three case studies follow a fall in residential care, feedback from a client at home and a storm warning in the community. Duration: 50 minutes.
45 minStandard 3: The Care and Services
Standard 3 of the strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards is about how care and services are planned, delivered, communicated and coordinated for each older person. It applies to home, community and residential services. This course explains its four outcomes in plain language: assessment and planning, delivery of care and services, communicating for safety and quality, and coordination of care and services. You will learn how to follow and contribute to a care plan, notice and report changes, hand over clearly between shifts, check a person's identity, and work with other services such as doctors, allied health and family. Three case studies follow a client whose needs are changing, a rushed handover and a recommendation that almost got lost. Duration: 45 minutes.
50 minStandard 4: The Environment
Standard 4 of the strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards makes sure older people receive care in a physical environment that is safe, supportive and meets their needs, and that infections are prevented and controlled. It applies to home, community and residential services. This course explains its two outcomes in plain language: environment and equipment, and infection prevention and control. You will learn how to spot and report hazards in a client's home, what a clean, safe and comfortable service environment looks like, how to check equipment before use, and the everyday infection control practices that protect everyone. Three case studies show these skills in action at home and in residential care. Duration: 50 minutes.
50 minStandard 5: Clinical Care
Standard 5 of the strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards sets out what safe, quality clinical care looks like for older people. It applies to nursing, transition and residential care, and its clinical governance outcome also applies to care management in the home. This course explains the seven outcomes in plain language and shows what each one means for a care worker, from reporting concerns clearly to responding after a fall. Three case studies, at home and in residential care, show how to escalate a changing wound, a fall and pain at the end of life to the registered nurse. This course builds knowledge only and does not qualify you to perform clinical tasks. Duration: 50 minutes.
50 minStandard 6: Food and Nutrition
Standard 6 of the strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards recognises how much food, drink and mealtimes matter in an older person's life. It applies to residential care, including residential respite. This course explains its four outcomes in plain language: partnering with older people on food and nutrition, assessing nutritional needs and preferences, providing food and drink, and the dining experience. You will learn how to find out what people like, follow texture and fluid requirements safely, record intake, notice and report signs of poor nutrition or swallowing problems, and offer real choice. Three case studies show how to respond to weight loss, balance choice with safety, and improve the dining experience. Duration: 50 minutes.
50 minStandard 7: The Residential Community
Standard 7 of the strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards recognises that when an older person moves into a residential care home, that home and its people become the centre of their life. It applies to residential care, including residential respite. This course explains its two outcomes in plain language: daily living, and transitions. You will learn how to help residents feel at home, safe and included, support activities and relationships that matter to them, keep them connected with family, friends and community, and make moves into, within and out of the home as smooth and stress free as possible. Three case studies, covering a new resident settling in, conflict between neighbours and a respite stay, show how Standard 7 works in everyday practice. Duration: 50 minutes.
Frequently asked questions
When did the new Aged Care Act start?
The Aged Care Act 2024 commenced on 1 November 2025, at the same time as the Support at Home program. It was passed by Parliament on 25 November 2024.
What is the Statement of Rights?
It is the part of the Aged Care Act 2024 that sets out the rights older people have when they access funded aged care, including the right to make their own decisions, to safe and quality care, to privacy, to communicate in their preferred way and to complain without reprisal. It replaced the Charter of Aged Care Rights.
Does the Aged Care Code of Conduct apply to me?
Yes, if you work for a registered aged care provider, including as a volunteer, contractor or employee of a contractor. It sets out 8 behaviours, and the Commission can act, including through banning orders, when they are not followed.
What are the 7 strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards?
The individual; the organisation; the care and services; the environment; clinical care; food and nutrition; and the residential community. Which ones apply depends on the provider's registration category.
What screening do aged care workers need?
A police certificate no older than three years that does not record certain offences, or an NDIS worker screening check. A national care and support worker screening check is being developed.
Am I protected if I report poor care?
Yes. Whistleblower protections under the new Act cover aged care workers who reasonably suspect the law is not being followed. You can stay anonymous, your identity is protected and you must not be punished for speaking up.
Source: Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. Checked 10/11/2026. Provider Compliance is not affiliated with the Victorian Government.