Wednesday, 15 November 2023

Ministers statements: Social Services Regulator

Lizzie BLANDTHORN (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Children, Minister for Disability) (12:14): As the house may be aware, the new Social Services Regulator will commence on 1 July 2024, which will streamline regulation and reporting requirements for providers of social services as well as strengthen the enforcement powers that protect vulnerable service users from harm. Last week the final regulations that will apply across the social services sector were made. This is an important milestone towards this reform. The services that the regulator will oversee include family violence, homelessness, disability services –

Members interjecting.

The PRESIDENT: Minister Blandthorn, can I ask you to stop for a second. Can we reset the clock. Minister Blandthorn, from the top.

Lizzie BLANDTHORN: As the house may be aware, the new Social Services Regulator will commence on 1 July 2024, streamlining regulation and reporting requirements for providers of social services as well as strengthening the enforcement powers that protect vulnerable service users from harm. Last week the final regulations that will apply across the social services sector were made. This is an important milestone towards this reform. The services that the regulator will oversee include family violence; homelessness; disability services; children, youth and family services; and supported residential services.

From 1 July 2024, for the first time, the providers of these services will have a single set of social service standards, a single registration and reporting process and an independent regulator. The regulator will also be empowered to recognise other regulatory schemes, providing a more coordinated and simpler system for those service providers which need to comply with more than one scheme. In the first instance the scheme will educate and provide guidance to all providers about the new standards. It will identify deficiencies in the delivery of services and work with providers to improve. It will issue fines to providers which breach their responsibilities and, where appropriate, initiate criminal proceedings for aggravated breaches of the standards. This reform will reduce red tape for the organisations, drive improvement in the quality of services and minimise the risk of harm to service users.

I would like to thank the members of the Social Services Regulation Taskforce, who continue to provide vital feedback from the sector to the government as we prepare for this streamlined and strengthened system. I would like to acknowledge the expertise and wisdom of the taskforce co-chair Susan Pascoe, who has facilitated open discussions between the representatives of this highly diverse sector. Throughout the life of the taskforce Ms Pascoe has been ably supported by previous co-chair Josh Bull, member for Sunbury in the other place, and current co-chair Iwan Walters, member for Greenvale in the other place and Parliamentary Secretary for Disability. A great many Victorians rely on these key social services, and this reform will ensure that the regulations that govern them are efficient and effective and minimise the risk of harm to people who use them.