Vic review of supported residential services (SRS)
The Victorian government is reviewing the laws that regulate supported residential services (SRS),which are currently regulated under various Health Acts and Regulations.
They protect the safety and wellbeing of residents by establishing minimum standards for the accommodation and care provided in these facilities.
The Department of Human Services is reviewing the regulation of SRS to:
- Make sure it can suit a changing SRS sector
- Look at concerns raised about current arrangements, and decide if reform is needed, and
- Make sure laws about SRS fit well with government policy and other legislation, including the Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities and the Reducing the Regulatory Burden initiative.
There may be a range of solutions to concerns raised through this review. If legislative changes are recommended and accepted by Parliament, changes to the SRS regulations will also be required.
The review is likely to run over a period of 18 months or more.
The government has produced a discussion paper to highlight key issues with the current SRS regulatory scheme and seek input from stakeholders. It:
- Provides background information to the review
- Outlines some of the key policy and administrative issues that have been raised, and
- Seeks input and advice on the current arrangements.
The discussion paper lists 20 key questions about the current regulatory scheme and issues that have been raised.
These 20 questions cover three broad areas:
- The kinds of places SRS’ should be
- Whether the current laws provide enough protection for residents
- How well the current system operates.
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