Increasing obligations, a visibility gap across leves, and the operational load on HR teams.
Employees, contractors, agency workers and a dynamic workforce: where your gaps hide
Pulled from sector and state regulators, corrective actions, incident reporting, worker screening. The real patterns showing up in the sector.
What the board should be asking leadership, what leadership should be asking their teams, and what HR & operations need to have in place.
References
NDIS Commission Audit Information: https://www.ndiscommission.gov.au/provider-registration/apply-registration/types-audits NDIS Commission Annual Reports: www.ndiscommission.gov.au/about-us/corporate-reports
NDIS Commission Quarterly Performance Reports: https://www.ndis.gov.au/publications/quarterly-reports
NDIS Practice Standards and Quality Indicators: https://www.ndiscommission.gov.au/rules-and-standards/ndis-practice-standards
NDIS Audit Types Information: www.ndiscommission.gov.au/provider-registration/apply-registration/types-audits
NDIS Provider Registration and Practice Standards Rules: https://www.legislation.gov.au/F2018L00633/latest/text, https://www.legislation.gov.au/F2018L00629/latest/text, https://www.legislation.gov.au/F2018L00631/latest/text, https://www.legislation.gov.au/F2018L00887/latest/text, https://www.legislation.gov.au/F2026L00044/asmade/text
ACQSC Sector Performance Reports: https://www.agedcarequality.gov.au/news-publications/reports/sector-performance
SIRS Insights Reports: www.agedcarequality.gov.au/sirs/reports
ACQSC Audit overview: www.agedcarequality.gov.au/providers/provider-registration/audits/audit-overview
ACQSC Audit process: www.agedcarequality.gov.au/providers/provider-registration/audits/audit-process
Aged Care Act 2024: https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/aged-care-act, www.agedcarequality.gov.au/providers/workforce-obligations/about-workforce-obligations
ACQSC Provider Governance Obligations: www.agedcarequality.gov.au/providers/provider-governance/provider-governance-obligations
ACECQA National Quality Framework: www.acecqa.gov.au/nqf/about
ACECQA National Quality Standards: www.acecqa.gov.au/nqf/national-quality-standard
ACECQA Assessment and Rating Process: www.acecqa.gov.au/national-quality-framework/assessment-and-rating-resources NSW Early Learning Commission: education.nsw.gov.au/early-childhood-education/regulation-and-compliance
NSW Office of the Children’s Guardian (OCG): www.ocg.nsw.gov.au
ACECQA National NQF Compliance data: www.acecqa.gov.au/resources/research
ACECQA NQF Annual Performance Report: https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2025-12/2025-NQF-Annual-Performance-Report.pdf
ACECQA Review of Child Safety Arrangements under the NQF: https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-12/Review%20of%20Child%20Safety%20Arrangements%20under%20the%20National%20Quality%20Framework-full_report.pdf Victorian Early Childhood Regulatory Authority: https://www.vic.gov.au/victorian-early-childhood-regulatory-authority
ABC Four Corners, Hunting Ground, Adele Ferguson: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10-27/childcare-centres-paedophiles-abuse-four-corners/105926324
Queensland Department of Education: earlychildhood.qld.gov.au/about-us/what-we-do
Victorian Reportable Conduct Scheme: www.ccyp.vic.gov.au/reportable-conduct-scheme
ACECQA Education and Care Services National Regulations: www.acecqa.gov.au/nqf/national-law-regulations
NSW OCG Annual Report: Oho sector workforce intelligence white paper: https://www.weareoho.com/whitepapers/safeguarding-australia
Additional sources:
www.nsw.gov.au/ministerial-releases/operation-sentinel-sees-record-fines-issued-by-office-of-childrens-guardian ndiscommission.gov.au/rules-and-standards/ndis-practice-standards/core-module-provider-governance-and-operational ndiscommission.gov.au/rules-and-standards/quality-practice/practice-reviews ndiscommission.gov.au/rules-and-standards/quality-practice agedcarequality.gov.au/providers/assessment-processes/continuous-improvement agedcarequality.gov.au/strengthened-quality-standards/organisation/accountability-quality-system-and-policies-and-procedures
acecqa.gov.au/national-quality-framework/guide-nqf/section-3-national-quality-standard-and-assessment-and-rating/assessment-and-rating-process/2-self-assessment-and-quality-improvement-planning
ndiscommission.gov.au/rules-and-standards/ndis-code-conduct agedcarequality.gov.au/providers/workforce-obligations/about-workforce-obligations