organisations must ensure, amongst other issues, that Victoria has a stable and appropriately skilled workforce. To be regarded by other community service sectors as competent and knowledgeable professionals, training and qualifications in the specialty of residential out of home care is required to ensure workers have the skills to support young people in achieving better outcomes. The residential care workforce is a diversely qualified workforce who hold a range of relevant qualifications. While, over 60% of residential care workers hold a relevant post-secondary qualification, up to 40% of residential care workers hold no relevant qualification creating a significant variability in the baseline level of skills of the workforce. Supporting minimum qualifications The Residential Care Workers Vocational Education and Training Initiative has been developed to support upskilling the residential care workforce. This initiative provides statewide training for workers who do not currently meet the minimum qualification requirements from 1 January 2018. Consultation Extensive consultation has been undertaken with community service organisations and the Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare to develop and test the key elements of this strategy and to understand the training needs of community service organisations delivering residential care across Victoria. Monitoring and review Minimum qualification requirements will take effect from 1 January 2018. Community service organisations will be required to ensure staff working in their homes meet these requirements. Compliance will be monitored through existing performance and contract management processes. Characteristics of the residential care workforce A census of the Victorian residential care workforce undertaken by the Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare in December 2014 provides a summary of the qualifications held by the workforce. Key findings are outlined below: Length of service There is a high instance of turnover in the Victorian residential care workforce, with over 50% of workers having less than 2 years tenure with their employing organisation. Figure : Length of service with current employer Source: Victorian Residential Care Workforce Census 2014-15. Employment status The Victorian residential care workforce is comprised of a full time and part time workforce supplemented by a casual pool of workers to provide flexibility to manage rostered staff arrangements based on the individual needs of children and young people in their care.
organisations must ensure, amongst other issues, that Victoria has a stable and appropriately skilled workforce. To be regarded by other community service sectors as competent and knowledgeable professionals, training and qualifications in the specialty of residential out of home care is required to ensure workers have the skills to support young people in achieving better outcomes. The residential care workforce is a diversely qualified workforce who hold a range of relevant qualifications. While, over 60% of residential care workers hold a relevant post-secondary qualification, up to 40% of residential care workers hold no relevant qualification creating a significant variability in the baseline level of skills of the workforce. Supporting minimum qualifications The Residential Care Workers Vocational Education and Training Initiative has been developed to support upskilling the residential care workforce. This initiative provides statewide training for workers who do not currently meet the minimum qualification requirements from 1 January 2018. Consultation Extensive consultation has been undertaken with community service organisations and the Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare to develop and test the key elements of this strategy and to understand the training needs of community service organisations delivering residential care across Victoria. Monitoring and review Minimum qualification requirements will take effect from 1 January 2018. Community service organisations will be required to ensure staff working in their homes meet these requirements. Compliance will be monitored through existing performance and contract management processes. Characteristics of the residential care workforce A census of the Victorian residential care workforce undertaken by the Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare in December 2014 provides a summary of the qualifications held by the workforce. Key findings are outlined below: Length of service There is a high instance of turnover in the Victorian residential care workforce, with over 50% of workers having less than 2 years tenure with their employing organisation. Figure : Length of service with current employer Source: Victorian Residential Care Workforce Census 2014-15. Employment status The Victorian residential care workforce is comprised of a full time and part time workforce supplemented by a casual pool of workers to provide flexibility to manage rostered staff arrangements based on the individual needs of children and young people in their care.
Minimum-qualification-strategy-for-residential-care-workers-in-Victoria.docx