Community Services Qualification Review

Endorsement and Implementation

Finalisation and Submission

Consultation

We have held extensive consultations on community services qualifications, units of competency and skill sets, receiving over 6,000 items of feedback which is being incorporated into revised training products. These training products are being reviewed by the project Technical Committee and will be uploaded for validation once this process is complete.

Workshops

From Monday 28 April to Thursday 3 July 2025, we held 20 workshops or site visits in Hobart, Ballarat, Melbourne, Toowoomba, Brisbane, Bunbury, Perth, Canberra, Griffith, Sydney, Mount Gambier, Adelaide, Darwin, Katherine and online.

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to everyone who participated in the consultations. We received an outstanding level of engagement through surveys and workshops, and we truly appreciate the time and insights shared by community members, stakeholders, and government representatives. Your feedback has been invaluable and is documented in the Consultation log.

Draft documents

Thank you for your feedback on the mandatory workplace requirements in CHCDEV005 Analyse impacts of sociological factors and on the following draft qualifications:

• CHC22015 Certificate II in Community Services
• CHC32015 Certificate III in Community Services
• CHC42021 Certificate IV in Community Services
• CHC52021 Diploma of Community Services
• CHC62015 Advanced Diploma of Community Sector Management

Feedback was open until 24 October 2024 and your responses helped us to update the documents.

Previous requests for feedback

Thank you for those who provided feedback on the below units. Feedback was open until 10 October 2025.

Please refer to the summary of changes for these specific units.

Specific units

• CHCDFV001 Recognise and respond appropriately to domestic and family violence
• CHCDIV002 Promote Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander cultural safety
• CHCDFVXXX Provide family, domestic and/or sexual violence support to communities
• CHCCDE022 Work to empower Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities

Development

Project development was undertaken to update the community services qualifications to ensure they align with current industry needs, regulatory requirements, safety and wellbeing outcomes for clients, and that they create clear and sustainable career pathways to support existing and future industry growth.

A Technical Committee comprised of industry experts was established to provide specialised advice for this project. Members were carefully selected based on their relevant expertise and experience in areas critical to the project. The committee worked with us to:

• identify relevant stakeholders to consult with
• provide insights on proposed communication and consultation strategies
• provide technical knowledge on the skills and knowledge required to meet graduate outcomes and workforce needs.

We also undertook:

• desktop research
• a review of available information on industry standards, working conditions, and employer recruitment selection criteria
• virtual workshops to:
• explore the skills that organisations need
• identify career pathways for employees
• discuss foreseeable changes in the sector.

Functional Analysis

Our Functional Analysis Report used in-depth research to provides a clear and detailed overview of the diverse roles, functions, and skills required in the community sector.

We are committed to developing training products that meet industry standards and contribute to improving workforce readiness by identifying gaps and opportunities in skills development.

The report outlines key competencies needed to meet industry demands and supports workforce development by exploring nationally endorsed training pathways.

Methodology

To ensure accuracy and relevance, the functional analysis research process included desktop research and interviews.

Desktop research included reviews of job advertisements, organisational structures, industry reports and government labour market data to understand workforce skills requirements and identify emerging trends.

For the interviews, we engaged with employers, peak bodies, registered training organisations and subject matter experts to gather valuable insights into practical roles, functions, sub-functions, skills and knowledge requirements.

These conversations helped us identify the specific tasks, challenges, and competencies employers prioritise in various work settings.

We also gained a deeper understanding of employer expectations, current and future workforce needs to define functions and sub-functions to guide workforce development, and training product solutions for the sector.

Set Up

This project will evaluate and update the 5 Community Service qualifications to best serve the needs of the Community Services sector and the broader Health Care and Social Assistance sector, ensuring they align with current industry needs, regulatory requirements, safety and wellbeing outcomes for clients, and create clear and sustainable career pathways to support existing and future growth in the industry.

The review will ensure training products address emerging approaches such as trauma-informed care, cultural competence and person-centred practice along with skills in collaboration and co-design with service users.

Project Scope

This project will review 5 qualification, 194 units of competency and 8 skill sets which support training for the following occupations:

• Case manager
• Community services coordinator
• Home Helper
• Personal Care Assistant
• Support Worker
• Team leader
• Welfare Services Managers

The purpose of the CHC22015 Certificate II in Community Services, CHC 32015 Certificate III in Community Services and CHC62015 Advanced Diploma of Community Sector Management qualifications are to support pathways and applied learning. The purpose of the CHC42021 Certificate IV in Community Services and CHC52021 Diploma of Community Services qualifications is to support multiple related occupations.