Our role in supported residential services

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The Department of Families, Fairness and Housing monitors supported residential services (SRS) in Victoria to ensure they meet identified standards of personal support and accommodation.

The role of the department is to:

  • register SRS premises
  • assess proprietors’ suitability to operate an SRS
  • monitor compliance with the relevant legislation and standards, including managing the compliance regulatory regime and responding to complaints and reports of prescribed reportable incidents
  • provide information and education to proprietors
  • provide information to residents, their families and the general public
  • provide assistance to pension-level SRS to support Victorians experiencing disadvantage.

To find out more about the department’s regulatory role, visit the department’s Human Services Regulator page.

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  • Legislation governing supported residential services

    Key messages

    • The Department of Families, Fairness and Housing administers the legislation that governs supported residential services (SRS) - namely, the Supported Residential Services (Private Proprietors) Act 2010 (Vic) and Supported Residential Services (Private Proprietors) Regulations 2012.

    • This legislation aims to protect the safety and wellbeing of residents living in SRS. It is underpinned by principles which focus on recognising and respecting the rights of residents and supporting residents to live as independently as possible.

    We administer the legislation that governs supported residential services (SRS) - the Supported Residential Services (Private Proprietors) Act 2010 and Supported Residential Services (Private Proprietors) Regulations 2012

    This legislation protects the safety and wellbeing of residents living in SRS. It is underpinned by principles that articulate the rights of those residents.

    These principles focus on recognising and respecting the rights of residents and supporting residents to live as independently as possible. They also aim to help residents be part of decisions about the services that they receive, and of any other decisions that affect them.

    Proprietors apply these principles in their day-to-day operation of the SRS, particularly in providing accommodation and personal support to residents. The principles also apply to SRS complaints procedures and other policies and practices.

    Proprietors must be familiar with the Act and Regulations. To read about the Acts and Regulations, and other relevant legislation listed here, please go the Victorian Law Today section of the Victorian Legislation and Parliamentary Documents website. Or purchase hard copies from:

    SAI Global Bookshop
    85 Buckhurst Street
    Melbourne VIC 3205
    Call 131 242

    Other legislation

    Other legislation that are relevant to operating an SRS are: 

    • Food Act 1984
    • Health Records Act 2001
    • Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Act 1981
    • Public Health and Wellbeing Regulations 2009
    • Information Privacy Act 2000
    • Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004
    • Building Act 1993 and Building Regulations 2006

    The laws that regulate SRS were previously contained in the Health Services Act 1988.

  • Monitoring SRS compliance with legislation

    Key messages

    • The Department of Families, Fairness and Housing appoints authorised officers under the Supported Residential Services (Private Proprietors) Act 2010 to monitor supported residential services (SRS).
    • Authorised officers are based in the department’s divisional offices.
    • Authorised officers monitor and enforce compliance with the Act and its Regulations to ensure proprietors meet the accommodation and personal support standards and to protect safety and wellbeing of residents.
    • Authorised officers can respond to complaints about SRS

    Authorised officers

    We appoint authorised officers under the Supported Residential Services (Private Proprietors) Act 2010 to monitor supported residential services (SRS).

    The officers are based in the department’s divisions across Victoria.

    Authorised officers monitor and enforce compliance with the Act and Regulations. This work includes:

    • focusing regulatory activity on achieving good outcomes for residents while protecting their safety and wellbeing
    • inspecting SRS, which includes planned targeted compliance reviews that focus on sections of the Act and Regulations
    • building capacity of SRS proprietors to meet compliance through guidance and advice
    • undertaking prompt and thorough responses to complaints, which may involve announced or unannounced inspections
    • imposing sanctions for continued noncompliance.

    The three broad inspection types are:

    • targeted compliance reviews
    • compliance inspections
    • complaint inspections.

    In addition, authorised officers guide proprietors in:

    • complying with the legislation
    • implementing best practice
    • understanding and implementing changes to procedures, practices and documents, to ensure compliance with the legislation.

    Inspection reports

    If authorised officers identify noncompliance by an SRS, they may issue a report identifying what the proprietor needs to do to meet the regulatory requirement. The report will include a timeframe for completing the action. The timeframe is developed in consultation with the proprietor.

    Further announced or unannounced inspections may result, to ensure the proprietor has taken actions to remedy the noncompliance.

    Contact an authorised officer

    To ask a question or make a complaint about an SRS, email the Human Services Regulator - hsregulator@dffh.vic.gov.au.

    Find out more

    To find out more about the department's compliance and enforcement approach, visit the department's Human Services Regulator page.