Recognising Responding Abuse Neglect Aged Care

Every aged care worker has a legal and ethical obligation to recognise and respond to abuse and neglect. This training guide equips staff with the knowledge to identify warning signs, respond appropriately, and meet mandatory reporting obligations under the Aged Care Act 2024 and Strengthened Quality Standards.

Published

May 29, 2026

Recognising and Responding to Abuse and Neglect in Aged Care

Abuse and neglect in aged care can take many forms — physical, emotional, financial, sexual or through neglect of basic needs. Every aged care worker in Australia has a legal and ethical duty to recognise warning signs and respond swiftly and appropriately. This training guide supports compliance with the Aged Care Act 2024, the Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards, and mandatory reporting obligations under the Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS).

What This Training Covers

Definitions of abuse, neglect, exploitation and restrictive practices
Physical, emotional, psychological and financial indicators of abuse
Understanding the Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS)
Mandatory reporting obligations for staff and providers
Responding safely — how to act without escalating harm
Supporting residents to disclose concerns
Documentation requirements and internal escalation pathways

Key Learning Outcomes

Identify the different types of abuse and neglect that can occur in aged care settings
Recognise physical, behavioural and environmental indicators of potential abuse
Understand mandatory reporting obligations under SIRS
Respond appropriately to a disclosure or suspected incident of abuse
Complete accurate incident documentation in a timely manner

Who Should Complete This Training

Mandatory for all direct care staff, including PCAs, RNs, enrolled nurses, lifestyle staff and volunteers. Managers should also complete this training and ensure annual refresher sessions are recorded.

Alignment to the Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards

This module directly addresses obligations under Standard 1 (The Person) — ensuring residents are treated with dignity and protected from harm — and Standard 2 (The Organisation), which requires providers to have robust systems for preventing, detecting and responding to abuse.

Track SIRS Incidents and Staff Training with Governa

Governa helps aged care providers maintain audit-ready records of incident responses and staff training completions. Ask Norma how your policies align to SIRS requirements — grounded in your facility's own documents.

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