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.
