- Published:
- Tuesday 17 December 2024 at 11:35 am
About this expression of interest
The Social Services Regulator is calling on providers to join the new Service Provider Reference Group (reference group).
All providers in scope of the Social Services Regulator are invited to apply. Information about who is in scope can be found here(opens in a new window). If your provider is not yet registered, you are still eligible.
The Social Services Regulator will balance a range of factors to determine the final membership. All members must understand regulation and compliance, to participate and contribute effectively. The group is expected to have a membership of 10 to 15.
Membership will include a mix of:
- Sectors and service types
- Regional, rural and metropolitan providers
- Organisation size
Expressions of interest should be no more than one page and include:
- Name
- Title
- Email and phone number
- Organisation name
- Organisation street address
- Organisation turnover/annum
- Does the Organisation know about and support this application? (yes/no)
- Type of services provided: for example, family violence, supported residential, children and family, homelessness.
- No more than one paragraph outlining how you can represent the diversity of service providers in your sector/s and be a conduit back to them.
- No more than one paragraph summarising your experience of regulation and compliance in the delivery of social services.
Expressions of interest should be emailed to engage@ssr.vic.gov.au(opens in a new window) and will close COB 10 January 2025.
Successful expression of interest will be notified by 22 January 2025.
About the Service Provider Reference Group
The reference group will help provide targeted advice and perspectives to the Social Services Regulator.
Their role is to:
- provide feedback and input about the transition, implementation, operation, impacts and effectiveness of the new Social Services Regulation scheme
- consider and advise on the Regulator’s engagement and communication activities
- represent and reflect the perspectives of service providers, including raising issues about the efficiency and effectiveness of the scheme
- share information and communicate with other stakeholders, where information is not confidential.
The reference group is not a decision-making body and will provide guidance only.
The reference group will not discuss specific regulatory operational matters.
There may be short-term working groups established within the reference group, especially with members with lived experience.
The group will be co-chaired by:
- Internal Co-chair, Director of Social Services Regulation
- External Co-chair appointed by the Regulator
The Reference Group will meet quarterly for no longer than 3 hours, until February 2026.
Meetings will be a mix of in-person and on-line.
Papers will be circulated one week in advance on each meeting.
The first meeting will be held in late February 2025.
Victorian Government, Victorian Public Service, peak body representatives and any members attending in a professional capacity will not receive any salary or fee for their membership on the reference group.
Member responsibilities
Members must:
act in line with their:
– employment codes of conduct (if applicable), legal requirements and ethical standards
– declaration of conflict of interest
- endeavour to read and consider all circulated papers before discussion at the meeting
- advise the secretariat if they are unable to attend a reference group meeting.
Members invited in their personal capacity cannot delegate attendance to an alternative party.
If a member represents an organisation, they may nominate a delegate from their organisation to attend. They must:
- inform the secretariat in advance and
- ensure the delegate can fully consider and discuss the reference group issue.
Members will escalate any identified issues through one of the Co-Chairs out-of-session or directly to the Regulator where the issue is with one of the Co-Chairs.
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