The committee considered this inquiry in the 44^th Parliament. The inquiry lapsed at the dissolution of the Senate on 9 May 2016.

On 13 September 2016, the Senate agreed to re-adopt the inquiry with a reporting date of 28 April 2017.

The committee has resolved not to call for new submissions but to rely on submissions received during the 44^th Parliament. All correspondence and evidence previously received for this inquiry has been made available to the new committee.  This means that submissions already provided to the committee about this issue do not need to be re-submitted.

On 1 December 2015, the Senate referred the following matter to the Senate Community Affairs References Committee for inquiry and report:

The future of Australia’s aged care sector workforce.

The terms of reference are:

1. the current composition of the aged care workforce;
2. future aged care workforce requirements, including the impacts of sector growth, changes in how care is delivered, and increasing competition for workers;
3. the interaction of aged care workforce needs with employment by the broader community services sector, including workforce needs in disability, health and other areas, and increased employment as the National Disability Insurance Scheme rolls out;
4. challenges in attracting and retaining aged care workers;
5. factors impacting aged care workers, including remuneration, working environment, staffing ratios, education and training, skills development and career paths;
6. the role and regulation of registered training organisations, including work placements, and the quality and consistency of qualifications awarded;
7. government policies at the state, territory and Commonwealth level which have a significant impact on the aged care workforce;
8. relevant parallels or strategies in an international context;
9. the role of government in providing a coordinated strategic approach for the sector;
10. challenges of creating a culturally competent and inclusive aged care workforce to cater for the different care needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, culturally and linguistically diverse groups and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people;
11. the particular aged care workforce challenges in regional towns and remote communities;
12. impact of the Government’s cuts to the Aged Care Workforce Fund; and
13. any other related matters. 

Submissions were sought by 4 March 2016.  The reporting date is 28 April 2017.  On 20 March 2017, the Senate granted an extension of time for reporting until 21 June 2017.

The Community Affairs References Committee has completed its inquiry into the Future of Australia’s aged care sector workforce and intends to table its report of the inquiry in the Senate on Tuesday 20 June 2017.