The Quality Standards Resource Centre helps extend understanding of the strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards, which take effect from 1 November 2025. The Resource Centre will be updated to reflect key changes made to the draft strengthened Standards. You can search for resources by using keywords, or filtering by standard, outcome, audience and theme. Before using the Resource Centre, please read the terms of use.
KNOW, LOOK, ACT - Oral Pain aged care staff poster
This poster serves as a resource for aged care staff to recognise and respond to signs of oral pain in residents. It provides guidance on identifying mouth and tooth pain and taking appropriate action to address these issues. The poster is available for download and use in residential aged care settings. This resource may refer to information that will be updated from 1 November 2025 to align with the new Aged Care Act and Quality Standards.
Ensuring first aid capabilities to manage choking risk in residential aged care
This page provides guidance for residential aged care services on managing choking risks. It advises 24/7 first aid capabilities, staff training on choking incidents, the use of suction devices, and understanding that advance care directives do not prevent the administering of first aid. The alert also recommends collaborating with speech pathologists, documenting discussions, and managing choking events through incident review and support.
Creating behaviour support plans that better support residents
This document outlines the development of behaviour support plans (BSPs) in aged care, focusing on person-centred assessments, identification of triggers, tailored strategies, and regular reviews. It highlights the involvement of healthcare professionals and adherence to care principles to effectively manage residents’ behavioural changes and improve their quality of life.
This resource may refer to information that will be updated from 1 November 2025 to align with the new Aged Care Act and Quality Standards.
Restrictive practices provider resources
This resource offers guidance and tools for aged care providers on managing restrictive practices. It emphasises using restrictive practices as a last resort, obtaining informed consent, and developing behaviour support plans. The materials include fact sheets, regulatory updates, webinars, and decision-making tools to ensure compliance with legislation and promote person-centred care.
This resource may refer to information that will be updated from 1 November 2025 to align with the new Aged Care Act and Quality Standards.
Food, Nutrition and Dining Hotline - Stakeholder Communications Kit
This resource provides a communications kit to help promote the Food, Nutrition, and Dining Hotline. It includes social media posts, fact sheets, and videos to support providers in raising awareness of the hotline, which offers advice, information, and assistance on food, nutrition, and dining-related matters in aged care.
This resource may refer to information that will be updated from 1 November 2025 to align with the new Aged Care Act and Quality Standards.
Antimicrobial Stewardship Self-Assessment Tool and User Guide
This tool and user guide supports residential aged care services in self-assessing their antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) practices. It covers AMS governance, policies, education, monitoring, and feedback, aiming to improve antibiotic use and reduce risks associated with antimicrobial resistance. The resources helps identify gaps and develop action plans to enhance AMS activities and patient care. This resource may refer to information that will be updated from 1 July 2025 to align with the new Aged Care Act and Quality Standards.
Effective incident management system checklist
This resource provides a checklist to help aged care providers ensure their incident management systems meet regulatory requirements. It outlines key responsibilities, reporting processes, and steps to review and manage incidents effectively, aligning with the Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS) guidelines.
This resource may refer to information that will be updated from 1 November 2025 to align with the new Aged Care Act and Quality Standards.
Dementia-friendly environments - Dining areas, kitchens and eating
This resource provides guidelines for creating dementia-friendly dining and kitchen spaces, emphasising sensory engagement, personalised meal experiences, and a home-like environment. It includes practical adjustments for lighting, noise, seating, and social interaction to enhance dining enjoyment.
This resource was developed by a state/territory government or organisation and therefore its applicability and usefulness may be limited.
Dementia enabling environments
The Dementia Enabling Environments website, developed by Alzheimer's WA, provides guidance and resources to help create enabling environments for a person living with dementia. It includes design principles for different environment types, include home and residential aged care facilities.
This resource was developed by a state/territory government or organisation and therefore its applicability and usefulness may be limited.
National Roadmap for Improving the Health of People with Intellectual Disability
This resource outlines the National Roadmap for Improving the Health of People with Intellectual Disability, aiming to address health inequities. It focuses on enhancing care support, developing better models of care, improving oral health, and supporting health professionals. The roadmap includes projects on primary care, health assessments, curriculum development, and more.
First Nations - Digital Flipchart - Your rights in aged care
A visual guide for conversations between providers/workers and older people about aged care. It includes notes for providers/workers to help guide the conversation.
Audit Evidence Collection Tool (AECT) – Registration
Organisations or persons must complete the Audit Evidence Collection Tool (AECT) – Registration as part of the initial registration audit. This is compulsory for organisations or persons applying for registration in categories 4, 5 and 6 from 1 November 2025.
The registration audit helps us to understand if the organisation or person can conform with the related strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards.
We use this tool to collect evidence about:
Audit Evidence Collection Tool (AECT) – Renewal
Providers must complete the Audit Evidence Collection Tool (AECT) – Renewal as part of a renewal audit in registration categories 4, 5 and 6. This is compulsory for providers from 1 November 2025.
Providers only need to complete this tool once as part of the audit program.
The renewal audit helps us to understand if the provider can conform with the related strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards.
We use this tool to collect evidence about:
- your systems and processes
- how you deliver high-quality care to older people.
Audit Evidence Collection Tool (AECT) – Variation
Providers must complete the Audit Evidence Collection Tool (AECT) – Variation as part of a variation audit, where they are asking to add categories 4, 5 or 6 to their registration. This is compulsory for providers from 1 November 2025.
The variation audit helps us to understand if the provider can conform with the related strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards.
We use this tool to collect evidence about:
- the systems and processes you will establish
- how you will deliver high-quality care to older people.
Care Delivery Evidence Collection Tool (CDECT) – Care delivery location (Category 4 & 5)
Providers must complete this tool as part of a renewal audit in registration categories 4 and 5.
We will identify a targeted sample of care delivery locations (Category 4 & 5). You will be notified of this sample and the CDECT – Care delivery location must only be completed for these targeted sample locations.
We use this tool to collect evidence about care and services delivered in a home or community setting.
Care Delivery Evidence Collection Tool (CDECT) – Residential (Category 6)
Providers must complete this tool as part of a renewal audit in registration category 6.
The CDECT – Residential must be completed once for each category 6 service.
We use this tool to collect evidence about the residential care home.
Renewal of registration audit guide
This guide helps you prepare for and take part in a renewal of registration audit.
It describes:
- the purpose of audits and how they inform (help us make) registration decisions
- the 3 stages of the audit process (initiation, delivery, reporting)
- what to expect and what to do at each stage
- the types of evidence we consider during audits
- how we define our audit ratings
- the audit tools we use
- other relevant resources.
Variation of registration audit
This guide helps you prepare for and take part in a variation of registration audit.
It describes:
- the purpose of audits and how they inform (help us make) registration decisions
- the 3 stages of the audit process (initiation, delivery, reporting)
- what to expect and what to do at each stage
- the types of evidence we consider during audits
- how we define our audit ratings
- the audit tools we use
- other relevant resources.
How an aged care advocate can help you
If you are concerned about the quality of the aged care service you or the person you represent is receiving, an advocacy service may be able to help.
Infection prevention and control - ACSQH
This resource provides guidelines to reduce infection transmission risks in healthcare settings. It provides information on standard and transmission-based precautions, specific diseases or conditions, other infection prevention and control strategies and promotional resources practices such as hand hygiene, use of personal protective equipment, and environmental cleaning.
This resource may refer to information that will be updated from 1 November 2025 to align with the new Aged Care Act and Quality Standards.