Small home care boards under “extreme” pressure: Enkindle
Home care providers struggle with Aged Care Act reforms
- Reform pressure: Providers say implementing the Aged Care Act is more complex than expected
- Guidance concerns: Operators report unclear and inconsistent Government advice
- Boards stretched: Providers say governance workloads have increased significantly
- Small providers hit: Smaller and regional operators face the greatest reform challenges
Small home care operators are struggling under the added regulatory burden of Support at Home amid unclear Government guidance.
Boards implementing the new Aged Care Act have found the transition more resource intensive and complex than expected, Enkindle Consulting’s Home Care Provider Outlook Report 2026 Part 3 found.
Operators have told Enkindle they are often navigating unclear, inconsistent, and confusing guidance which requires significant operational change, often with limited time and support.
“There is a significant amount of work required to work through the primary and subordinate legislation and understand what it means in practice,” said Tash Edwards, Director with Enkindle Consulting.
A provider told Enkindle: “We were expected to interpret and prepare for substantial changes with minimal support.”
Governance expectations have increased significantly, but boards and responsible people are operating in an environment of uncertainty, increasing workload, and limited practical guidance.
“The onus on our volunteer board has been extreme,” a provider said.
Embed new Act
Operators consistently called for clear, timely and practical Government guidance for governing bodies and responsible persons that translates the new requirements into day-to-day practice.
“We need guidance that is practical and usable," said one operator.
Operators also called for further reforms to be slowed down before any new changes are introduced.
One operator said when they reach out to the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing (DOHDA) for clarification, they are directed to a community of practice for clarification. These are online groups set up by operators to share their experiences implementing reforms – not Government information.
Nearly half of operators (44%) said managing the cost of delivering services was their greatest concern. The second greatest (42%) concern was delayed provision of detailed information and guidance.
There are also widespread concerns about the Single Assessment System and Government IT systems.
Small providers most impacted
Reforms implementation has been particularly challenging for smaller home care operators that have limited staff, as well as Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) providers, and National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care Program providers.
Small operators “do not have the systems or resources to meet requirements,” one operator said.
The survey includes responses from more than 300 home care providers across Australia. Just over half are in metro areas, and nearly one in four have annual turnover of more than $20 million.
You can read the first two Enkindle reports here: Part 1 and Part 2.
