Recommendation 11.12 – Nationally consistent community visitor schemes

What has been achieved to date

All governments remain committed to working together to progress this recommendation.

The Australian Government has committed $4.4 million to drive nationally consistent approaches to Community Visitor Schemes (CVS) over 2 years.

The Commonwealth Department of Health, Disability and Ageing has been allocated $2.8 million to work with states and territories to develop nationally consistent approaches to the delivery of Community Visitor Schemes (CVS). The South Australian Government has committed to co-lead the project with Commonwealth Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. 

Disability Reform Ministers agreed in February 2025 to commence work to identify opportunities for national consistency in the delivery of CVS. This commenced in May 2025 and includes the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission, the National Disability Insurance Agency and state and territory governments. An independent expert supplier has been engaged to facilitate these monthly meetings.

The supplier will also conduct research into existing CVS operations in Australia and undertake consultation with disability representative organisations and the disability sector more broadly. This will build on the evidence base from the Disability Royal Commission and will inform the considerations by governments.

What the Disability Royal Commission said in the final report

States and territories should:

a) urgently implement community visitor schemes (CVS) for people with disability, if they have not done so already

b) ensure CVS are resourced to conduct frequent visits to individuals who may be at elevated risk of abuse or harm

c) agree to make CVS nationally consistent regarding people with disability, including in relation to:

• the scope of schemes (who community visitors should visit)
• powers to visit people with disability, inspect records and provide information to other relevant bodies
• common monitoring standards
• the type of data that CVS should capture and report on

d) as a priority, define the scope of CVS with reference to:

• ‘visitable services’
• mechanisms for identifying factors that may place a person with disability at increased risk of violence, abuse, neglect or exploitation

e) ensure CVS legislation enables relevant information to be shared between CVS, the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission and the National Disability Insurance Agency.

Joint Government response July 2024

The Australian Government and state and territory governments recognise the important role that community visitors scheme (CVS) can have in promoting and protecting the rights and wellbeing of people with disability.
Having a nationally consistent approach will provide the foundations for the expected level of care, oversight and monitoring the community can receive from disability community visitors.  

All governments support the intent of a nationally consistent approach to CVS and will work together to consider the best approach to ensuring people with disability have access to CVS as a safeguarding mechanism.

More recommendations

View progress on other recommendations made by the Royal Commission.