** PLEASE NOTE: the toll-free Helpline is now closed**

Census or Survey questionnaires (postal and online) will be received until close of business on Friday March 30th, please note that postal questionnaires must be received by this date.
 
If you're from a Residential provider, the URL for accessing your online questionnaire for the Census is www.ipsos.com.au/RF2012 and for the Employee Survey www.ipsos.com.au/RW2012

If you're from a Community provider, the URL for accessing your online questionnaire for the Census is www.ipsos.com.au/CO2012 and for the Employee Survey www.ipsos.com.au/CW2012

 

The Department of Health and Ageing has commissioned the National Institute of Labour Studies to conduct its third National Aged Care Workforce Census and Survey. The information gained from research conducted in 2003 and 2007 has been invaluable in informing decisions about workforce planning and addressing workforce issues. The report from the 2007 Census and Survey is available here .

The Department is now building on its evidence base about the aged care workforce by commissioning a new Census and Survey. This research will provide critical information about the people who work in aged care. From this information, a workforce profile of the aged care sector will be constructed. This will enable better strategic planning by the Australian Government and the aged care sector to ensure it has the workforce it needs to provide quality care to older Australians.

We are asking for your help to make the census and survey a success. We know that responding to requests for information is a time consuming task and that you are already facing many requests for information. Nonetheless, this research is actively supported by aged care peak body and professional associations which, in conjunction with the Australian Government, invite you to participate in this Census and Survey of the Aged Care Workforce.

Who is involved and why is it important to participate?

The National Aged Care Workforce Census involves all residential aged care facilities and community aged care services, a total of approximately 7,500 organisations (facilities and service outlets). In addition, a sample of employees from each organisation will be surveyed. For the majority of organisations this will be 4, 6 or 8 employees; however, a small number of very large organisations will be asked to distribute 16, 30 or 50 surveys to their employees.

A strong response rate, with accurate information, will make the research more reliable.

What is different about this Census and the one from 2007?

To enable comparison with the 2007 Census and Survey, many of the questions have remained the same. However, in response to issues raised by the aged care sector and to research conducted on aged care work, we have incorporated several new areas. The census now includes questions about:

•    Management, administration and ancillary staff
•    Volunteers
•    Nurse practitioners
•    Allied health assistants
•    Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce
•    Culturally and Linguistically Diverse workforce
•    Skill shortages
•    Vacancies
•    Work-related injuries and illnesses

Who is conducting the Census?

The National Institute of Labour Studies (NILS) at Flinders University has been commissioned by the Department of Health and Ageing to conduct its third National Aged Care Workforce Census and Survey. In order to do this NILS is working with a social research company called Ipsos / I-view to administer the questionnaires.

Frequently Asked Questions    
Facilities and Outlets
Direct Care Employees