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Welcome to Disability, Housing and Community Services

The ACT Department of Disability, Housing and Community Services has responsibility for a wide range of human services functions in the ACT, including multicultural affairs, community services, older people, women, public and community housing services and policy, children, youth and family support services and policy, disability policy and services, therapy services, Child and Family Centres, the ACT Government Concessions Program, homelessness, community engagement, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs, and community disaster recovery.

What's New ...

For a comprehensive list of DHCS Publications please visit DHCS Publications.
Current Information

2009 National Multicultural Festival Volunteer Information Session

Volunteer Information session 183kb
Volunteer Information session 96kb

ABC Learning Centres - Voluntary Liquidation

Parents and families who may require information about the current situation regarding the ABC Learning Centres can visit www.mychild.gov.au

Working with Vulnerable People Checks

The ACT Government is developing a ‘Working with Vulnerable People Checks’ system for the ACT to assist in reducing the incidence of abuse of vulnerable persons.

Working with Vulnerable People Checks 63kb
Working with Vulnerable People Checks 28kb

Keeping Children and Young People Safe

The new provision in relation to Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect have been included in the Children and Young People Act 2008 and these commence from 27 October 2008.

The booklet Keeping Children and Young People Safe 1,211kb explaining the responsibilities and processes for reporting child abuse and neglect in the ACT, has also been revised to reflect the amendments to the Act and is available here as a draft. Hard copies of the new publication will be available in due course, please contact Learning and Community Education on 62071382 for more infromation about obtaining a copy when it becomes available.

2008-2010 ACT Ministerial Advisory Council on Ageing

Annual Report 2007-08

DHCS Annual Report 2007-08

Community Partners News & Information

Latest Community Partners News & Information Sept 08 1,93kb
Previous Community Partners News & Information

Audrey Fagan Post-Graduate Scholarships

ACT Minister for Women, Ms Katy Gallagher, has called for applications for the Audrey Fagan Post-Graduate Scholarships
Audrey Fagan Post-Graduate Scholarships

ACT Women's Grants 2008-09

The 2008-09 round of the ACT Women's Grants Program is now open.
Community organisations and groups are invited to apply for funding under the following two categories:
Special Projects: Up to $15,000 per project for activities that boost one or more of the objectives of the ACT Women’s Plan.
These are: representation and recognition; good health and wellbeing; responsive housing; safe, inclusive communities; economic security and opportunities; and flexible education and training.
Capacity Building: Up to $3,000 per project to support activities that strengthen the capacity of community organisations and their contribution to women in the ACT community.
Applications Close 5pm Monday 8 December 2008

Revitalising Our Communities

In May 2008 the ACT Government announced a consultation process to help determine the future use of eight surplus schools and their environs.

After eight community forums, information stalls, site information brochures, stakeholder forums and submissions by email, phone and in person, that consultation is complete.

The government welcomed the broad range of views expressed by a significant crosssection of the community, and the feedback has helped to shape its final decisions. Four Regional Community Centres will now be established, along with the neighbourhood halls and community parks. The opportunities for childcare facilities will be investigated for three of the sites. In addition, reflecting the community’s feedback that they valued the landscape setting and the community space provided by the school sites, landscape plans will now be developed for each site. More Information on Revitalising Our Communities

Disability E-News

Disability ACT is now trialing a bi-monthly e-newsletter to provide relevant information that is of interest to the sector.

The second edition is now available on the Disability E - News page.

We welcome your feedback.

Government engages with local community – Citizen Centred Governance

Canberrans are being asked to provide feedback to the Government on proposed reforms to the way Canberrans engage with government on its services

The Government is looking at ways to strengthen community consultation processes to improve the delivery of policies and services that benefit all Canberrans

The discussion paper and consultation details are available at www.cmd.act.gov.au/policystrategic

Evaluation of Local Area Coordination

Local Area Coordination (LAC), funded through Disability ACT and delivered by the Belconnen and Woden Community Services, began in 2006. The program employs coordinators in the Woden and Gungahlin areas to work directly with people with disabilities, and their families to help find and tailor, supports and services in their local communities. Attached is a summary of an evaluation of the first year of LAC undertaken by Eddie Bartnick of Tamar Consultancy Inc. The evaluation identified one of the keys to the program’s success as being the wealth of local knowledge and contacts that the LAC has built up, to assist individuals with a disability to find out about training, opportunities for recreational and creative activities, as well as direct disability support services in their neighbourhood.

Local Area Coordination - ACT External Evaluation Summary Report 2007 708kb
Local Area Coordination - ACT External Evaluation Summary Report 2007 975kb

2008 Audrey Fagan Post Graduate Scholarship

ACT Regional Community Bus Service

On Friday 4 July 2008, The Chief Minister, Jon Stanhope MLA, launched a new ACT Community Minibus Service. the service is designed to improve the social inclusion and community participation of people who find it difficult to use regular bus services eg: seniors and other people with mobility limitations.

Further details on the ACT Regional Community Bus Service

Meet the Director Meeting June 2008

This report is a summary of the major issues that were discussed at the last quarterly "Meet the Director" meeting which was held on 10 June 2008.

Meet the Director Meeting Report 104kb
Meet the Director Meeting Report 70kb

Announcing the BLITS Website

BLITS - Business Leaders Innovative Thoughts and Solutions - http://www.blits.org.au

BLITS promotes initiatives that value and engage people with disabilities as customers, suppliers, employees and employers in business the arts and sport.

The BLITS website is provided as a point of reference and contact for businesses in the ACT and Region engaging with people with disabilities as customers, suppliers, employees and employers in business the arts and sport. This site offers a useful business information directory, business profiles and a diary dates section.

A regular BLITS E-News facility is available to those using the ‘sign up’ facility.

The BLITS motto says it all: ‘Business + Disability = Smart Thinking’

Access to Government Strategy Report 2006

In July 2003 the ACT Government launched its Access to ACT Government Strategy. This Strategy was an innitiative of the ACT Disability Advisory Council, and completed in collaboration with Disability ACT, Department of Disability, Housing and Community Services (DHCS). This whole of government evaluation report covers the period from the Strategy's launch in July 2003 to June 2006

Access to Government Strategy Report 2006 228kb
Access to Government Strategy Report 2006 405kb

Review of Philanthropy in the ACT

The Department of Disability, Housing and Community Services engaged Urbis to undertake a review of the nature and extent of philanthropic giving in the ACT, with the aim of identifying its adequacy, trends, impediments and opportunities for growth. The Report of the Review of Philanthropy in the Australian Capital Territory and the ACT Government's response to the report are now available.

Report of the Review of Philanthropy in the Australian Capital Territory 121kb
ACT Government's response to the report 1.9Mb
ACT Govenrment's response to the report 138kb

The Red Tape Review

The Department of Disability, Housing and Community Services engaged MinterEllison Consulting to review administrative and regulatory requirements that apply to non-profit organisations in the ACT. The aim of the Review was to identify any areas of unnecessary compliance burden that may be modified, reduced or removed to assist the efficiency and viability of the non-profit sector in the ACT. The Report of the Review of Administrative Requirements of Non-profit Organisations in the ACT 2008 and the ACT Government's response to the report is now available.

Report of the Review of Administrative Requirements of Non-profit Organisations in the ACT 2008 378kb
ACT Government's response to the report 52kb
ACT Government's response to the report 62kb

Australian Capital Territory Budget 2008-2009

Australian Capital Territory Budget 2008-2009
Presented on 6 May 2008 by Jon Stanhope MLA,
Treasurer of the Australian Capital Territory

$24.6 Million For Community Facilities in the ACT

Visit this link to access the Purdon & Associates reports, including individual site reports.

ACT Homelessness Charter - A Statement of Rights

ACT Homelessness Charter - A Statement of Rights.

Children and Young People Bill 2008

The Children and Young People Bill 2008 was introduced in the ACT Legislative Assembly on 6 March 2008 by the Minister for Children and Young People, Katy Gallagher and Attorney General, Simon Corbell.

The Bill proposes significant reform to the law relating to children and young people in the Territory, particularly in the areas of care and protection, youth justice, the regulation of childcare services and employment. The Bill will replace the Children and Young People Act 1999.

The Bill has been informed by a comprehensive review of the 1999 Act.

2007/08 Disability ACT Budget Initiative

Questions and Answers about the 2007/08 Budget Initiative - Disability ACT response to known and unmet demand.
2007/08 ACT Budget Allocation

Finding their way Home

(this research is jointly funded by the Australian Government under the Supported Accommodation and Assistance Program (SAAP) and the ACT Government)

Finding their way home: Children's experience of homelessness (large) 7.47Mb
Literature review: The experiences and effects of family homelessness for children 580kb
Literature review: Engaging children in research on sensitive issues 4.27kb

Young People's Plan 2004-2008

Young People's Plan 2004-2008 Progress Report 260kb
Young People's Plan 2004-2008 Progress Report 1,194kb

Changes to ACT Public Housing Policy

On 20 April 2007, the ACT Government announced changes to the public housing policy aimed at reducing the pressure on waiting lists and further ensuring public housing is targeted at Canberrans most in need.

The changes are detailed in the media releases attached below.

Tenants with any enquiries about these changes can telephone 133427.

Housing changes assist those most in need 31kb
Housing changes assist those most in need 70kb

Shorter waiting times for Public Housing 30kb
Shorter waiting times for Public Housing 65kb