If you're reading this, you need to understand exactly what training is required for Outcome 2.9 Human Resource Management under the Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards. This outcome is where workforce planning (Outcome 2.8) meets practical implementation: ensuring every worker who delivers care is skilled, competent, properly trained, and supported to do their job well. Getting this training right isn't just about ticking compliance boxes. It's about building a workforce that can actually deliver the safe, quality care that older people deserve and that the strengthened standards demand.

Outcome 2.9 sits within Standard 2: The Organisation, which sets out expectations for how providers must be structured and governed to deliver quality aged care services. While Outcome 2.8 focuses on planning your workforce, Outcome 2.9 is about the ongoing management of that workforce: the training systems, competency assessments, performance reviews, and supervision that ensure workers remain capable throughout their employment.

Bottom Line Up Front: Outcome 2.9 requires comprehensive training systems that ensure all aged care workers are skilled and competent in their roles, hold relevant qualifications, and have expertise and experience relevant to delivering quality care. Your training system must address core matters including person-centred care, dementia care, medical emergency response, culturally safe and trauma-informed care, and compliance with the Code of Conduct, SIRS, and Quality Standards. Critically, this outcome requires regular competency assessments and performance reviews, not just initial training completion.

Let's walk through exactly what this means for your training programmes and how to build a human resource management system that produces genuinely capable workers.

Understanding What Outcome 2.9 Actually Requires

Under the strengthened standards, providers must deliver funded aged care services by aged care workers who are skilled and competent in their roles, hold relevant qualifications, and have expertise and experience relevant to delivering quality care. The government guidance emphasises this outcome covers three interconnected areas: pre-employment validation, training systems, and ongoing performance management.

The outcome breaks down into seven key actions:

Action 2.9.1: Pre-Employment Records
Requirement: Maintain records of aged care worker pre-employment checks, contact details, qualifications and experience.
What This Means: Before anyone delivers care, you must verify and document their suitability. This includes background checks, qualification verification, employment history confirmation, reference checks, and competency assessments.

Action 2.9.2: Workforce Deployment
Requirement: Deploy the number and mix of aged care workers to enable the delivery and management of safe and quality funded aged care services.
What This Means: Rostering must match worker skills to care needs, ensuring the right people are available at the right times.

Action 2.9.3: Supervision and Support
Requirement: Aged care workers have access to appropriate supervision, escalation, support and resources. This should be accessible for aged care workers with English as a second language and be culturally sensitive.
What This Means: Training isn't enough on its own. Workers need ongoing access to guidance, support systems, and resources to apply their training effectively.

Action 2.9.4: Training System
Requirement: Maintain and implement a training system that includes training strategies ensuring workers have necessary skills, qualifications and competencies; draws on the experience of individuals to inform training; and is responsive to feedback, complaints, incidents, identified risks and performance reviews.
What This Means: Your training system must be dynamic, not static. It must respond to what's actually happening in your organisation.

Action 2.9.5: Training System Review
Requirement: Regularly review and improve the effectiveness of the training system.
What This Means: Training systems require continuous improvement, just like clinical care systems.

Action 2.9.6: Core Training Requirements
Requirement: All aged care workers regularly receive competency-based training in relation to core matters, at a minimum: person-centred rights-based care, culturally safe trauma-aware and healing-informed care, caring for individuals living with dementia, responding to medical emergencies, and the requirements of the Code of Conduct, SIRS, Quality Standards and other requirements relevant to their role.
What This Means: This action specifies mandatory training topics that every aged care worker must complete. This is non-negotiable.

Action 2.9.7: Performance Management
Requirement: Undertake regular assessment, monitoring and review of the performance of aged care workers.
What This Means: Training completion isn't the end point. You must verify that training translates into competent practice through ongoing assessment.

The Six Essential Training Areas You Need

Based on Outcome 2.9 requirements and available Ausmed modules, you need to implement six interconnected training areas. The first five address the core mandatory training requirements specified in Action 2.9.6, while the sixth addresses the broader training system requirements.

Training Area	Duration	Content Focus	Key Ausmed Modules	Assessment Requirements
Area 1: Person-Centred, Rights-Based Care	2 hours initial, 1 hour annual	Understanding individual needs, rights-based approaches, dignity and respect	Person-Centred, Rights-Based Care for the Older Person (12m), Standard 1: The Individual (10m)	Demonstrate person-centred care delivery in practice
Area 2: Culturally Safe, Trauma-Aware and Healing-Informed Care	2.5 hours initial, 1 hour annual	Cultural safety principles, trauma recognition, healing-informed approaches	Culturally Safe, Trauma-Aware and Healing-Informed Care (25m), Cultural Safety in Healthcare (25m)	Scenario-based cultural safety assessment
Area 3: Dementia Care	2 hours initial, 1 hour annual	Understanding dementia, behavioural changes, person-centred dementia support	Dementia and Understanding Behavioural Changes (30m)	Competency in dementia care approaches
Area 4: Medical Emergency Response	3 hours initial, annual competency	BLS, recognising deterioration, emergency response protocols	Basic Life Support (BLS) (32m), Recognising Deterioration: Care Workers (23m)	Practical BLS competency, deterioration recognition
Area 5: Code of Conduct, SIRS and Quality Standards	3 hours initial, 1.5 hours annual	Regulatory requirements, incident reporting, standards compliance	The Code of Conduct for Aged Care (15m), Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS) (40m), Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards (30m)	Knowledge assessment on regulatory obligations
Area 6: Role-Specific Competencies	Variable by role	Skills specific to each worker's responsibilities	Role-dependent (see detailed breakdown below)	Role-specific competency assessments

Breaking Down Each Training Area

Area 1: Person-Centred, Rights-Based Care

Action 2.9.6(a) explicitly requires training in "the delivery of person-centred, rights-based care." This isn't just another training topic; it's the philosophical foundation that should underpin all other training. The government guidance emphasises that training must help workers "deliver person-centred, rights-based care."

Essential Ausmed Modules:

Begin with Person-Centred, Rights-Based Care for the Older Person (12 minutes) as the foundational module, then build understanding with Standard 1: The Individual (10 minutes).

Training Component	Focus Areas	Practice Application
Rights-Based Framework	Understanding the Statement of Rights, how rights apply in daily care, balancing rights with safety	Workers can articulate how they uphold rights in routine care tasks
Person-Centred Approaches	Individual preferences, life history, identity and diversity, tailored care delivery	Care is demonstrably individualised, not task-focused
Dignity of Risk	Supporting informed choice, balancing autonomy with duty of care, documenting risk decisions	Workers can support choices they might personally disagree with
Communication for Partnership	Active listening, involving individuals in decisions, communicating in ways people understand	Individuals report feeling heard and involved

Area 2: Culturally Safe, Trauma-Aware and Healing-Informed Care

Action 2.9.6(b) specifically requires training in "culturally safe, trauma-aware and healing-informed care." This is one of the most significant training requirements in the strengthened standards, reflecting the sector's growing understanding of the diverse backgrounds and experiences of older Australians.

Essential Ausmed Modules:

Start with Culturally Safe, Trauma-Aware and Healing-Informed Care (25 minutes) as the comprehensive module addressing all three elements, supported by Cultural Safety in Healthcare (25 minutes) for deeper cultural competency.

Training Component	Focus Areas	Practice Application
Cultural Safety Principles	Moving beyond cultural awareness to cultural safety, power dynamics, self-reflection on bias	Workers can identify and address barriers to cultural safety
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Safety	Connection to Country, cultural protocols, historical context, community engagement	Culturally safe care for First Nations peoples
Trauma-Aware Practice	Recognising trauma indicators, avoiding re-traumatisation, understanding diverse trauma experiences	Care approaches that account for potential trauma history
Healing-Informed Approaches	Supporting recovery and resilience, strengths-based practice, creating safe environments	Active contribution to healing rather than just avoiding harm

Area 3: Dementia Care

Action 2.9.6(c) requires training in "caring for individuals living with dementia." With dementia affecting a significant proportion of aged care recipients, this is essential capability for all workers, not just those in memory support units.

Essential Ausmed Modules:

Dementia and Understanding Behavioural Changes (30 minutes) provides comprehensive coverage of dementia care principles and practical strategies for responding to behavioural changes.

Training Component	Focus Areas	Practice Application
Understanding Dementia	Types of dementia, progression, impact on individuals and families	Workers understand the condition they're supporting
Behavioural Changes	Causes of changed behaviours, person-centred responses, avoiding triggers	Reduced reliance on restrictive practices
Communication Strategies	Adapting communication as dementia progresses, non-verbal communication, validation approaches	Effective engagement with people at all stages of dementia
Supporting Daily Living	Maintaining function, meaningful activities, environmental considerations	Care that supports capability rather than creating dependence

Area 4: Medical Emergency Response

Action 2.9.6(d) requires training in "responding to medical emergencies." This is perhaps the most immediately safety-critical training requirement, where competency can literally mean the difference between life and death.

Essential Ausmed Modules:

Basic Life Support (BLS) (32 minutes) is essential for all workers who have contact with older people. Complement this with Recognising Deterioration: Care Workers (23 minutes) to build capability in identifying emergencies before they become critical.

Training Component	Focus Areas	Practice Application
Basic Life Support	DRSABCD, CPR technique, AED use, choking response	Annual practical competency assessment required
Recognising Deterioration	Early warning signs, vital signs interpretation, escalation triggers	Workers identify concerns before they become emergencies
Emergency Protocols	Calling for help, first response actions, handover to emergency services	Clear understanding of what to do and when
Post-Emergency Response	Documentation, debriefing, supporting others affected	Appropriate follow-up after emergency events

For comprehensive emergency preparedness, consider adding Emergency, Disaster and Evacuation Management (30 minutes) and the appropriate fire safety module for your service setting: Fire Safety in Residential Aged Care (23 minutes) or Fire Safety in Home Care (27 minutes).

Area 5: Code of Conduct, SIRS and Quality Standards

Action 2.9.6(e) requires training in "the requirements of the Code of Conduct, the Serious Incident Response Scheme, the Quality Standards and other requirements relevant to the aged care worker's role." This brings together the regulatory knowledge workers need to understand their obligations.

Essential Ausmed Modules:

This area requires multiple modules to address each regulatory framework:

Regulatory Framework	Key Module	Duration
Code of Conduct	The Code of Conduct for Aged Care	15 minutes
SIRS (Care Workers)	Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS): Care Workers	15 minutes
SIRS (Comprehensive)	Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS)	40 minutes
Quality Standards	Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards	30 minutes
Quality Standards (Home Care)	Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards: Home Care	25 minutes
Standard 2 Specifics	Standard 2: The Organisation	15 minutes

Care workers should complete the SIRS: Care Workers module as a minimum, while those with incident management responsibilities should complete the comprehensive SIRS module.

Area 6: Role-Specific Competencies

The guidance emphasises that training must also address "other requirements relevant to their role." This means your training matrix must identify role-specific training beyond the universal core requirements.

Role Category	Additional Training Focus	Recommended Ausmed Modules
Personal Care Workers	Activities of daily living, hygiene, mobility support	Continence and Toileting (29m), Showering and Bathing (25m), Dressing and Personal Hygiene (26m)
Medication Assistants	Medication safety, prompting and administration	Medication Prompting, Assistance and Administration (25m)
Food Service Workers	Food safety, nutrition, meal assistance, dysphagia awareness	Food Safety in Aged Care (31m), Meal Assistance in Residential Aged Care (20m), Dysphagia and the IDDSI Framework (27m)
All Clinical-Adjacent Roles	Infection prevention, documentation	Infection Prevention and Control (28m), Documentation in Aged Care (25m)
Workers Supporting End of Life	Palliative approaches, family support	Palliative and End-of-Life Care: Care Workers (25m)
IPC Leads	Advanced infection control, outbreak management	Outbreak Management in Aged Care (30m), Antimicrobial Resistance and Stewardship (22m)
Fire Wardens	Fire safety leadership	Fire Safety in Residential Aged Care (23m) or Fire Safety in Home Care (27m)

Building Your Training System

The government guidance is explicit that providers need more than a list of training modules. You need a comprehensive training system that includes needs analysis, a training matrix, delivery mechanisms, competency verification, and continuous improvement.

The Training Matrix Requirement

The guidance specifically calls for "a training matrix (or equivalent) which lists all worker role types and the training needed for each role type." Your training matrix should address:

Matrix Element	What to Include	Purpose
Role Categories	All worker types including care workers, clinical staff, food services, cleaning, administration, management	Ensures no role is overlooked
Mandatory Training	Core training required for all workers (the five areas above)	Demonstrates compliance with Action 2.9.6
Role-Specific Training	Additional training based on job responsibilities	Ensures workers have skills for their specific duties
Frequency	Initial training timeframes and refresher schedules	Maintains currency of knowledge and skills
Competency Requirements	How competency will be assessed for each training area	Moves beyond completion to demonstrated capability

Pre-Employment Validation Training

Action 2.9.1 requires maintaining records of pre-employment checks. Your HR and recruitment staff need specific training on:

Validation Area	Training Focus	Key Module
Worker Screening	Understanding screening requirements, Aged Care Banning Orders Register, police checks	Worker Screening Requirements for the Aged Care Workforce (9m)
Qualification Verification	Checking qualifications, identifying fraudulent documents, registration verification	Internal procedures training
Reference Checking	Effective reference checking, required questions, documentation	Internal procedures training
Competency Assessment	Pre-employment skills assessment, identifying training needs	Internal procedures training

Supervision and Support Systems

Action 2.9.3 requires that workers have access to "appropriate supervision, escalation, support and resources" that is "accessible for aged care workers with English as a second language and be culturally sensitive." This requires training for both supervisors and workers:

Audience	Training Focus	Application
Supervisors	Effective supervision techniques, supporting diverse workers, escalation management	Supervisors can provide meaningful support
New Workers	Understanding supervision structures, when and how to escalate, available resources	Workers know how to access support
All Workers	Escalation pathways, speaking up culture, accessing resources	Clear understanding of support systems

Implementation by Role

Different roles require different training emphases while ensuring comprehensive coverage of core requirements:

Role Category	Core Training (All Areas 1-5)	Extended Training	Annual Refresh Focus
Care Workers	Full completion required	Role-specific ADL modules, documentation	BLS competency, SIRS updates, dementia care
Registered Nurses	Full completion required	Clinical leadership, medication management, wound care	BLS competency, clinical updates, SIRS
Enrolled Nurses	Full completion required	Medication administration, clinical skills	BLS competency, clinical updates
Allied Health Assistants	Full completion required	Therapy-specific skills, mobility and exercise	BLS competency, therapy updates
Food Service Workers	Full completion required	Food safety, meal assistance, dysphagia awareness	Food safety, choking response
Cleaning Staff	Full completion required	Infection control cleaning, environmental safety	Infection control, emergency response
Administrative Staff	Modified completion (awareness level for clinical topics)	Privacy, customer service, documentation	Quality Standards, Code of Conduct
Management	Full completion required	Leadership, quality systems, workforce management	Regulatory updates, quality improvement

Service Setting Considerations

The government guidance explicitly identifies different considerations for residential and home care settings.

Residential Care Training Emphasis

Residential care workers operate in a controlled environment with immediate access to supervision and colleagues. Training should emphasise:

Focus Area	Training Implication
24/7 Care Environment	Emergency response at all hours, handover procedures, overnight protocols
Team-Based Care	Communication between shifts, care continuity, escalation to on-site RN
Shared Environment	Infection control, food safety, environmental safety
Complex Care Needs	Higher acuity residents, multiple comorbidities, end-of-life care

Home and Community Care Training Emphasis

The guidance notes that home care presents unique challenges including "the wide range of home or community settings workers may be delivering care in, including differences in layouts, potential hazards and accessibility." Training must address:

Focus Area	Training Implication
Autonomous Practice	Working without immediate supervision, independent decision-making, remote escalation
Variable Environments	Risk assessment in unfamiliar settings, adapting care to different homes, equipment variability
Travel and Logistics	Time management across multiple clients, maintaining infection control between homes
Remote Supervision	Using technology for support, documentation while mobile, communication with coordinators

For home care workers, ensure completion of Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards: Home Care (25 minutes) in addition to the general standards module.

Performance Management and Competency Assessment

Action 2.9.7 requires "regular assessment, monitoring and review of the performance of aged care workers." The government guidance elaborates that this includes developing performance measures, completing regular performance reviews, and having processes to assess outcomes and develop improvement plans.

Connecting Training to Performance

Your performance management system should directly connect to your training system:

Performance Element	Training Connection
Performance Measures	Aligned to competencies developed through training
Performance Reviews	Include assessment of training application, identify further training needs
Feedback Integration	Consumer and colleague feedback informs training priorities
Improvement Plans	Supported by targeted training interventions
Recognition	Acknowledge workers who demonstrate training in practice

Competency Assessment Methods

Training completion alone doesn't satisfy Outcome 2.9. The guidance emphasises "competency-based training" and "reviewing workers' skills and understanding." Assessment methods should include:

Assessment Type	Application	Frequency
Knowledge Assessment	Post-training quizzes, regulatory knowledge verification	After each training module
Practical Competency	Observed practice, skills demonstration, simulation	Initially and annually for high-risk skills (e.g., BLS)
Workplace Observation	Supervisor observation of care delivery, peer review	Ongoing, documented in performance reviews
Outcome Monitoring	Consumer feedback, incident analysis, quality indicators	Continuous, reviewed in performance discussions

Evidence Requirements for Accreditation

Commission assessors will look for specific evidence demonstrating Outcome 2.9 compliance:

Evidence Type	What to Demonstrate	How to Prepare
Training Matrix	Documented training requirements for all roles	Current matrix showing mandatory and role-specific training
Training Records	Completion of required training by all workers	LMS records showing 100% completion of mandatory training
Competency Records	Assessment of skills beyond training completion	Documented competency assessments, particularly for BLS and high-risk skills
Pre-Employment Records	Verification processes completed for all workers	Personnel files with screening checks, qualification verification, references
Performance Reviews	Regular assessment of worker performance	Documented performance reviews at required intervals
Training System Review	Evidence of continuous improvement	Meeting minutes, training updates based on incidents/feedback
Supervision Records	Workers have access to support	Supervision schedules, escalation records, support documentation
Consumer Input	Training informed by consumer experience	Evidence of consumer feedback informing training priorities

Critical Integration Points

Outcome 2.9 is closely related to other standards. The government guidance explicitly references these connections:

Related Outcome	Integration Point	Training Connection
Outcome 2.2a/2.2b	Quality, safety and inclusion culture	Training supports positive culture; culture supports training effectiveness
Outcome 2.3	Quality system and accountability	Training is part of the quality system; performance monitoring feeds improvement
Outcome 2.5	Incident management	Incidents inform training needs; training reduces incidents
Outcome 2.6a/2.6b	Complaints and feedback	Feedback informs training priorities; training improves service quality
Outcome 2.7	Information management	Training records stored appropriately; workers trained on documentation
Outcome 2.8	Workforce planning	Planning identifies training needs; training enables workforce capability
Outcome 2.10	Emergency management	Emergency roles require specific training (fire wardens, first aiders)
Outcome 3.4	Continuity of care	Worker continuity supports care continuity; training enables consistent care
Outcome 5.4	Comprehensive care	Clinical training supports comprehensive care delivery

Measuring Training System Effectiveness

The government guidance emphasises regular review of training system effectiveness. Monitor these indicators:

Measurement Domain	Specific Metrics	Target Indicators
Training Completion	Completion rates by module, role, timeframe	100% completion of mandatory training within required timeframes
Competency Achievement	Assessment pass rates, practical competency verification	High pass rates with genuine assessment rigour
Training Application	Observed practice quality, consumer feedback on care	Evidence training translates to improved care
Incident Correlation	Training gaps identified in incident investigations	Decreasing training-related contributing factors
Worker Confidence	Staff surveys on training adequacy, support access	Workers report feeling prepared for their roles
Consumer Experience	Feedback on worker capability, care quality	Positive feedback on worker knowledge and skills
System Responsiveness	Time to address identified training needs, curriculum updates	Rapid response to emerging training requirements

Key Takeaways

Effective human resource management under Outcome 2.9 requires a comprehensive, dynamic training system that goes well beyond simply assigning modules. The strengthened standards expect:

Mandatory Core Training: All aged care workers must receive competency-based training in person-centred care, culturally safe and trauma-informed care, dementia care, medical emergency response, and regulatory requirements (Code of Conduct, SIRS, Quality Standards).

Training Matrix: Document the training requirements for every role type in your organisation, including both mandatory and role-specific training.

Competency Verification: Training completion is necessary but not sufficient. You must assess whether workers can actually apply their training in practice.

Performance Integration: Training systems and performance management systems must work together, with each informing the other.

Continuous Improvement: Training systems require regular review and improvement based on incidents, feedback, complaints, and changing needs.

Accessible Support: Workers need ongoing access to supervision, escalation pathways, and resources, delivered in culturally appropriate ways.

Remember the Foundation

Outcome 2.9 is where your workforce planning becomes workforce reality. You can have the best workforce strategy in the sector (Outcome 2.8), but if your workers aren't actually trained, competent, and supported, the strategy means nothing.

The government guidance makes clear that this outcome is fundamentally about ensuring "workers are skilled, competent and supported to deliver quality and safe aged care services that meet older people's needs." Every training module, every competency assessment, every performance review should serve this purpose.

When human resource management works effectively, when workers genuinely have the skills they need and the support to apply them, older people receive care from workers who know what they're doing and feel confident doing it well. That confidence and competence shows in every interaction, every care task, every moment of connection between worker and older person.

The core training requirements in Action 2.9.6 aren't arbitrary regulatory requirements. They represent the fundamental capabilities every aged care worker needs: understanding the person, respecting their culture and history, supporting those with dementia, responding when things go wrong, and knowing their obligations. Build your training system around these foundations, verify competency through meaningful assessment, and support workers to apply their learning every day.

For more information about Outcome 2.9, visit the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission's guidance page.

To assign training and track completion for your workforce, explore Ausmed's Workforce Capability Platform.

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This Training Requirement was created with the assistance of Generative AI tools. Pretty cool, right? Do it yourself!