NSW Psychosocial Safety Regulation,
Mental Health Summit & NDIS to Aged Care Reform in 2026
Navigating Enforceable New Psychosocial Laws, - NSW Safety Regulations for NDIS & Care Providers
21st April 2026
Club York, 95-99 York St, Sydney
Thank you to all who attended this event. This event is now over
Please see the below After the Event Wrap up as well as Video Captures of the Event
After the Event Wrap up
Thank you to all who attended the event
See video captures of the event below
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The Sydney Psychosocial & Aged Care Safety Summit is a premier professional forum for leaders, managers, and practitioners across NDIS, Supported Independent Living (SIL), and aged care sectors. This one-day event equips attendees with practical knowledge and strategies to address the most pressing challenges in workforce and participant safety, regulatory compliance, and sector reform.
Attendees will gain insights into:
Managing Psychosocial Risks and Burnout: Learn how to identify, prevent, and respond to psychosocial hazards in the disability and care workforce, including fatigue, occupational stress, and burnout.
Regulatory Compliance and Audit Readiness: Understand how to prepare for SafeWork NSW inspections, demonstrate compliance, and maintain evidence-based controls in line with WHS law and upcoming regulations.
Safeguarding Participants: Explore effective strategies for protecting vulnerable NDIS and SIL participants from risks such as self-harm, hospital admissions, or disruption of care while supporting staff wellbeing.
Navigating Sector Reforms: Receive practical guidance on transitioning from NDIS to aged care, adapting to the Support at Home program, and aligning services across both systems to deliver person-centred, rights-based care.
Leadership and Workforce Strategies: Discover actionable approaches to reinforce organisational values, promote staff wellbeing, and build resilient teams capable of operating safely in complex care environments.
Keynote Speakers
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Melissa Owen – Assistant State Inspector, Psychosocial Programs & RTW, SafeWork NSW
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Dr Ben Searle – Director, Mind on the Job, Organisational Psychologist & Burnout Expert
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Lorraine Salloum – Director, Ability Advocates, Social Services Leader
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Lisa Baker – Healthcare Providers Association, Aged & Home Care Specialist
These experts bring a combination of regulatory insight, clinical knowledge, organisational psychology, and leadership experience, providing attendees with actionable strategies grounded in best practice and sector-specific expertise.
Who should attend & why
Executive Teams & Operational Leaders: Gain strategies to strengthen compliance, workforce wellbeing, and organisational resilience.
HR Managers & Workforce Leaders; Learn to prevent burnout, manage psychosocial risks, and enhance staff engagement.
NDIS, SIL, and Aged Care Providers; Receive guidance on safeguarding participants while meeting regulatory obligations.
Compliance & Risk Officers; Understand audit readiness, risk management, and practical approaches to maintain regulatory compliance.
Frontline Supervisors & Case Managers; Develop tools and strategies to support staff and participants effectively in high-demand environments.
Why attend:
Attendees will leave with practical knowledge, tools, and strategies to confidently navigate the complex intersection of psychosocial safety, workforce wellbeing, participant care, and sector reform—ensuring compliance, safety, and sustainable operations across NDIS, SIL, and aged care services.
Keynote Speakers
Melissa Owen
Assistant State Inspector Psychosocial Programs and RTW
SafeWork NSW
Melissa Owen is an Assistant State Inspector within the Psychosocial Programs team at SafeWork NSW.
She has over ten years’ regulatory experience across psychosocial hazards and risks, return to work and specialist regulatory programs.
She holds postgraduate qualifications in social science and rehabilitation counselling and is recognised as a subject matter expert in the Health Care and Social Assistance sector, particularly the disability industry.
Melissa has developed WHS guidance for businesses, contributed to national policy discussions and represented SafeWork NSW in industry and regulator forums.
Melissa is passionate about improving safety outcomes and influencing healthier, safer workplaces across NSW.
Dr Ben Searle
Director
Mind on the Job
Dr Ben Searle is an organisational psychologist, researcher, consultant, and burnout expert.
Ben used to research and teach about occupational stress and psychosocial hazards.
These days, he works directly with government agencies and private organisations, helping them to evaluate psychosocial hazards and develop productive responses and sustainable control systems.
Ben’s academic and professional expertise are augmented by his own lived experience of burnout, which ignited his passion to make a difference in how we handle this serious condition.
He offers training in detecting early warning signs of burnout, responding effectively to individual cases of burnout, and managing risks of burnout through smart work design and systemic change.He shares tips and insights in his monthly newsletter, Read Before Burning.
Lorraine Salloum
Director
Ability Advocates
Lorraine is a values driven executive leader who is passionate about making a positive impact on vulnerable communities and social outcomes.
She has displayed a strong commitment to service-system linkages, collaboration, and working proactively to prevent and address disadvantage throughout her career.
With extensive experience in the social services sector, Lorraine has supported vulnerable communities in the government sector (central and service delivery agencies), Not for Profit, and For-Purpose, For Profit companies as well as community.
Lisa Baker
Healthcare Providers Association
Lisa brings over 9 years of expertise in Aged Care, Healthcare, and the Not-for-Profit sectors, with a strong focus on strategy, advisory, and technology.
As a Consultant at Health Care Providers Association, she works within one of the nation's leading healthcare consulting firms, specialising in government-funded initiatives.
Lisa’s primary focus is on Aged and Home Care, where she assists both individuals and established businesses in navigating the complexities of these sectors.
With a strategic approach and tailored support, Lisa empowers clients to overcome challenges and achieve sustainable growth. Her extensive experience and deep knowledge of Aged and Home Care enable her to deliver actionable insights that drive success.
Topics
Arrival and Registration
8.00am - 8.25am
Welcome and Introductions
8.30am - 8.45am
8.45am - 9.30am
Psychosocial Hazards in the Care Sector
Melissa Owen
Safework NSW
This session provides an essential overview of psychosocial hazards in the disability sector.
Attendees will learn what psychosocial risks are, why they are prevalent in disability support work, and how to adopt best-practice approaches to manage these risks.
The presentation will cover:
• Understanding common hazards (e.g., occupational violence, fatigue, burnout)
• WHS obligations under NSW law and upcoming WHS Regulation 2025 changes
• Best-practice risk management strategies, including safe management of complex behaviours and restrictive practices
• Tools and resources to support workforce wellbeing and compliance
Who should attend: HR managers, frontline supervisors, and disability providers responsible for staff wellbeing.
9.30am - 10.15am
Preparing for SafeWork Inspections: Compliance, Evidence & Audit Readiness
Melissa Owen
Safety NSW
With SafeWork NSW increasing inspections by 25% annually, disability providers must be audit-ready.
This practical session provides step-by-step guidance for preparing for inspections and maintaining regulatory compliance.
Attendees will learn:
• How to prepare risk registers, evidence of controls, and consultation documentation
• Tools for demonstrating compliance with legally enforceable codes and hierarchical control measures
• Common inspection findings and strategies to prevent non-compliance
• Protecting staff from psychosocial hazards while safeguarding participants
• Practical checklists and templates for audit readiness
Who should attend: Executive teams, compliance officers, SIL operators, and disability providers looking to strengthen their WHS audit preparedness.
10.15am - 10.40am
Morning tea
10.40am - 11.15am
Putting the Brakes on Burnout: Principles, Priorities, and Practicalities
Ben Searle
Mind on the Job
Managing burnout risks is a huge challenge, especially within the care sector.
To meet this challenge, we need to understand burnout: what it is, why it happens, and what can be done about it.
Following the event’s theme, this presentation will draw on research and case studies to explore patterns of psychosocial hazards that pose particularly high risks for burnout.
It will address practical steps all leaders can take, such as recognising contributions, reinforcing values, and responding quickly to early warning signs.
11.15am - 12.00pm
Managing Psychosocial Hazards the Disabled and Elderly
Lorraine Salloum
Ability Advocates
This session explores the identification, assessment, and management of psychosocial hazards affecting vulnerable individuals, including older adults and Participants in care settings.
Attendees will gain insights into the complex interplay between mental health, social isolation, and workplace or care-related stressors that can impact both participants and staff. Key focus areas include strategies to prevent psychological harm, promote wellbeing, and ensure compliance with regulatory frameworks such as psychosocial safety standards. The session also highlights practical approaches for creating supportive environments, implementing risk mitigation plans, and fostering resilience among both care recipients and care providers.
By attending, professionals will leave equipped to enhance safety, improve participant outcomes, and build a culture of mental health awareness and proactive psychosocial risk management within aged care, NDIS, and related service settings.
12.00pm - 12.30pm
Panel and Q & A
12.30pm - 1.15pm
Lunch
1.30pm - 3.30pm
Transitioning from NDIS to Aged Care and Navigating Aged Care reform and Support Home
Lisa Baker
HealthCare Providers Association
3.30pm - 4.30pm
Networking and depart
Who should attend:
Allied Health, NDIS and Aged HR managers, frontline supervisors, and disability providers responsible for staff wellbeing.
Executive teams, compliance officers, SIL operators, and disability providers looking to strengthen their WHS audit preparedness.
Afternoon Session
1.30pm - 3.30pm
Networking till 4.30pm
Transitioning from NDIS to Aged Care
Navigating Aged Care Reform & Support at Home in 2026
Transitioning from NDIS to Aged Care &
Navigating Aged Care Reform & Support at Home in 2026
1.30pm - 3.30pm
Networking till 4.30pm
As Australia’s aged care system undergoes its most significant transformation in decades, Lisa Baker delivers a practical and insight-driven session designed to help providers confidently navigate the new regulatory and operational environment.
With the strengthened Aged Care Act now in effect and the Support at Home (SAH) program replacing legacy in-home care programs, this session moves beyond theory to focus on what these reforms mean in practice for providers, workforce, and participants.
Lisa will unpack the new rights-based, person-centred framework, including strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards, enhanced provider obligations, and the introduction of a single, risk-based registration model. Attendees will gain clarity on registration categories, audit expectations, compliance requirements, and the ongoing renewal cycle now shaping provider accountability in 2026.
A key focus will be the transition to the Support at Home program, including its structured funding model, improved access pathways, and expanded service flexibility. Lisa will provide practical guidance on transitioning from Home Care Packages (HCP), Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP), and Short-Term Restorative Care (STRC), with a focus on maintaining continuity of care, managing client expectations, and aligning service delivery to the new framework.
The session will also explore common compliance risks emerging under the new system — particularly in governance, clinical care, and incident management — alongside strategies for audit readiness, internal assurance, and continuous improvement.
Importantly, Lisa will address the growing convergence between the NDIS and aged care sectors.
As more participants transition out of the NDIS, providers are increasingly seeking to expand into aged care.
This session will outline what is required to successfully transition or operate across both systems, including adapting business models, aligning governance structures, and delivering consistent, person-centred outcomes across the lifespan.
This is an essential session for providers, leaders, and practitioners who want to remain compliant, competitive, and future-ready in a rapidly evolving aged care landscape.
Disclaimer :
Please note that the below program serves as a guide.
NDISLINK Conferences and Events will make every reasonable effort to adhere to the advertised schedule, speakers, and topics; however, we reserve the right to modify the program, substitute speakers, or adjust session content at any time without prior notice due to unforeseen circumstances.
NDISLINK Conferences and Events accepts no liability for any loss, damage, or expenses incurred as a result of changes to the event format, program, speakers, or schedule.