Portfolio: Social Services
https://www.dss.gov.au/committees/economic-inclusion-advisory-committee
13 tagged
Reform proposals on YourGov that name this department as a delivery partner — drawn from citizen voice, government strategy, research, international examples and gap analysis.
STRATEGY SUMMARY
To improve the economic and social wellbeing of individuals, families and vulnerable members of Australian communities. [AR p.11]
PURPOSE
To improve the economic and social wellbeing of individuals, families and vulnerable members of Australian communities. [AR p.11]
Corporate Plan 2025-26 · p.11Strategic priorities
· 6
ensure a fair and trusted social security payment system supporting people when and where they need it most
Corporate Plan 2025-26 · p.5Outcomes
· 2
Outcome 1: Social Security
A sustainable social security system that incentivises self-reliance and supports people who cannot fully support themselves by providing targeted payments and assistance.
KEY ACTIVITIES
Outcome 2: Families and Communities
Contribute to stronger and more resilient individuals, children, families and communities by providing targeted supports.
KEY ACTIVITIES
Values
· 6
impartial
committed to service
accountable
respectful
ethical
stewardship
Performance measures
· 19
| Code | Measure | Target 2025-26 | Latest result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
CO1-1A | Timeliness of advice and support provided to Portfolio Ministers and Assistant Ministers by the department across the 2 outcomes | At least 95% of ministerial briefs and correspondence across the 3 outcomes are provided on time. Corporate Plan 2025-26 · p.58 | At least 95% of ministerial briefs and correspondence across the 3 outcomes are provided on time Annual Report 2024-25 · p.45 | Met |
C0-2A | Proportion of grant applicants and recipients satisfied with their Hub grant experience | Grant applicant and recipient experience is 70% positive or above. Corporate Plan 2025-26 · p.59 | — Annual Report 2024-25 | |
2.1.7-1A | Ensure quality and timely decisions are made on applications to the Scheme | The Scheme will notify at least ≥25% of survivors about an outcome within 6 months of the date that all required information is received. Corporate Plan 2025-26 · p.54 | 66.7% Annual Report 2024-25 · p.45 | Not met |
2.1.7-1B | Ensure quality and timely decisions are made on applications to the Scheme | The Scheme will notify at least ≥50% of survivors about an outcome within 9 months of the date that all required information is received. Corporate Plan 2025-26 · p.54 | — Annual Report 2024-25 | |
2.1.7-1C | Ensure quality and timely decisions are made on applications to the Scheme | The Scheme will notify at least ≥75% of survivors about an outcome within 12 months of the date that all required information is received. Corporate Plan 2025-26 · p.54 | — Annual Report 2024-25 | |
2.1.7-1D | Maintain quality decision-making | The Scheme will maintain quality ≥95% decision-making, with at least 95% of initial determinations reflecting the final outcome. Corporate Plan 2025-26 · p.54 | — Annual Report 2024-25 | |
2.1.7-2A | Maximise institution participation with the Scheme | The Scheme will engage and maintain participation, with institutions on board to cover at least 95% of applications in progress. Corporate Plan 2025-26 · p.55 | ≥ 95% of applications in progress Annual Report 2024-25 · p.45 | Not met |
2.1.7-3A | Provide survivors a redress payment | The Scheme will issue at least 80% of eligible survivors an advance payment within 7 days of receiving acceptance documentation. Corporate Plan 2025-26 · p.56 | 80% of survivors a redress payment within 14 days of receiving acceptance documentation Annual Report 2024-25 · p.45 | Not met |
2.1.7-3B | Provide survivors a redress payment | The Scheme will issue at least 80% of survivors a redress payment within 14 days of receiving acceptance documentation. Corporate Plan 2025-26 · p.56 | — Annual Report 2024-25 | |
CO1-1A | Timeliness of advice and support provided to Portfolio Ministers and Assistant Ministers by the department across the 2 outcomes | At least 95% of ministerial briefs and correspondence across the 3 outcomes are provided on time. Corporate Plan 2025-26 · p.58 | At least 95% of ministerial briefs and correspondence across the 3 outcomes are provided on time Annual Report 2024-25 · p.45 | Met |
1.1.1-1A | Extent to which families with lower incomes are supported with the costs of raising children through Family Tax Benefit (FTB) | — | 66.7% Annual Report 2024-25 · p.33 | Not met |
1.1.2-1A | Extent to which separated parents in the child support system are supporting their children | — | 81.0% Annual Report 2024-25 · p.37 | Not met |
1.2.1-1A | Extent to which eligible families use their unreserved entitlement to Paid Parental Leave | — | 96.8% Annual Report 2024-25 · p.39 | Met |
1.3.1-1A | Extent to which people over the Age Pension qualification age are supported in their retirement through the Age Pension or other income support | — | 67.0% Annual Report 2024-25 · p.42 | Met |
1.4.1-1A | Extent to which people of working age with a profound or severe disability are paid Disability Support Pension | — | 72.6% Annual Report 2024-25 · p.45 | Not met |
1.5.1-1A | Extent to which primary carers in Australia are supported by Carer Payment and/or Carer Allowance | — | Not met Annual Report 2024-25 · p.45 | Not met |
1.6.1-1A | Extent to which recipient numbers reflect the number of people who are unable to fully support themselves through work | — | Partially met Annual Report 2024-25 · p.45 | Partially met |
1.7.1-1A | The proportion of Austudy, Youth Allowance and ABSTUDY recipients who are not receiving income support 12 months after exiting student payments | — | Met Annual Report 2024-25 · p.45 | Met |
2.1.2-1A | Extent to which separated parents in the child support system are supporting their children | — | 81.0% Annual Report 2024-25 · p.45 | Not met |
Source documents
· 18
2024-25
PDF format File size 4.39 MB
Open
2025-26
PDF format File size 2.6 MB
Open
2024-25
PDF format File size 1.83 MB
Open
2023-24
PDF format File size 8.29 MB
Open
2022-23
PDF format File size 2.06 MB
Open
2021-22
PDF format File size 1.8 MB
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2024
PDF format File size 12.1 MB
Open
PDF format File size 9.54 MB
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2024
PDF format File size 886.67 KB
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2024
PDF format File size 1.88 MB
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2024
PDF format File size 905.04 KB
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2024
PDF format File size 1.05 MB
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2023
PDF format File size 1.66 MB
Open
PDF format File size 7.91 MB
Open
PDF format File size 2.22 MB
Open
PDF format File size 2.26 MB
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2024
PDF format File size 3.77 MB
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2024
PDF format File size 887.98 KB
Open
Ideas distilled from this entity's strategy & evidence
· 12
KPI evidence register with named owners
Create a simple register mapping each KPI to source data, owner, frequency, target, and last result.
department-social-services-annual-report-2024-25.pdf)
Outcome dashboard linking budget, delivery, and public impact
Build a public-facing outcome dashboard showing spend, outputs, outcomes, and delivery confidence.
department-social-services-annual-report-2024-25.pdf)
Plain-language service pages and proactive status updates
Rewrite high-volume pages and letters into plain language, add status notifications, and measure contact reduction.
master-corporate-plan-2022-23-accessible-31-aug-2022.pdf)
Single front door for life-event based services
Bundle services around life events so citizens can complete related steps across agencies in one journey.
master-corporate-plan-2022-23-accessible-31-aug-2022.pdf)
Recommendation tracker for audits, reviews, and inquiries
Publish a single internal tracker for audit/review recommendations, owners, due dates, and implementation evidence.
department-social-services-annual-report-2024-25.pdf)
Integrated assurance and lessons-learned system
Create an assurance system that connects audit findings, risk registers, delivery reviews, and investment decisions.
department-social-services-annual-report-2024-25.pdf)
Reusable briefing and summary assistant for internal documents
Create controlled templates for summarising reports, submissions, minutes, and ministerial briefs.
dss-corporate-plan-2025-26.pdf)
Department-wide knowledge and briefing platform
Build a secure knowledge platform that lets staff search, summarise, and cite approved departmental material.
dss-corporate-plan-2025-26.pdf)
Regulatory burden scan for forms, guidance, and reporting
Identify the top 10 highest-friction reporting obligations and simplify guidance, forms, or evidence requirements.
dss-2023-24-corporate-plan.pdf)
Adaptive regulation program with live feedback loops
Create an adaptive regulation model using sandboxes, industry data, risk scoring, and regular rule updates.
dss-2023-24-corporate-plan.pdf)
Procurement lessons library for repeat purchases
Capture reusable procurement clauses, market lessons, supplier performance notes, and common evaluation criteria.
dss-corporate-plan-2025-26.pdf)
Portfolio delivery office for major investments
Stand up a portfolio delivery office that tracks benefits, risks, dependencies, procurement, and delivery confidence.
dss-corporate-plan-2025-26.pdf)
KPI evidence register with named owners
Create a simple register mapping each KPI to source data, owner, frequency, target, and last result.
department-social-services-annual-report-2024-25.pdf)
Outcome dashboard linking budget, delivery, and public impact
Build a public-facing outcome dashboard showing spend, outputs, outcomes, and delivery confidence.
department-social-services-annual-report-2024-25.pdf)
Plain-language service pages and proactive status updates
Rewrite high-volume pages and letters into plain language, add status notifications, and measure contact reduction.
master-corporate-plan-2022-23-accessible-31-aug-2022.pdf)
Single front door for life-event based services
Bundle services around life events so citizens can complete related steps across agencies in one journey.
master-corporate-plan-2022-23-accessible-31-aug-2022.pdf)
Recommendation tracker for audits, reviews, and inquiries
Publish a single internal tracker for audit/review recommendations, owners, due dates, and implementation evidence.
department-social-services-annual-report-2024-25.pdf)
Integrated assurance and lessons-learned system
Create an assurance system that connects audit findings, risk registers, delivery reviews, and investment decisions.
department-social-services-annual-report-2024-25.pdf)
Reusable briefing and summary assistant for internal documents
Create controlled templates for summarising reports, submissions, minutes, and ministerial briefs.
dss-corporate-plan-2025-26.pdf)
Department-wide knowledge and briefing platform
Build a secure knowledge platform that lets staff search, summarise, and cite approved departmental material.
dss-corporate-plan-2025-26.pdf)
Regulatory burden scan for forms, guidance, and reporting
Identify the top 10 highest-friction reporting obligations and simplify guidance, forms, or evidence requirements.
dss-2023-24-corporate-plan.pdf)
Adaptive regulation program with live feedback loops
Create an adaptive regulation model using sandboxes, industry data, risk scoring, and regular rule updates.
dss-2023-24-corporate-plan.pdf)
Procurement lessons library for repeat purchases
Capture reusable procurement clauses, market lessons, supplier performance notes, and common evaluation criteria.
dss-corporate-plan-2025-26.pdf)
Portfolio delivery office for major investments
Stand up a portfolio delivery office that tracks benefits, risks, dependencies, procurement, and delivery confidence.
dss-corporate-plan-2025-26.pdf)
Source library
· 28
4.6MB
2024-25.pdf
2.7MB
2025-26.pdf
1.9MB
2024-25.pdf
8.7MB
2023-24.pdf
2.2MB
2022-23.pdf
1.9MB
2021-22.pdf
1.7MB
2024-25-20Department-20of-20Social-20Services-20Corporate-20Plan.pdf
209KB
national-early-years-summit-summary.pdf
733KB
national-early-years-summit-agenda_0.pdf
224KB
national-early-years-summit-attendees-website-002.pdf
419KB
australian-government-response.pdf
298KB
australian-government-response-inquiry-potential-impacts-commonwealth-paid-paren.pdf
Bodies within the Social Services portfolio