Quality servicing and assurance
Important information
The Inclusive Employment Australia program replaces the Disability Employment Services program on 1 November 2025.
About the system
The quality servicing and assurance system applies to Disability Employment Services who receive funding under the Disability Services and Inclusion Act 2023(Opens external website).
DES providers who receive funding are required to gain a certificate of compliance against the 6 National Standards for Disability Services.
National Standards for Disability Services
The National Standards for Disability Services help to promote and drive a nationally consistent approach to improving the quality of services. They focus on rights and outcomes for people with disability.
Organisations receiving funding as a Disability Employment Service must meet the requirements of the National Standards for Disability Services. Failure to do so may result in loss of funding.
To obtain a certificate of compliance an independent third-party certification body undertakes a certification audit. Certification Bodies (CBs) are accredited by the Joint Accreditation System of Australia and New Zealand (JAS-ANZ). We provide a contribution towards the costs of certification.
Visit the JAS-ANZ website to learn about the requirements for accreditation under the Disability Employment Services and Supported Employment Services Scheme.
Certified services receive a Certificate of Compliance. This recognises that the organisation complies with the National Standards for Disability Services. Certified services participate in a surveillance audit within 12 months and then within 24 months of certification. Then 36 months after certification, services participate in a full recertification audit.
Typical certification process
-
1
Submit a Notice of Intention to Obtain a Certificate of Compliance
Timeframe: Prior to funding approval
Milestone / notes: This step is only for new organisations that do not hold a certificate of compliance against the National Standards for Disability Services
Submit Notice of Intention to the department for approval
Resource - Notice of Intention (NoI).
-
2
Start the process
Timeframe: No later than one month after funding is approved
Milestone / notes: Review your organisation’s structure, policy and procedures
Review contractual requirementsResource: National Standards for Disability Services – Self Assessment Worksheets.
-
3
Choose your certification body
Timeframe: No later than 3 months after your funding is approved
Milestone / notes: Select certification body, negotiate contract
Find out about the Accredited Certification Bodies.
-
4
Conduct your internal audit
Timeframe: During the first 6 months after your funding is approved
Milestone / notes: Internal audit involving jobseekers/workers/service recipients
Resource: Supporting Documents for NSDS.
-
5
Prepare your certification audit
Timeframe: On-site dates negotiated with certification body should be no later than 6 months after your funding is approved
Milestone / notes: Liaise with CB about audit activities, including sampling. Prepare job seeker/worker/service recipient involvement in audit.
-
6
Participate in your certification audit
Timeframe: On-site dates negotiated with CB should be no later than 6 months after your funding is approved
Milestone / notes: Assist with streamlining audit activities. Use opportunities to ask questions, make comments on the audit findings in exit meeting.
-
7
Take follow-up action if required
Timeframe: Address major nonconformities within 3 months and nonconformities within six months of assessment if identified.
Milestone / notes: Decision on certification must be made no later than 12 months after the date on which your funding is approved. Provide feedback to staff, Board, job seekers/workers/service recipients. If nonconformities are identified, undertake corrective action.
-
8
Start 3-year funding cycle
a) prepare for first surveillance audit
Timeframe: Within 12 months of initial certification audit
Milestone / notes: Internal audit. Documentation on ongoing corrective action
b) prepare for second surveillance audit
Timeframe: Within 24 months of initial certification audit
Milestone / notes: Internal audit. Documentation on ongoing corrective action
c) re-negotiate contract with CB
Timeframe: Between 24 and 36 months of initial certification audit
Milestone / notes: Review certification body’s cost and quality of its work.
d) prepare for recertification audit
Timeframe: Within 36 months of initial certification audit
Milestone / notes: Internal audit. Documentation on ongoing corrective action.
Performance Framework
The Disability Employment Services Performance Framework (Performance Framework) measures provider performance. It came into effect from 1 July 2024.
Under the new Performance Framework, providers are assessed against key performance measures. These measures include the DES Quality Framework.
The Performance Framework will help improve:
- provider performance
- the quality of services delivered
- employment outcomes for participants.
Read more about the Performance Framework.
View the Disability Employment Services performance scorecards.
Quality Framework
The Disability Employment Services Quality Framework (Quality Framework) ensures the delivery of high quality, tailored services for people with disability. It requires providers to listen and respond to the needs of individuals and employers to drive meaningful and sustained quality improvement. The Quality Framework started in July 2023.
We continue to consult with providers, peaks and disability representative organisations. This informs and supports continuous improvement of the Framework. Disability Employment Services Quality Guidelines complement the Framework. The Guidelines formalise the rating approach and frequency to inform provider quality assessments.
Read the DES Quality Framework.
For a summary of the Quality Framework, also available in Easy Read, read the DES Quality Framework fact sheet.