Residential services
Summary: The Act contains residential rights for people living in residential services.
Information on this page:
Residential Services
A residential service is accommodation with staff support provided by a disability service provider.
The Disability Act (external link) includes rights and duties for people living in residential services and obligations for disability service providers. The 
Strengthening Rights in Residential Services Policy (Word 132 KB) provides further information to supplement the provisions of the Act.
Disability service providers must provide a residential statement to a person with a disability when they start living at a residential service. The residential statement must include the type and cost of the service and other information such as a person's right to make a complaint.
The Guidelines for setting and collection of residential charges (Word 178.0 kb) contain information for community service organisations about fees in community residential units and facility-based respite services.
In addition the department has developed a policy covering Department-managed Residential Services, Residential Charges Policy - Long Term Accommodation and Facility-based respite (Word 150.0 kb). This policy applies to all department-managed residential services including community residential units, residential institutions and facility-based respite services. The Accommodation Charges: Scale of residential charges for Department-managed residential services (Word 92.5 kb) sets out the current residential charges. Note: These documents do not apply to residential services operated by community service organisations.
The Act has duties for disability service providers, including making sure there is a balance between the rights of a person and the safety of all people living in the residential service.
The Act outlines duties for people living in the residential service, such as paying fees and keeping their room free from fire and safety hazards.
The Act protects the rights and privacy of people living in a residential service by providing guidance about when a disability service provider can enter a person's room.
Information sheet 5 — Residential rights for people living in residential services (PDF 178 KB) contains an overview of residential rights under the Act and some frequently asked questions.
Community residential units
The Act has extra requirements for community residential units in relation to fees and what needs to happen if people who live in the service need to move. If a person is given notice of a fee increase, or notice to move permanently from the community residential unit, the person can apply to Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) (external link.) to review the decision. The notice provisions are outlined in the Guidelines for community residential unit notice provision (Word 331KB).The residential notices are available in easy read format.
Information sheet 6 — Residential rights for people living in community residential units (PDF 177 KB) contains information on specific rights for people living in community residential units.
Residential institutions
The Act outlines reasons for when a person with an intellectual disability may be admitted to a residential institution.
If a person is admitted to a residential institution, they can apply to Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) (external link) for a review of this decision.
Managing money
The Act says a disability service provider cannot manage the money of a person with a disability using their service.
However, a residential service may manage a limited amount of money for a resident in specific circumstances.
The Rights and Accountability — Management of Money Policy (Word 123 KB) provides further information to supplement the provisions of the Act.
Information sheet 13 — Managing money (PDF 177 KB) contains an overview of the requirements for managing money and some frequently asked questions.