I am pleased to present the annual report of the Department of Human Services (DHS) for the year ended 30 June 2026. The report provides a comprehensive account of the department’s achievements, performance and financial outcomes during the 2025–26 financial year.
A key focus for the department over the past year has been the Royal Commission into Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence, with its final report released on 19 August 2025. The report contains 136 recommendations to address existing service gaps and identify opportunities for improvement, strengthening South Australia’s long-term capacity to prevent, reduce and respond to domestic, family and sexual violence.
The South Australian Government’s response to the final report of the Royal Commission was released on 12 December 2025. It prioritises the immediate safety of survivors and lays the foundations needed to build reform sustainably over time, through an investment of $674 million over ten years. During the first two years, the focus will be on stabilising and enhancing existing services while preparing for long-term system reform. This investment includes targeted funding for critical frontline services and service uplift for children and young people.
The Royal Commission’s recommendation to establish a stewardship function to coordinate the implementation of these landmark reforms was immediately accepted by the Government. DHS was assigned the role of Government Steward, with this function undertaken by the Office of Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence, which became operational on 1 July 2026. In this role, the office leads the coordination of the Government’s Royal Commission response and broader domestic, family and sexual violence system reform agenda. It also designs and implements critical system elements, including the establishment of a Lived Experience Advisory Network to provide advice and expertise to the Government’s reform efforts.
The department commenced implementation of the Government’s election commitments, with the Office for Ageing Well undertaking extensive work to expand access to the Seniors Card. Significant preparatory work was completed, including system enhancements, operational planning, stakeholder engagement and communication activities. The reforms remove work-hour restrictions, making all South Australians aged 60 years and over eligible for a Seniors Card regardless of employment status, while also extending access to Aboriginal South Australians aged 50 years and over.
These changes are expected to make approximately 80,000 additional South Australians eligible for the Seniors Card program, improving equitable access to discounts, concessions and cost-of-living support. System changes were completed to enable the expanded arrangements to commence on 1 July 2026.
We continued to lead the Safety and Wellbeing Taskforce, working with communities and partner agencies to support safe, culturally responsive services and improve outcomes for Aboriginal people from remote and regional communities across South Australia. Funding has been secured until 30 June 2027 to expand the outreach response for remote visitors in Adelaide, supporting the operations of the Remote Visitor Outreach Team and Remote Visitor Night Patrol. The department also continued to support the Ceduna Service Collaboration, which coordinates local service providers and frontline agencies through a proactive and culturally safe approach, and led the coordinated summer response across Adelaide, Port Augusta, Ceduna/Far West Coast, the APY Lands and Coober Pedy. Between 1 July 2025 and 30 June 2026, the Return to Country program supported 1,675 people to return to their home communities, helping to reduce vulnerability and reconnect them with family, community and support services.
In September 2025, the department launched the SA Autism Strategy Action Plan 2025–2029, a five-year roadmap to improve the lives of Autistic South Australians and their families and carers. The Action Plan provides a coordinated framework to guide autism inclusion policies across South Australian Government agencies, supporting meaningful change and promoting greater access to services, inclusion and participation in community life for Autistic people at all stages of life. The actions in the Action Plan are informed by extensive feedback from Autistic South Australians and the broader autism community through consultation undertaken to inform the draft State Autism Strategy, as well as ongoing input from members of the State Autism Strategy Advisory Committee with lived experience.
The Julia Farr Disability Inclusion Grants Program was established to fund innovative, community-based projects that improve inclusion, participation and accessibility for people with disability. Administered by DHS on behalf of the Minister for Human Services, as Trustee of the Home for Incurables (HFI) Trust, the program aligns with the State Disability Inclusion Plan and was a key recommendation of the HFI Trust Working Group. The Working Group was established following the sale of Highgate Park to consider the future focus of the Trust and the use of the sale proceeds. The inaugural grants round opened in October 2025, with 14 grants awarded in early 2026.
On 29 June 2026, the Screening Transformation Program launched the South Australian Screening System, marking a once-in-a-generation effort to modernise screening in South Australia. The new system will improve the experience of applicants and organisations by enabling more streamlined application, assessment and monitoring processes. It will also reduce the administrative burden on registered organisations by making it easier to manage and verify worker and volunteer screening clearances.
Other notable achievements during the past 12 months include:
- Commencing the Young Offender Program, a key initiative under the Young Offender Plan developed in close collaboration with key stakeholders. The program focuses on a small cohort of young people with complex needs and a history of repeat offending, with the aim of reducing reoffending and achieving improved outcomes for participants.
- Progressing the Carers Recognition (Miscellaneous) Amendment Act 2025 through Parliament, informed by the state review of the Carers Recognition Act 2005, the Commonwealth House of Representatives inquiry into the recognition of unpaid carers, and the National Carers Strategy 2024–2034. The legislation commenced on 1 July 2026, extending its application across the public sector and introducing a broader definition of “carer” and a revised Carers Charter.
- Launching the Youth Justice Practice Framework to guide service delivery and practice across all DHS Youth Justice services. The Framework promotes a consistent, evidence-based practice approach to working with children and young people in contact with the youth justice system.
- Rolling out the Gender Impact Assessment tool to support South Australian public sector agencies to review policies, projects and services through a gendered lens. The tool aims to improve the quality of public sector decision-making and processes by identifying and mitigating any inequalities in outcomes.
- Continuing funding for the Student Volunteer Award pilot, which was established to increase the number of young volunteers and provide pathways to employment. This funding enabled a further seven metropolitan and regional schools to participate in the program, bringing the total number of participating schools to 13.
- Establishing a five-year collaborative partnership with the Paul Ramsay Foundation and the Fay Fuller Foundation to support investment in the Our Town initiative in Berri and Mid Murray. Our Town is a place-based mental health initiative that enables community-led preventative responses to mental health challenges in rural and regional South Australian communities.
I would like to welcome Multicultural Affairs and the Office for Autism to the department following machinery of government changes that took effect on 1 July 2026. Their addition strengthens our capacity to advance equity, diversity and inclusion, while aligning closely with our purpose of supporting diverse communities across South Australia.
Finally, I would like to thank all DHS staff, particularly our frontline service workers, for their ongoing dedication, professionalism and commitment throughout the year. Through their efforts, the department has continued to make a meaningful contribution to improving equity, wellbeing and quality of life for South Australians.
Sandy Pitcher
Chief Executive
Department of Human Services