Department of Social Services (Australia)
The Department of Social Services is a department of the Government of Australia charged with the responsibility for national policies and programs that help deliver a strong and fair society for all Australians. The department develops and implements social policy.
The head of the department is the Secretary of the Department of Social Services, currently Kathryn Campbell, who reports to the Anne Ruston, Minister for Families and Social Services. Previously, the Minister for Social Services was Paul Fletcher from 2018 to 2019. In the Turnbull Government, the ministers were assisted by the Assistant Minister for Disability Services, the Hon. Jane Prentice and the Assistant Minister for Multicultural Affairs, the Hon. Craig Laundy.
The head office of the department is located in the Australian Capital Territory suburb of Greenway.History
The department was formed by way of an Administrative Arrangements Order issued on 18 September 2013 and replaced the majority of the functions previously performed by the former Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs ; with the exception of Office of Indigenous Policy Coordination, that was transferred to the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.Operational activities
In an Administrative Arrangements Order made on 18 September 2013, the functions of the department were broadly classified into the following matters:
- Ageing research
- Income security and support policies and programs for families with children, carers, the aged, people with disabilities and people in hardship
- Income support policies for students and apprentices
- Services for families with children, people with disabilities and carers
- Services for older people, including their carers
- Policy for and promotion of active ageing, other than employment policy
- Community mental health
- Community support services
- Family relationship, Family and Children’s Support Services
- Social housing, rent assistance and homelessness
- Child support policy
- Housing affordability
- Services to help people with disabilities obtain employment
- Arrangements for the settlement of migrants and humanitarian entrants, other than migrant child and migrant adult education
- Non-profit sector and volunteering
- Multicultural affairs
