Jonathan Kaplan is Victoria’s Social Services Regulator, an independent statutory authority established in July 2024 to oversee the regulation of services in Victoria.
Services include family violence, sexual assault, homelessness, supported residential services and disability services not within the National Disability Insurance Scheme, as well as government-funded children, youth and family services.
On Thursday, May 1, Mr Kaplan met with staff at Amicus Community Services in Kangaroo Flat, before heading to Echuca to visit Vivid, whose staff provides a range of disability support to clients across north-eastern Victoria, including residential support and day programs.
“Hearing directly from local service providers in Bendigo and Echuca today about the work they do, the challenges they face and how we can work together to create positive outcomes for social services users has been really valuable,” Mr Kaplan said.
“Everyone living with a disability or facing social, health and other life challenges in regional Victoria deserves to feel safe and supported and it’s great to see so many local services working hard to make this a reality.”
On Friday, May 2, Mr Kaplan visited two community-based child and family services providers in Shepparton.
New legislation introduced in July 2024 requires all Victorian social services to register with the Social Services Regulator.
The visits are a chance for the regulator to connect with providers on the ground and hear about their experiences and any unique challenges they face in delivering services to their community.
Visiting service providers across the state is part of the regulator’s approach to strengthening protections for social services users to safeguard vulnerable Victorians from harm, abuse and neglect.
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