This cross-entity audit would assess the effectiveness of actions by the Department of Health and Aged Care (Health) and National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) to achieve Australian Government targets for reducing the number of younger people entering or remaining in residential aged care, and the Department of Social Services’ (DSS’) oversight and evaluation of actions taken.

In 2019, the Australian Government committed to ensuring no younger person (under the age of 65) lives in residential aged care unless there are exceptional circumstances.

The Younger People in Residential Aged Care Strategy 2020–25, a cross-entity Australian Government strategy, was released in September 2020. The strategy is to support achievement of the following targets, with the exception of those who fell into the category of exceptional circumstances:

• no people under the age of 65 entering residential aged care by 2022;
• no people under the age of 45 living in residential aged care by 2022; and
• no people under the age of 65 living in residential aged care by 2025.