NSW Ageing Disability & Homecare

Change Management – Peat Island Relocation and Service Delivery Model


The TCS Directors managed a large scale stakeholder engagement initiative with the NSW Department of Ageing, Disability & Homecare (DADHC). DADHC were in the process of implementing a new model for caring and housing older clients with intellectual disability.

Many of the clients had been at the residential facility for most of their lives and similarly many of the staff had tenure of 20+ years. As such, the prospect of change, and the associated anxiety of the stakeholder groups was high.

The new model involved a focus on community based support and the redevelopment of all the large residential centres currently used to accommodate this type of client. Clients were relocated to new bespoke ‘group homes’ on the Central Coast and staff were retrained to deliver care under this new model. We undertook consultation with staff to understand how this would impact their capacity and capability to provide care, as well as helping staff to understand their changed role within the new environment.

We worked both at the Executive and Operational level to design and implement strategies to manage the staff through the change process. Our deliverables included formal briefings, focus groups and formal training, as well as ongoing coaching of operational leaders to support their people through the change process.