The first whole-sector national study of the care workforce has flagged a growing gap between workforce demand and its supply. The Care Workforce Labour Market Report, from the National Skills Commission, was completed in September 2021 and recently released by the Federal government. NDS provided a comprehensive submission to the study.

Prompted by the rapid rise of the number of care and support workers, the report surveyed the entire sector and discovered a complex landscape. In February 2021, there were an estimated 460,000 care and support workers in Australia (not including the mental health sector), who worked in a broad range of occupations and many industries, with intersections between programs.