Board of Governance Committee Charter (Public Version)

Sep 4

7 min read

OUR COMMITMENT TO GOOD GOVERNANCE

DCIRS Community Care is committed to governance arrangements that promote accountability, ethical decision-making, participant safety, service quality, safeguarding and continual improvement.

The Board of Governance Committee provides independent oversight, advice and assurance to support DCIRS Community Care in delivering safe, respectful and high-quality disability, aged care and community-based supports.

This public summary explains the role, principles and responsibilities of the Board. It does not replace the complete internal Board Charter, which contains the detailed arrangements governing Board membership, meetings, conduct and administration.

PURPOSE OF THE BOARD

The purpose of the Board of Governance Committee is to provide independent governance oversight and advisory assurance in relation to:

Participant safety, rights and safeguarding.
Quality of supports and participant outcomes.
Organisational risk and assurance.
Compliance with applicable obligations.
Workforce governance and organisational culture.
Information governance and privacy.
Organisational sustainability.
Continual improvement.

The Board supports DCIRS Community Care to remain accountable, values-led and focused on the interests of participants and the communities it serves.

GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE AND AUTHORITY

The Board of Governance is an advisory governance body established by the Director of DCIRS Community Care.

The Board provides oversight, constructive challenge, guidance and independent advice. It does not manage the day-to-day operations of DCIRS Community Care.

Ultimate legal authority, organisational accountability and final decision-making responsibility remain with the Director of DCIRS Community Care, except where authority has been formally delegated in writing.

Operational responsibility remains with the Managing Director and management team. This separation supports clear accountability between governance oversight and operational management.

OUR GOVERNANCE PRINCIPLES

The Board operates according to the following principles.

Participant Rights and Voice Participant rights, voice, choice and control are central to governance activity. The Board supports meaningful opportunities for people with disability and people with lived experience to contribute to matters affecting service quality, participant rights and safeguarding.

Proportionate and Effective Governance Governance arrangements should be appropriate to the size, scope and complexity of DCIRS Community Care while remaining robust, evidence-based and accountable.

Integrity and Transparency The Board promotes honesty, integrity, transparency and ethical decision-making. Board members are expected to speak up when concerns arise and to support an organisational culture in which issues can be raised respectfully and addressed appropriately.

Independence and Constructive Oversight The Board provides independent oversight and constructive challenge. Governance discussions should support informed decision-making without interfering with day-to-day management responsibilities.

Accountability Governance decisions, recommendations, actions and conflicts of interest are appropriately documented and managed.

Continual Improvement

The Board uses relevant quality, safeguarding, risk, workforce, feedback and assurance information to support learning and continual improvement across DCIRS Community Care.

Practical and Values-Led Governance

Governance arrangements should support compliance and accountability while remaining practical, workable and aligned with the purpose and values of DCIRS Community Care.

ROLE OF THE BOARD

The Board provides governance oversight and advice in relation to:

Strategic direction and organisational priorities.
Participant safety, rights and safeguarding systems.
Quality management and continual improvement.
Risk management and organisational assurance.
Compliance with applicable requirements.
Workforce governance, capability and culture.
Information governance and privacy practices.
Organisational sustainability and service continuity.
The effectiveness and maturity of governance systems.

The Board may make recommendations to the Director. Final decisions remain with the Director unless authority has been formally delegated.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE BOARD

The Board’s responsibilities include:

Considering information relating to service quality, participant safety, safeguarding and organisational performance.
Seeking assurance that appropriate systems, controls and improvement actions are in place.
Monitoring significant trends relating to quality, risk, incidents, complaints, workforce matters and continual improvement.
Identifying and escalating material governance, compliance, quality or safeguarding concerns.
Supporting participant inclusion and lived-experience input into governance.
Overseeing the work of its governance committees.
Promoting accountable, ethical and values-led decision-making.
Supporting the continued development of DCIRS Community Care’s governance capability.
Ensuring governance decisions, recommendations, actions and conflicts of interest are properly recorded.
Providing independent advice to the Director on matters relevant to organisational governance, participant safety and sustainability.

The Board does not undertake operational management, direct employees in their day-to-day work or make individual employment decisions.

PARTICIPANT VOICE AND INCLUSION

DCIRS Community Care recognises that people who receive supports, and people with lived experience of disability, bring essential knowledge and perspective to governance.

The Board supports meaningful and accessible opportunities for participants and people with lived experience to contribute to:

Governance discussions relevant to participant rights and safety.
The development and review of policies and processes affecting supports.
Quality and safeguarding priorities.
Organisational learning and continual improvement.
Feedback about participant experiences and outcomes.

Participation will be approached respectfully and made accessible, with consideration given to each person’s needs, preferences and communication requirements. DCIRS Community Care recognises that meaningful participation may look different for each person and will provide appropriate support so that people can contribute in ways that are comfortable and suitable for them.

BOARD COMPOSITION AND CAPABILITY

The Board seeks to maintain an appropriate mix of skills, experience, perspective and independence.

Relevant areas of capability may include:

Community services governance.
Disability and aged care service delivery.
Participant rights and safeguarding.
Quality, risk and assurance.
Financial and organisational sustainability.
Workforce governance and culture.
Legal, regulatory or compliance matters.
Information governance and privacy.
Lived experience of disability or receiving supports.
Knowledge of rural and regional communities.

Board members receive appropriate induction and opportunities to strengthen their governance capability. The Board periodically considers whether its collective skills and experience remain suitable for the needs of DCIRS Community Care.

BOARD COMMITTEES The Board is supported by standing committees that provide focused oversight and assurance within particular areas of responsibility.

Audit and Risk Committee The Audit and Risk Committee supports oversight of organisational risk, internal controls, audit activity, compliance assurance and sustainability.

People and Culture Committee The People and Culture Committee supports oversight of workforce governance, culture, capability, conduct, wellbeing and workforce-related risks.

Quality and Safeguarding Committee

The Quality and Safeguarding Committee supports oversight of participant safety, safeguarding systems, quality of supports, participant feedback and continual improvement.

Each committee operates under an approved charter and reports to the Board. Committees may review matters, seek assurance and make recommendations, but they do not assume day-to-day operational responsibility.

MEETINGS AND GOVERNANCE RECORDS

The Board meets regularly and may meet more frequently when circumstances require additional governance attention.

The Chair supports effective meetings by approving agendas, encouraging balanced participation and ensuring the Board considers information relevant to its responsibilities.

Appropriate records are maintained to document governance considerations, recommendations, decisions, actions and declared conflicts of interest.

Board and committee records are retained securely and managed in accordance with applicable privacy, confidentiality and document-control requirements.

Board papers, minutes and deliberations are internal governance records and are not ordinarily published because they may contain confidential participant, workforce, commercial, legal, financial or organisational information.

ETHICS, CONDUCT AND CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

Board members are expected to:

Act honestly, carefully and in good faith.
Support the best interests of participants and DCIRS Community Care.
Uphold the purpose and values of the organisation.
Exercise appropriate care, skill and diligence.
Contribute respectfully and constructively.
Maintain independence of judgement.
Protect confidential information.
Identify and disclose actual, potential or perceived conflicts of interest.
Avoid participating in matters where a conflict cannot be appropriately managed.
Model the ethical and professional conduct expected across DCIRS Community Care.

Conflicts of interest are recorded and managed through appropriate governance processes.

CONFIDENTIALITY AND INFORMATION HANDLING

Board members must protect confidential information obtained through their governance role.

This includes information relating to:

Participants and their supporters.
Employees, contractors and volunteers.
Complaints, incidents and safeguarding matters.
Governance discussions and deliberations.
Commercial, financial, legal and organisational matters.
Risk, audit, compliance and assurance activity.

Confidential information is only disclosed where authorised, legally required or necessary for the proper performance of governance responsibilities.

Confidentiality obligations continue after a person ceases to serve on the Board.

RELATIONSHIP WITH MANAGEMENT

The Board and management have distinct but connected responsibilities.

The Board provides governance oversight, advice, assurance and constructive challenge.

The Managing Director and management team are responsible for.

Day-to-day organisational leadership.
Service delivery and participant support arrangements.
Workforce management.
Operational risk management.
Implementation of policies, plans and improvement actions.
Providing relevant information to support governance oversight.
Escalating significant matters requiring governance attention.

A clear distinction between governance and management supports accountability while allowing the Board and management to work together in the interests of participants and the organisation.

ACCESS TO ADVICE AND ASSURANCE

The Board may seek information and advice reasonably required to fulfil its governance responsibilities.

Where specialist knowledge is needed, DCIRS Community Care may obtain appropriate external advice or assurance. This may include advice relating to governance, quality, safeguarding, risk, compliance, finance, workforce matters or other areas relevant to responsible organisational oversight.

Information provided to the Board must be handled in accordance with privacy, confidentiality and information-security requirements.

REVIEW AND CONTINUAL IMPROVEMENT

The complete Board Charter is reviewed regularly and may be updated earlier when changes occur in:

Applicable legislative or regulatory requirements.
The structure or activities of DCIRS Community Care.
Governance responsibilities or committee arrangements.
Organisational risks and priorities.
Quality and safeguarding expectations.
Good governance practice.

The Board also reviews its effectiveness and capability to identify opportunities for continual improvement.

This public summary will be updated when material changes are made to the Board’s purpose, authority, responsibilities or governance structure.

PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY Through the Board of Governance Committee and its associated committees, DCIRS Community Care seeks to provide responsible and proportionate oversight of the matters that affect participant safety, service quality, organisational integrity and sustainability.

Good governance supports more than compliance. It helps DCIRS Community Care:

Keep participant rights, safety and wellbeing at the centre of decisions.
Learn from feedback, concerns, incidents and reviews.
Use resources responsibly.
Identify emerging risks.
Strengthen workforce and organisational capability.
Maintain community confidence and trust.
Continue improving the quality and reliability of supports.

VERSION AND REVIEW INFORMATION

This public summary will be reviewed regularly and following material changes to the complete internal Charter.

Version 1.0: 4 September 2026 Document Owner: DCIRS Community Care Approval Authority: Board of Governance Committee

© 2026 DCIRS Community Care Pty. Ltd. All rights reserved. This charter is the intellectual property of DCIRS Community Care. No part of this document may be reproduced, distributed, copied, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, digital scraping, or other electronic methods, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.

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