Existing RTOs
What are the Skills SA Student Support Standards professional development requirements?
We know that:
- student mental health, and
- neurodiversity among student groups
are important challenges for RTOs to meet.
Student groups are also becoming more diverse. Therefore, a deliberate focus on inclusive learning design is also needed. As a result, Skills SA has introduced mandatory professional development requirements. These requirements help RTOs to meet these challenges.
The mandatory professional development requirements are updated every 12 months. For existing RTOs, the requirements are cumulative - you must meet both the 2025-26 (baseline) and 2026-27 requirements.
In 2026-27, the three areas with prescribed mandatory professional development requirements are:
1. Mental Health: trauma-informed practice
2. Neurodivergence
3. Universal Design for Learning, or inclusive teaching
At least one relevant staff member must finish professional development in the prescribed areas above. Relevant staff includes anyone who works with or assists students within your RTO.
The same staff member may do the training in all three areas, or you may have different staff focus on different areas. Each of the areas is covered in more detail below.
The 2026-27 mandatory PD must be completed before 1 June 2027.
The professional development requirements for 2025-26 and 2026-27 are summarised in this table.
| Year | Mental Health | Neurodivergence | Universal Design for Learning or inclusive teaching |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | At least one staff member undertakes MHFA | At least one staff member undertakes dyslexia-related training | At least one staff member completes UDL course |
| 2026-27 | At least one staff member maintains currency in MHFA and at least one staff member undertakes professional development in trauma-informed practice | At least one additional staff member undertakes dyslexia-related training or at least one staff member completes PD on strategies for a neuro-affirming learning environment | At least one additional staff member completes the UDL online course or at least one staff member completes more advanced or related PD in UDL or inclusive teaching practices |
How to demonstrate compliance
You'll need to confirm that at least one relevant staff member has completed the mandated professional development in each of the three essential areas in your 2026-27 organisational self-assessment.
We’ll also ask you to summarise, in a couple of sentences, any benefits the professional development gave your training provider.
If you haven't met the 2026-27 mandatory professional development requirements by the time you need to submit your self-assessment, you must describe your plan to do so before 1 June 2027.
For each of the three areas, the professional development you engage in for 2026-27 must:
- be delivered by an expert in the field
- last for at least half a day
Mental Health
In 2026-27:
- At least one staff member must maintain certification in Mental Health First Aid. Staff turnover may result in the loss of staff with MHFA certification. If this happens, a different staff member must become certified, and;
- At least one staff member must undertake professional development in trauma-informed practice.
Trauma-informed practice has many benefits in the learning environment. It is a way of having conversations with students that:
- recognises students may face unseen issues
- focuses on safety and respect
- uses clear and calm responses
- doesn't require personal details
- doesn't need specialist knowledge of issues faced.
Skills you will gain from trauma-informed practice PD include:
- how to build psychological safety in everyday interactions
- how to be consistent, calm, and predictable in your responses
- practical strategies that reduce stress and support learning.
Why trauma-informed practice works:
- it uses universal principles that apply to all learners
- it focuses on how staff respond to behaviour rather than identifying the cause
- it can be used by any student-facing staff.
MHFA does not teach people how to be therapists. MHFA trains people in how to provide initial help when someone is in a crisis. It also provides ways to guide a person towards appropriate treatments or support.
There are a number of organisations in Australia who offer MHFA training, such as Mental Health First Aid Australia.
You may already meet the MHFA requirements. More detail on acceptable evidence and qualifications that meet the requirement are provided below.
Skills SA will fund workshops in trauma-informed teaching practice and MHFA in 2026-27. However, places will be limited, and RTOs remain responsible for meeting the mandatory PD requirements.
Information on future Skills SA-supported professional development will be made available soon. RTOs will be notified when future professional development opportunities are published.
Acceptable evidence of currency as a mental health first-aider to provide in your self-assessment form includes:
- details of the MHFA training (or refresher training) undertaken within the three-year accreditation period for MHFA, or
- details of qualifications that cover mental health topics, completed in the last five years, or
- current accreditation with a relevant peak body such as the Australian Counselling Association or Australian Psychological Society, or
- If qualifications held are not on the list below, record the details in your self-assessment form and Skills SA will consider these on a case-by-case basis.
Below is a non-exhaustive list of qualifications that meet the MHFA training requirement. Superseded versions of the qualifications will be accepted if they were completed in the last five years.
- CHCSS00138 Mental Health Assistance Skill Set
- CHC43515 Certificate IV in Mental Health Peer Work
- CHC43315 Certificate IV in Mental Health
- CHC53315 Diploma of Mental Health
- CHC51015 Diploma of Counselling
- Graduate Certificate in Counselling
- Graduate Diploma of Counselling
- Master of Clinical Psychology
- Master of Counselling
Neurodivergence
In 2025-26, you ensure that at least one staff member undertook professional development to support success for students with dyslexia.
In 2026-27, you must ensure:
- one additional staff member undertakes the same or training, or;
- a staff member undertakes professional development on strategies for creating a neuro-affirming learning environment.
This area of focus is up to you but should be relevant to your teaching and your students. It could include:
- learning more about a specific type of neurodivergence like ADHD or Autism, and how this can impact someone's learning, or;
- learning design and delivery strategies to create a supportive learning environment that responds effectively to neurodiverse student groups.
Dyslexia is a type of specific learning difficulty. The workshop Supporting Adult Learners with Specific Learning Difficulties, presented by SPELD, provides a good introduction to the topic. Skills SA will fund various neurodivergence-related PD opportunities in 2026-27. However, places will be limited. RTOs remain responsible for sourcing their own training if needed to meet the mandatory PD requirements.
Information on future Skills SA-supported professional development will be made available soon. RTOs will be notified when future professional development opportunities are published.
Universal Design for Learning or Inclusive Teaching
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a design approach that recognises there is no ‘average’ student. UDL embraces student diversity, designs for it, and reduces barriers to learning.
Using a UDL approach to course design builds in flexibility to meet a broad range of student needs and reduce the need for individual adjustment.
In 2025-26, you ensured at least one staff member undertook ADCET's free online training course in Universal Design for Learning.
In 2026-27, you must:
- ensure at least one additional staff member completes the UDL course, or;
- ensure at least one staff member completes advanced or more in-depth PD in UDL, or;
- ensure at least one staff member completes PD in inclusive teaching practices
Inclusive teaching practice is a wide-ranging topic area and could include:
- developing understanding of strategies that respond to cohort groups such as Aboriginal students, LGBTQIA+ students, or women in non-traditional courses, or;
- broad strategies for inclusive practice that anticipates the need for flexibility and supports diversity.
New RTOs
What are the Skills SA Student Support Standards professional development requirements?
We know that:
- Student mental health, and
- Neurodiversity amongst student groups
Are important challenges for RTOs to meet.
Student groups are also becoming more diverse. Therefore, a deliberate focus on inclusive learning design is also needed.
To help training providers to meet these challenges, Skills SA has introduced mandatory professional development requirements in three essential areas.
These professional development requirements are updated every 12 months, and you must continue to meet the new requirements each year.
In 2026-27, the areas for new RTOs are:
- Mental Health First Aid
- Dyslexia
- Universal Design for Learning
Each of these areas is covered in more detail below.
At least one relevant staff member must finish professional development in the prescribed areas above. Relevant staff include someone who works with or assists students within your RTO.
This PD must be completed within 12 months of being approved to deliver subsidised training in South Australia.
The same staff member may do the training in all three areas, or you may have different staff focus on different areas.
How to demonstrate compliance with the requirements
You’ll need to confirm that at least one relevant staff member has completed the mandated professional development, or you have a plan in place to achieve this, when you fill out your first organisational self-assessment.
We’ll also ask you to summarise, in a couple of sentences, any benefits the professional development gave your training provider.
If you haven’t met the mandatory professional development requirements by the time you need to submit your Self-Assessment, you’ll need to describe your plan to do so within 12 months of being approved to deliver subsidised training in South Australia. Where known, this should include the name of the training provider you’ll use and the proposed date/s for the training.
Mental Health First Aid
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) refers to the help offered to a person who is:
- developing a mental health problem
- experiencing a worsening of an existing mental health problem
- in mental health crisis
MHFA does not teach people how to be therapists. MHFA trains people in how to provide initial help when someone is in a crisis. It also provides ways to guide a person towards appropriate treatments or support.
There are a number of organisations in Australia who offer MHFA training, such as Mental Health First Aid Australia. Skills SA will also fund workshops in MHFA in 2026-27. However, places will be limited, and RTOs remain responsible for meeting the mandatory PD requirements.
Information on future Skills SA-supported professional development will be made available soon. RTOs will be notified when future professional development opportunities are published.
You may already meet the MHFA requirements. More detail on acceptable evidence and qualifications that meet the requirement are provided below.
Acceptable evidence of currency as a mental health first-aider to provide in your self-assessment form includes:
- details of the MHFA training (or refresher training) undertaken in the past 12 months, or
- details of qualifications that cover mental health topics, completed in the last five years, or
- current accreditation with a relevant peak body such as the Australian Counselling Association or Australian Psychological Society, or
- If qualifications held are not on the list below, record the details in your self-assessment form and Skills SA will consider these on a case-by-case basis.
Below is a non-exhaustive list of qualifications that meet the MHFA training requirement. Superseded versions of the qualifications will be accepted if they were completed in the last five years.
- CHCSS00138 Mental Health Assistance Skill Set
- CHC43515 Certificate IV in Mental Health Peer Work
- CHC43315 Certificate IV in Mental Health
- CHC53315 Diploma of Mental Health
- CHC51015 Diploma of Counselling
- Graduate Certificate in Counselling
- Graduate Diploma of Counselling
- Master of Clinical Psychology
- Master of Counselling
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a common brain difference that affects a person's ability to read and spell. A dyslexic person can learn, and dyslexia does not reflect a person's intelligence. People with dyslexia may identify as neurodivergent.
People with dyslexia might find it difficult to understand what they read and might not read as often. This can make it challenging to learn new words and information.
SPELD SA offers a workshop that focuses on helping adult students with learning challenges like dyslexia. This workshop is a good place for trainers to start learning about this topic.
Skills SA will offer access to the SpeldSA “Supporting adult learners with specific learning difficulties (SLDs)” workshop in 2026-27. However, places will be limited. Training providers are responsible for sourcing their own training if needed to meet the mandatory PD requirements.
Information on future Skills SA-supported professional development will be made available soon. RTOs will be notified when future professional development opportunities are published.
Universal Design for Learning
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a design approach that recognises there is no ‘average’ student. UDL embraces student diversity, designs for it, and reduces barriers to learning.
Using a UDL approach to course design builds in flexibility to meet a broad range of student needs and reduce the need for individual adjustment.
ADCET’s free online training course in UDL is an excellent starting point and is the minimum requirement to meet this standard.