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CHC52025 · DIPLOMA OF COMMUNITY SERVICES (CASE MANAGEMENT) · RTO 21985

Become the person people can count on.

Study online from anywhere in Australia, complete a real placement that IHNA arranges and supervises, and step into case management, support coordination and family support roles across community, disability, housing and mental-health services. Caring with passion starts here.

Enquire now Apply online Find your pathway
18 monthsStandard programme, 3 semesters
Monthly intakesStart the first Monday of any month
$10,000$500 per unit · $9,000 upfront
160 hoursPlacement arranged by IHNA
4 campusesMelbourne · Sydney · Perth · Brisbane
1 year creditinto IHM Bachelor of Social Work*
Who this diploma is for

Four ways in. One qualification.

Choose the pathway that matches where you are now. Each one leads to the same nationally recognised Diploma, and to a conversation with an IHNA admissions consultant who will map your fastest route.

Finished Year 12? Start your career in community services

No prior qualification needed. You need Year 12 or equivalent, to be 18 or over when you start, and to complete a short language, literacy and numeracy check and a Pre-Training Review conversation with us.

  • Study 20 units online over 18 months with live classes and your own trainer; start on the first Monday of any month
  • Practise in simulation days at your nearest campus
  • 160-hour placement in a real community services organisation, arranged by IHNA
  • Graduate ready for case worker, support coordinator and community worker roles
Talk to admissions

Already working in the sector? Finish faster

If you work in disability, aged care, mental health, housing or youth services, your experience counts. We assess recognition of prior learning unit by unit at your Pre-Training Review.

  • Pay only for the units you study ($500 per unit)
  • Many experienced workers complete in around 12 months
  • Start the first Monday of any month, no waiting for a semester
  • Your placement can often be completed with your current employer
  • Ask your employer about the Industry Hub 20% fee discount
Book an RPL conversation

Hold a Certificate III or IV? Bring your credit

Holders of a Certificate IV in Community Services, Disability, Mental Health, Ageing Support or Youth Work, a Diploma of Counselling or IHNA's Diploma of Nursing receive credit transfer for equivalent units.

  • Typically two to six units of credit transfer, assessed individually
  • RPL available for more units if you have workplace evidence
  • Credit reduces both your study time and your fee
  • Certificate III holders enter directly; some units may be credited
Check my credit

Want a degree? Start here, finish with a Bachelor

Complete this Diploma and progress to IHM's Bachelor of Social Work with one year of credit, finishing the four-year degree in three years. Pathways to La Trobe University and other universities are also available.

  • Guaranteed entry to IHM's Bachelor of Social Work (conditions apply)*
  • Eight units (64 credit points) of credit, the AQF benchmark for a Diploma
  • FEE-HELP available to eligible students at IHM
  • No ATAR required
Plan my degree pathway
Why study with IHNA

Twenty years of caring with passion, now online across Australia

Since 2007 more than 30,000 students have graduated through IHNA, supported by more than 220 placement and industry partners. Small cohorts, a trainer who knows your name, and a placement team that walks with you.

01

Online coursework, nationally

Every class and assessment is delivered online with live sessions, a self-paced learning platform and optional workshops at our Melbourne, Sydney, Perth and Brisbane campuses.

02

Placement arranged by us

IHNA's placement team organises your 160-hour placement, usually near where you live, and an assessor visits you at least twice and speaks with your supervisor weekly.

03

A fee that stacks up

$10,000, or $9,000 upfront, with VET Student Loans available to eligible students so there is nothing to pay upfront. Comparable to subsidised TAFE prices and well below full-fee TAFE.

04

Credit for what you already know

Recognition of prior learning and credit transfer are assessed before you enrol, so your study plan and fee reflect your experience from day one.

05

A guaranteed degree pathway

Guaranteed entry to IHM's Bachelor of Social Work with one year of credit*, plus a signed articulation into La Trobe University's Bachelor of Social Work at Melbourne and regional Victorian campuses.

06

Employers who know us

85.7% of IHNA Diploma graduates are employed after training and 92.4% of students are satisfied with their experience (NCVER 2025). Our Industry Hub connects you to more than 220 partners.

Course structure

What you study, and what happens online versus in person

The Diploma is 20 units of competency (12 core and 8 electives, including the four Group A units that make up the Case Management specialisation). Standard programme: three semesters over 18 months, with a new cohort starting on the first Monday of every month, so you join the next available start rather than waiting for a semester.

Semester 1 · 7 units Online

  1. Work with diverse people CHCDIV001
  2. Promote Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander cultural safety CHCDIV002
  3. Manage legal and ethical compliance CHCLEG003
  4. Assess co-existing needs CHCCCS004
  5. Recognise and respond to crisis situations CHCCCS019
  6. Work within organisation and government structures CHCCDE028
  7. Recognise and respond appropriately to domestic and family violence CHCDFV001

Semester 2 · 6 units Online

  1. Maintain work health and safety HLTWHS003
  2. Reflect on and improve own professional practice CHCPRP003
  3. Confirm developmental status CHCDEV004
  4. Undertake advanced assessments CHCCSM016
  5. Facilitate goal-directed planning CHCCSM009
  6. Develop and implement service programs CHCCCS007

Semester 3 · 7 units Online + Placement

  1. Apply specialist interpersonal and counselling interview skills CHCCSL002
  2. Analyse impacts of sociological factors on people in community work CHCDEV005
  3. Research and apply evidence to practice CHCPOL003
  4. Facilitate workplace debriefing and support processes CHCMGT005
  5. Implement case management practice CHCCSM010
  6. Coordinate complex case requirements CHCCSM012
  7. Facilitate and review case management CHCCSM017
Online

Your coursework

  • Live online classes with your trainer (timetable published for each monthly cohort), recorded for catch-up
  • Self-paced learning on IHNA's online platform, with assessments submitted online
  • Optional simulation days and workshops at your nearest IHNA campus
  • Language, literacy and numeracy support and a dedicated student support officer
In person

Your placement (Professional Experience Placement)

  • 160 hours in a community services workplace, arranged by IHNA after you complete the preparatory units
  • Includes the 100 hours of workplace practice required by the training package for CHCDEV005, and case management practice with real people for the case management units
  • Before placement you will need a National Police Check, a Working with Children Check, an NDIS Worker Screening Check where the host requires it, and immunisation evidence. Indicative cost $150–$350 depending on your state
  • Already working in the sector? Your placement can often be completed with your employer, subject to supervision and assessment requirements
International students (student visa holders)

Student visa holders study this Diploma on campus (CRICOS course 120058F, 18 months, 20 contact hours per week) and cannot enrol in the online programme. See the international course page for tuition, English requirements and intakes.

Fees and financial assistance

One published fee. Three ways to pay less.

The course fee for the full 20-unit Diploma is $10,000 ($500 per unit). Credit transfer and recognition of prior learning reduce the number of units you pay for.

$10,000 course fee

$500 per unit across 20 units, invoiced by semester. Pay by instalment plan or defer with a VET Student Loan if eligible.

$9,000 pay upfront

Save $1,000 when the full course fee is paid before the first census day of your first semester.

INDUSTRY HUB EMPLOYER PATHWAY
$8,000 via employer

A 20% discount on the published course fee for students referred by a participating Industry Hub employer partner.

  • Your employer must be a registered Industry Hub partner and confirm the referral in writing before enrolment
  • Applies to the published $10,000 fee; cannot be combined with the upfront discount
  • Available to new enrolments from the March 2027 intake
  • Can be paid by you, by your employer, or deferred through a VET Student Loan if you are eligible
VSL VET Student Loans

IHNA is an approved VET Student Loans provider and this Diploma is an approved course (2026 loan cap $19,290). Eligible students can defer up to 100% of tuition.

  • Australian citizens, eligible New Zealand Special Category visa holders and permanent humanitarian visa holders; temporary visa holders are not eligible
  • A 20% loan fee is added to the loan for full-fee students (it does not count towards your HELP loan limit of $129,883 in 2026)
  • You need a Unique Student Identifier, a tax file number and to meet academic suitability (Year 12 or an approved LLN test)
  • A VET Student Loan is a debt to the Commonwealth that you repay through the tax system once your income reaches the repayment threshold

Progressing to IHM's Bachelor of Social Work? IHM is an approved FEE-HELP provider for the Bachelor of Social Work, so eligible students can also defer their degree tuition. A 20% FEE-HELP loan fee applies to undergraduate full-fee study, and the combined HELP loan limit applies across VET Student Loans and FEE-HELP. Fees are reviewed annually; see the IHNA fees and charges schedule and studyassist.gov.au.

Employers and the IHNA Industry Hub

Upskill your team into case management, at 20% less

Disability, aged care, housing, youth and mental-health employers use the Diploma to move experienced support workers into case worker, support coordinator and team leader roles. Through the IHNA Industry Hub, partner organisations can refer staff at the employer-sponsored fee of $8,000 and keep them working while they study.

  • Register as an Industry Hub partner at no cost and nominate a workplace contact
  • Refer staff with a written referral; IHNA assesses RPL and credit so experienced staff study only what they need
  • Host the placement in your own service where supervision requirements can be met, so staff train in your context
  • Choose how to support fees: full sponsorship, part-sponsorship, or a VET Student Loan for the staff member, with group enrolment and invoicing options for cohorts
  • Build the pipeline: graduate recruitment, Bachelor of Social Work progression and short courses through the same partnership
Register your organisation Explore 54 partnership models

Industry Hub: industryhub@hci.edu.au · Models 19 (Workforce Qualification Pathways), 20 (Bulk and Group Enrolment) and 21 (RPL and Credit Transfer Pathway) in the IHNA–IHM Industry Partnership Manual.

What a sponsored staff member's year looks like

  • Before the start date: Pre-Training Review with an admissions consultant; RPL and credit assessed; individual training plan and fee confirmed; staff start on the first Monday of the next month
  • Semesters 1–3: evening live classes and self-paced study, roughly 10–15 hours a week around work
  • Placement: 160 hours completed in your service where supervision allows, assessed by an IHNA assessor on site
  • Completion: Diploma issued within 30 days of final assessment; staff member eligible for SCHADS Level 4 case work classification and for Bachelor of Social Work entry
Employment outcomes

A large, growing workforce that needs diploma-qualified people

The Diploma is the standard qualification level (ANZSCO Skill Level 2) for case worker, support coordinator, family support and community worker roles. Diploma holders make up around one in four of Australia's welfare support workforce.

94,500Welfare support workers employed in Australia, up 34% in five years (Jobs and Skills Australia, 2026)
2×Online job ads for welfare support roles compared with 2019; regional ads up around 150% (JSA Internet Vacancy Report, March 2026)
$46.70/hrSCHADS Award Level 4.1 base rate from 1 July 2026, the typical classification for diploma-qualified case workers (about $1,775 per week full-time)
$75k–$90kTypical advertised salary range for community-services case managers and NDIS support coordinators (Seek, October 2026)
782,000NDIS participants supported by more than 280,000 providers; support coordination is a $1.2 billion annual market (NDIA, June 2026)

Roles this Diploma prepares you for

Case Manager / Case WorkerNDIS Support CoordinatorFamily Support WorkerYouth WorkerCommunity WorkerCommunity Development WorkerDisability Services Team LeaderResidential Care OfficerHousing and Tenancy OfficerMental Health Support WorkerIntake and Assessment OfficerProgram Coordinator

Statutory child protection and specialist (Level 3) support coordination roles generally require a bachelor degree. This Diploma gives you one year of credit towards IHM's Bachelor of Social Work. Employment outcomes depend on individual circumstances, employer requirements and screening checks (NDIS Worker Screening Check, Working with Children Check, National Police Check). IHNA does not guarantee employment.

Further study

From Diploma to Bachelor of Social Work in three more years

IHNA and IHM are sister institutions under Health Careers International. Complete this Diploma and you are guaranteed a place in IHM's Bachelor of Social Work with eight units (64 credit points, one full year) of credit*.

Years 1–1.5

IHNA Diploma of Community Services (Case Management)

18 months online with placement, starting the first Monday of any month. $10,000, VET Student Loans available.

Credit

Eight BSW units credited

Mapped unit by unit under IHM's Articulation Policy and the AQF Qualifications Pathways Policy (25% credit for a Diploma into a four-year degree).

Years 2–4

IHM Bachelor of Social Work

Enter directly into second year and complete in three years. 1,000 hours of supervised field education. FEE-HELP available to eligible students.

Conditions of the guaranteed IHM pathway*

  • Complete the Diploma with IHNA
  • Meet IHM's English language requirement: Academic IELTS 7.0 with no band below 7.0 (or equivalent) if you have not completed Australian Year 12 in English, in line with AASW requirements
  • Take part in a suitability interview and meet placement screening requirements (Working with Children Check, police check, NDIS screening, immunisations)
  • Places are subject to intake availability; IHM has intakes in March, July and November
  • Credit is capped at one year; no credit is given for field education hours

Other pathways open to graduates

  • La Trobe University Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) at Melbourne and regional Victorian campuses, under a signed IHNA–La Trobe articulation agreement
  • Published credit for this Diploma into Bachelor of Social Work programmes at Western Sydney University, Victoria University, Charles Sturt University (online), University of New England (online) and others
  • CHC62015 Advanced Diploma of Community Sector Management and HLT54121 Diploma of Nursing at IHNA
  • Related diplomas in Counselling, Mental Health and Youth Work share up to six units with this qualification
Studying from your state or territory

What applies where you live

Government subsidies for this Diploma differ by state and are usually limited to public TAFEs. IHNA's online programme is available nationally at the same fee, with VET Student Loans for eligible students. Select your state to see what to consider.

Entry requirements and how to apply

Five steps from enquiry to your first class

There are no training package entry requirements. IHNA asks for Year 12 or equivalent (or relevant work experience assessed at your Pre-Training Review), age 18 or over at commencement, and a language, literacy and numeracy result at ACSF exit level 3.

Enquire or apply online

Tell us which pathway fits you and which month you want to start. Admissions responds within one business day.

Pre-Training Review

A conversation about your goals, study load, LLN check and any RPL or credit transfer. Credit decisions confirmed within ten business days.

Letter of offer

Your individual training plan, fee and semester invoices, and VET Student Loan information if eligible.

Accept and enrol

Sign your acceptance, pay the enrolment fee or complete your loan request, and receive your learning platform login.

Orientation and start

Online orientation the week before your start date, then your first live class on the first Monday of the month.

Enquire

Talk to an admissions consultant

Call 1800 22 52 83, email enquiry@ihna.edu.au, or send us your details and we will contact you within one business day. Applications close ten business days before each monthly start.

CHC52025 Diploma of Community Services (Case Management specialisation). Check this qualification on the National Register at training.gov.au. *Guaranteed entry to the Institute of Health and Management (TEQSA PRV14040, CRICOS 03407G) Bachelor of Social Work is subject to completing the Diploma, meeting IHM's English language and suitability requirements, placement screening and intake availability; credit of eight units (64 credit points) is granted under IHM's Articulation Policy. VET Student Loans and FEE-HELP are Australian Government loans available to eligible students only; a loan creates a debt to the Commonwealth. The Industry Hub employer fee requires a written referral from a registered partner before enrolment and cannot be combined with other discounts. Labour market figures are sourced from Jobs and Skills Australia, the NDIA, the Fair Work Commission and Seek and are current at the date shown; they describe the occupation, not an individual outcome. Fees current for 2026–27 starts and reviewed annually. Monthly start dates are the first Monday of each month; applications close ten business days before the start date and places in each monthly cohort are limited.

Acknowledgement

IHNA acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the country throughout Australia and recognises continuing connection to land, waters, and culture.
We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.

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