Social Services Regulator commences prosecution against a Supported Residential Service provider (Murphy House)

The Social Services Regulator (SSR) has filed charges in the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria against a Supported Residential Services provider known as Murphy House.

The charges are against both its company (Sharron Andrea Pty Ltd) and its director, Sharon Andrea, for alleged contraventions of the Social Services Regulations Act 2021 (Vic) (SSR Act) and the Social Services (Supported Residential Services) Regulations 2024 (Vic) (Regulations).

The SSR is an independent statutory authority established under the SSR Act to ensure social service providers meet standards, to protect the rights of service users and prevent abuse or neglect in the delivery of social services.

All social service providers, including SRS providers, are required to comply with the Social Services Standards.

An investigation by the SSR identified alleged breaches by Sharron Andrea Pty Ltd (the Company) and its Director, Sharon Andrea, under the SSR Act and the Regulations. These relate to the handling of resident funds at Murphy House, an SRS provider in Kennington.

The alleged breaches include:

• failure to deposit resident money into trust account at authorised institution within seven days (s 246, SSR Act)
• managing resident’s money exceeding one month’s fees (reg 45(1), Regulations)
• failure to comply with improvement notice (s 148(1), SSR Act)

The SSR provides guidance and resources to support service providers in meeting their requirements under the Social Services Standards, Child Safe Standards, as well as specific resources for the SRS sector.

The SSR will make no further comment while the matter is before the court.