Build confidence to respond safely and effectively
Hoarding and environmental neglect are complex issues that affect individuals, families, neighbours and the broader community. These situations often require sound judgement, clear communication and coordinated action across services.
This practical workshop will help you recognise, assess and respond in ways that are safe, respectful and grounded in real-world practice.
Session overview
This session introduces key concepts, responsibilities and approaches for working with people experiencing hoarding and environmental neglect.
You’ll explore how to:
Understand hoarding behaviours.
Respond appropriately in complex home environments.
Meet reporting and duty of care responsibilities.
Plan ahead and work with other services.
What you’ll learn
By the end of this session, you will be able to:
Describe hoarding behaviours.
Understand the impact on individuals, families and the community.
Apply relevant frameworks, including the Human Rights Charter, in your practice.
Assess levels of clutter and risk within the home environment.
Plan appropriate responses, including when services are limited.
Build skills to engage respectfully and effectively with clients.
How you’ll learn
This session combines practical examples with structured learning.
You will:
Explore real-world scenarios.
Apply assessment approaches.
Practise planning next steps.
Use tools and strategies you can apply straight away.
Who should attend
This workshop is for people working in CHSP and Support at Home-funded aged care who support clients living with hoarding behaviours or in neglected home environments.
What you’ll gain
You will leave with:
Increased confidence in responding to hoarding situations.
Tools to assess risk and plan next steps.
Strategies to work safely in complex environments.
Ideas to strengthen organisational approaches, including guidelines and partnerships.
Greater confidence to champion good practice in your workplace.
Before you attend
Participants should have authorisation and support to conduct a self-audit of organisational governance and responses.
What to bring
Bring something for note-taking.
Resources
Participants will receive a Hoarding Toolkit to support their work after the session.
Meet your facilitator
Aliki Karantzoulis
Aliki is an experienced social worker with expertise in complex care, elder abuse, transitional care and hoarding. She has contributed to research, helped develop the Hoarding and Squalor Resource Guide and currently serves as Chairperson of the North Western Regional Sub-Committee. She continues to work as a community-based social worker, keeping her practice grounded, practical and person-led.
“I’m looking forward to sharing my experience and passion for this work, and helping others respond to hoarding with skill and compassion.”
Ready to strengthen your response to hoarding and environmental neglect?
Join this session to build confidence, strengthen your practice and respond more effectively to complex situations.
Register now to secure your place.
Follow these steps to make sure you receive important event emails
You’ll receive your booking confirmation and event information from the SSD Connect Alliance through Humanitix. Some workplace email systems may block these messages.
If you do not receive either of the following:
your confirmation email within 30 minutes, or
your pre-event email 7 days before the event,
please check your spam or junk folder, or speak with your IT team.
Ask them to allow emails from:
IP addresses: 198.244.54.51 and 159.135.226.224.
Although funding for this event has been provided by the Australian Government, the material contained herein does not necessarily represent the views or policies of the Australian Government.