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Strengthening the IPS Workforce: Designing a Competency-Based IPS Workforce Development Framework for Headspace

Marina Kunin¹, Gina Chinnery², Jo van Twest Farmer³

¹Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia. mkunin@unimelb.edu.au.

Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation

|May 14, 2026

Abstract

Purpose:

This project aimed to develop the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) Workforce Development Framework to address challenges in IPS workforce availability, capacity, and capability in headspace centres across Australia, with the goal of improving vocational recovery outcomes for young people with mental ill-health.

Methods:

A mixed-methods approach informed the development of an IPS Competency Framework and an aligned IPS Workforce Development Framework. Data were collected through workforce surveys, focus groups, interviews, and a literature review. Participants included IPS vocational specialists, supervisors, headspace centre and lead agency managers, and experts from the broader vocational and IPS sectors. A comprehensive options paper and Theory of Change guided the design of the IPS Competency Framework and IPS Workforce Development Framework.

Results:

The workforce assessment revealed capability gaps, variations in recruitment practices, concerns about career pathways, and staff retention issues. Considerable diversity in vocational specialists' backgrounds and experience, along with a lack of clearly defined competencies for the role, was also apparent. In response, an IPS Competency Framework was developed outlining six core competency domains and four foundational values necessary for IPS vocational specialists working with young people with mental ill-health. The IPS Workforce Development Framework defines flexible, scalable strategies such as training and credentialing, peer-to-peer learning, strengthening recruitment processes, and career pathways, aligned to the identified competencies.

Conclusion:

The competency-based IPS Workforce Development Framework offers a comprehensive, system-level response to workforce challenges and marks an important step towards strengthening the IPS workforce in Australia. Ongoing evaluation will be essential to refine its implementation and improve IPS delivery for young people.

Keywords:

Competency framework Individual placement and support (IPS)System-level workforce planning Vocational support Workforce development Youth mental health

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