Culturally Directed Care Solutions

What Culturally Directed Care Solutions does

Culturally Directed Care Solutions (CDCS) is an Australian proprietary limited company founded in 1999 by Donna Cross and Carrie Akhurst, specialising in aged care compliance, quality management and reform readiness for Australian providers. Its core customer base is aged care services serving Indigenous, CALD (Culturally and Linguistically Diverse), rural and remote communities — a fragmented, regulator-driven segment where compliance complexity and cultural competence are both commercially and operationally critical.

The company's flagship product is the Total Quality Package (TQP), an annual subscription priced at A$4,950+GST that bundles compliance resources, policies, audit tools and reform-readiness material. CDCS monetises this core asset with adjacent revenue lines: consulting engagements, training programs, auditing services and an online course store (including the Professional Progress Notes course), with a YouTube channel used as a low-cost awareness and education layer. Distribution is reinforced by panel membership on the Australian Government's Service Development Assistance Panel (SDAP) since 2010 and partnerships such as the one with East Arnhem Regional Council and iTalk Studios for culturally specific video content.

The business model is a hybrid of recurring subscription revenue (TQP) and project-based professional services, targeted at SMB and non-profit aged care providers rather than enterprise anchors. Go-to-market relies on regulatory reputation, government panel access, digital content and partnerships within Indigenous and regional community networks, with no disclosed use of AI/ML technology in product delivery.

Name

Culturally Directed Care Solutions

Legal name

Culturally Directed Care Solutions Pty Ltd

Website

https://cdcs.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Culturally Directed Care Solutions is an Australian aged care compliance and consulting firm serving Indigenous, CALD, rural and remote providers via a recurring Total Quality Package subscription, consulting, audit and online training products.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Brisbane

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Total Quality Package Subscription: Annual subscription to the Resource Hub providing access to policies, procedures, training resources, templates, coaching calls, and Q&A sessions. Includes ongoing expert guidance and coaching.
2. Training and Consulting Services: Direct delivery of targeted, practical mentoring and training workshops (online or face-to-face) to help providers and their teams provide quality care.
3. Professional Progress Notes Online Course: Individual course purchase with payment by credit card or invoice. Organisations can select bulk purchase for multiple staff members.
4. Reform Readiness & Audits: Step-by-step support to help providers identify and bridge gaps in knowledge and compliance, providing solutions that work in the real world.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CDCS sells aged care compliance and quality-management support to Australian aged care providers through an annual subscription Resource Hub (Total Quality Package) of policies, procedures, templates, and training resources, complemented by paid online courses (Professional Progress Notes, Compliance Guide) and fee-for-service consulting including Reform Readiness & Audits, Training/Coaching/Mentoring, and SDAP-funded support. The offering is targeted at rural, remote, Indigenous, and CALD community providers who lack in-house compliance teams.

Product overview

CDCS offers a portfolio of consulting services, training products, and subscription resources focused on aged care compliance and quality improvement for Australian providers. The core product is the Total Quality Package (TQP), an all-in-one annual subscription providing policies, procedures, training resources, templates, and expert coaching via a member-only Resource Hub. This core subscription is complemented by standalone paid offerings including the Professional Progress Notes Online Course and a Compliance Guide sold through the CDCS store. Supporting free resources include a library of practical training videos, a monthly newsletter (The Essential Aged Care Roundup), and a curated link library. Service-based offerings include Reform Readiness & Audits, Training, Coaching & Mentoring, and SDAP-funded support for rural, remote, and First Nations providers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Total Quality Package (TQP): An all-in-one subscription package providing reform-ready policies and procedures, practical training resources, essential templates and forms, expert coaching calls, and quarterly Q&A sessions for aged care providers. Priced at $4,950 + GST per year.
• Resource Hub

Products and services

• Total Quality Package (TQP) An all-in-one annual subscription package providing aged care providers with reform-ready policies and procedures, practical training resources, essential templates and forms, expert coaching calls (4 per year), quarterly Q&A sessions, and a continually updated Resource Hub aligned with the new Aged Care Act and Support at Home reforms. Priced at $4,950 + GST per year and targeted at small-to-medium providers, including rural, remote, Indigenous, and CALD aged care services.
• Professional Progress Notes Online Course A self-paced online course providing step-by-step guidance on writing clear, appropriate, and legally compliant progress notes for aged and community care staff, with individual purchase (credit card) and bulk purchase (invoice) options for organisations training multiple staff members.
• Compliance Guide A paid downloadable resource providing detailed guidance on aged care compliance obligations, helping providers identify gaps, organise evidence, and prepare for audits under the Strengthened Quality Standards.
• Reform Readiness & Audits Consulting services helping aged care providers identify and bridge gaps in knowledge and compliance through step-by-step support and real-world solutions, including preparation for audits and provider re-registration under the new Aged Care Act and Strengthened Quality Standards.
• Training, Coaching & Mentoring Targeted, practical mentoring and training workshops delivered online or face-to-face to help aged care providers and their teams provide quality care, build staff confidence, and implement compliant practices.
• Funded Support (SDAP) Government-funded support delivered through the federal Services Development Assistance Panel (SDAP) for eligible rural and remote aged care providers and those serving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, covering compliance, business development, training, and resource development.

Quantifiable outcome

• Supported over 40 aged care services with compliance, business development, training and resource development

Named customers9 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Services Development Assistance Panel (SDAP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010CDCS has been a panel member since the inception of this program in 2010. SDAP provides professional support to aged care providers located in remote areas or providing care to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. CDCS has supported over 40 aged care services with compliance, business development, training and resource development.
• East Arnhem Regional Council (EARC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDCS partnered with EARC and iTalk Studios to produce a series of informative and accessible videos relating to working in aged care.
• Aged Care Quality and Safety CommissionminorOthersCDCS references Commission resources, guidance, and education programs. The company supports providers in understanding and meeting Commission requirements for compliance and quality standards.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Healthcare Australia: Healthcare and aged care staffing, training and compliance services provider in Australia, offering education and workforce solutions that overlap with CDCS's training and consulting offerings.
• CompliSpace: Australian compliance SaaS platform purpose-built for healthcare and aged care providers, covering policies, training and audit workflows — directly comparable to CDCS's subscription and consulting model.
• Polaron: Australian provider of language, cultural and community support services for CALD clients including aged care settings, sharing CDCS's CALD-segment focus and cultural-safety value proposition.
• First2Train: Australian aged-care-specific training provider delivering courses and resources to meet compliance and standards obligations, closely comparable to CDCS's Progress Notes course and training workshops.

Broad incumbents

• Aged & Community Services Australia (ACSA): National peak body representing aged care providers, offering industry guidance, training and advocacy — a broader incumbent that operates adjacent to CDCS rather than directly competing.
• Telstra Health: Health technology arm of Telstra offering software and digital solutions to aged care and health providers, including care management and compliance — broader incumbent with overlapping customer base.
• Pitcher Partners: Australian accounting and advisory firm with a dedicated aged care practice providing governance, compliance and business advisory — a broader professional-services incumbent serving the same customer base.
• Leading Age Services Australia (LASA): Peak industry body for aged care providers in Australia providing training, resources and advocacy — overlapping with CDCS's compliance/training remit but as a membership association.
• RSM Australia: Mid-tier accounting and consulting firm with an active aged care sector practice providing compliance, governance and advisory services to providers — broader incumbent comparable in service mix.

Others

• Ansvar Insurance: Specialist aged care and not-for-profit insurer in Australia that also offers risk management and compliance resources to providers — adjacent rather than directly competitive, but shares the compliance-support buyer journey.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@cdcsagedcare
• Facebookfacebook.com/culturallydirectedcaresolutions

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Culturally Directed Care Solutions