Dozens of Victorian councils are moving to outsource their in-home care assistance. 

Reports say up to 28 local government regions across the state are discontinuing in-home care services after struggling to source and train new staff. 

The Australian Services Union's Victorian and Tasmanian branch secretary, Lisa Darmanin, has linked the councils’ decisions to changes made by the previous federal government.

“There have been some funding changes to the provision of in-home aged care over the years, some of it as a result of the royal commission, but the previous government kept extending the funding, so there is no need for the councils to get out of these services,” Ms Darmanin told reporters this week.

“The funding has been extended for another 12 months, into next year, and we have been arguing with councils across the state that they do not need to exit these services at the moment, but they are continuing to do so.”

She said some private aged care workers could find the roles less appealing.

“Most of the workers have not moved across [to a private organisation] because of the lower wages,” she said.

“Different employers have different employee arrangements and historically the not-for-profit and private sector have lower wages and conditions … than services provided by council.”

The difference can be up to $10 less per hour.

“The conditions are quite stark and it's easy to understand why there's quite a high turnover,” Ms Darmanin said.

Mornington Peninsula Shire Council (MPSC) is one of the councils that has decided to stop the in-home services. 

Mornington Peninsula Mayor Anthony Marsh said the decision was made in readiness for the government's new open market system.

“We did not get a say in the appointment of new providers, that was done by the federal government,” he said.

“We were given assurances by both providers and the federal government that all essential services would continue to be delivered from the 1 July transition date.

“We offered to keep some staff on to help with the transition, but that offer was turned down.”

The MPSC has reportedly passed an urgent motion to seek assurance from the federal government that residents will be accounted for during the change-over period.