What counts as an unexplained absence
An unexplained absence is when a person receiving care is absent from the care service and their whereabouts are unknown or unaccounted for, in circumstances that are out of character or that raise a concern for their safety. The SIRS category specifically covers an unexplained absence that is reported, or that reasonably should be reported, to police.
The reporting-to-police threshold is what brings an absence into the reportable category. An absence that is fully explained and consistent with the person's plan and choices, for example a planned outing or an agreed independent activity, is not an unexplained absence.
Why it is always Priority 1
Once an absence meets the threshold for reporting to police, SIRS treats it as Priority 1. You do not run a separate severity assessment to decide the priority: the 24-hour clock applies from the moment your organisation becomes aware. In practice, awareness and the decision to contact police often happen close together, but the SIRS clock is tied to your awareness of the reportable incident.
Illustrative examples
These are illustrative and de-identified, to show where the line tends to fall. They are not a substitute for your delegate's judgement on a specific case.
Likely reportable
A resident living with dementia is found to be missing from a residential service. Their whereabouts are unknown, they are at risk, and staff contact police. This is an unexplained absence reported to police, likely Priority 1.
Likely reportable
A home-care worker arrives for a scheduled visit and the person is not there, has not been seen, cannot be contacted, and this is out of character in a way that raises a safety concern that reasonably should be reported to police.
Likely not this category
A person who directs their own care has chosen to go out and their absence is explained and consistent with their plan and capacity. There is no safety concern warranting police involvement. This is not an unexplained absence, though your own records should still reflect it.
Because this category runs on a 24-hour clock, the internal notification pathway matters. Every hour between a worker realising a person is missing and your delegate becoming aware is an hour off your reporting window. Capture the moment of awareness with a timestamp.
Primary source
This page is based on guidance published by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (ACQSC) under the Aged Care Act 2024 and the Aged Care Rules 2025, in force from 1 November 2025.