Disability providers hear about abuse in care

01 Jun 2017

Disability providers attending a forum in Melbourne have heard harrowing accounts of abuse in care across Victoria.

Maree Edwards, MP and Chair of the Parliament of Victoria's Family and Community Development Committee, Inquiry into Abuse in Disability Services, opened the forum and spoke about the inquiry’s findings.

In her final inquiry report, Ms Edwards said: “For too long, people with disability in Victoria have endured violence in all its forms.

“The voices of people with disability, their families and carers have been sidelined or ignored, and widespread abuse and neglect continues.

“Similar to the issue of violence against women, violence against people with disability is inextricably linked to the denigration of their human rights.

“Throughout this inquiry the voices of people with disability, their families, carers, advocates and disability sector workers have reinforced over and again that the disability sector in Victoria is marked by an intrinsic lack of effective safeguarding and oversight. Fundamental change in the sector is needed to address these ingrained issues of violence, abuse and neglect.”

Among the recommendations in the inquiry’s finals report were that:

• The Victorian Government  amend section 5 of the Disability Act 2006 (Vic) to include zero tolerance as a guiding principle for the delivery of disability services
• Require all disability service providers to demonstrate their commitment to the principle of zero tolerance as a condition of registration, and
• Fund the Disability Services Commissioner to work with National Disability Services, advocacy organisations and people with disability to develop and deliver zero tolerance training to all disability support services in Victoria.

Providers took part in a facilitated discussion to agree on the best way to work with the TAC when there is an incident or issue with a client in their care before writing a personal pledge to provide the ‘best possible care’.