Posted August 30, 2021
Ballarat-based Grampians disAbility Advocacy (GdA) has launched a video to encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders to share stories with the Disability Royal Commission. This Is My Story gives voice to the experiences of Ballarat-based Indigenous elder Lisa Sansbury.
Posted August 26, 2021
Disability support is a matter of significant public and community interest, with employers operating in a highly regulated, accountable and sensitive environment. The type of care and conduct of employees towards those in their care has come under closer scrutiny in recent years as community expectations have shifted to zero tolerance of any form of abuse perpetrated against supported persons.
Posted August 13, 2021
The online self-paced 2-part micro-course explores violence against women with disabilities. The first course increases awareness of the impact of violence against women with disabilities and the second course introduces prevention of violence against women with disabilities. The aim is to assist the disability, prevention, social services, and government workforces to understand how easily violence against women with disabilities can occur and what actions you can take to prevent it.
Posted April 30, 2021
There is no doubt about it: the NDIS quality and safeguarding system is a complicated beast. Many newly transitioned providers are scratching their heads about what all this means in practice. If you aren’t sure whether you are across the fundamentals, here’s some questions to help…
Posted April 22, 2021
“If family violence and risk factors are not identified, it could put a victim-survivor at imminent risk of harm and is likely to lead to an inaccurate assessment and plan that does not consider the specific support and safety needs of a victim-survivor.”
Posted April 16, 2021
The NDIA is inviting existing participants to take part in the pilot through text messages, cold calls and emails, with offers of $150 in exchange for participation. The text messages have included the phrase “exclusive invitation”, and have been sent directly to NDIS participants.
Posted April 16, 2021
Restrictive practices limit a person’s rights or freedom of movement and come in various forms. Seclusion, such as locking someone in a room, using restraints like handcuffing someone to a bed or medicating someone to control their behaviour are all examples of restrictive practice. Respondents said restrictive practices can have negative effects on people with disability. This includes trauma, poor health, shorter lifespan and death. They said using restrictive practices can be degrading and cruel. Their use can create a culture which does not value people with disability, and make denying them their rights seem normal.
Posted March 19, 2021
Advocates are calling for change after a report found people with a disability are twice as likely to experience sexual and physical violence than those without a disability.
Posted February 19, 2021
Melanie’s story was revealed as part of the disability royal commission’s examination of the experiences of people with cognitive disabilities in the criminal justice system who are locked in indefinite detention in forensic mental health facilities.
Posted February 19, 2021
In dismantling our indefinite detention system, the key is to provide more disability-focused support to those at risk of coming into contact with criminal justice systems.
Posted December 1, 2020
“But the impact of the pandemic on many people with disability, especially those with high support needs, would have been significantly ameliorated if the Australian government had complied fully with the letter and spirit of its obligations under the [UN convention] from the very outset of the pandemic.”
Posted November 25, 2020
Babies are being removed at birth from First Nations mothers living with disabilities, the disability royal commission has heard. Giving evidence in Brisbane, Ms Schwartz said she had witnessed the removal of Indigenous babies first hand. “I would call it a heinous practice,” she said.
Posted November 5, 2020
The report sets out what the Royal Commission has done in its first 15 months, the cut-off point being 31 July 2020. The report says people with disability experience attitudinal, environmental, institutional and communication barriers to achieving inclusion within Australian society. It shows that a great deal needs to be done to ensure that the human rights of people with disability are respected and that Australia becomes a truly inclusive society.
Posted November 5, 2020
The disability royal commission’s interim report was handed down on Friday, detailing how people with disability were experiencing violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation across all aspects of their lives. The 561-page report outlines the attitudinal, environmental, institutional and communication barriers people with disability face when seeking inclusion within Australian society.