Disability safeguards Parliamentary Inquiry into abuse in disability services February 2017

Abuse reporting measures Existing DHHS Standards compliance DHHS Complaints process Community Visitors program Disability Worker Exclusion Scheme Other onsite review processes undertaken for registered disability services Office for Professional Practice – oversight of restrictive interventions practice The Disability Worker Exclusion Scheme is being expanded beyond disability residential services to cover all community based disability services

Abuse reporting measures New The new Client Incident Management System (CIMS) focuses on the most serious incidents and their impact on clients. It will also improve responses and procedures to client incidents. Training activities will support community service organisations and department staff to implement the new system. The new incident management system applies to: All disability advocacy services subject to a funding and service agreement with DHHS All registered disability service providers

Zero tolerance Embedding the principle of zero tolerance in service delivery The principle demonstrates the government's strong commitment to not tolerating or normalising abuse, neglect or exploitation in disability services, and promoting a culture that upholds the rights, dignity, welfare and safety of persons with a disability The Disability Act 2006 is being amended to include the guiding principle of zero tolerance

Disability abuse prevention strategy The strategy aims to: consolidate a zero tolerance approach for Victoria support disability services to adopt a culture of zero tolerance and to declare commitment to the principle include a code of conduct underpinned by the principle of zero tolerance that disability workers will sign up to.

Code of conduct A code of conduct for disability workers A code of conduct for disability service workers aims to build a culture of zero tolerance of abuse, clearly stating the rights and obligations of disability workers to report and respond to abuse Disability service workers in registered disability services and department run residential services will be required to sign up to the code of conduct Compliance will be monitored for workers in registered disability services as part of the DHHS Funded Organisation Performance Monitoring Framework

Disability Services Commissioner DSC powers of investigation DSC’s oversight role will be strengthened with own motions powers to investigate reports of abuse and neglect of both an individual and systemic nature An annual review of deaths that occur in disability services - facilitated by a memorandum of understanding between the DSC and the Coroner

Other safety mechanisms Vic Pol and changes to abuse reporting DHHS is working with Victoria Police to develop guidelines for use by disability service providers and Victoria police members to improve the joint response to victims, witnesses and alleged perpetrators with a disability.

Other safety mechanisms Disability abuse reporting – links to Family Violence initiatives The government has committed to implement all 227 recommendations of the Royal Commission in to Family Violence – including but not limited to: Review of the Family Violence crisis response and risk assessment in relation to people with a disability Improved data collection Training for service providers

Other safety mechanisms Child Safe Standards The Child Safe Standards (the Standards) are compulsory minimum standards that apply to organisations that provide services for children, including in disability services, in order to help protect children from abuse. They aim to drive cultural change in organisations so that child safety becomes part of everyone's everyday thinking and practice The Standards include the safety of children with a disability as an overarching principle.

Other safety mechanisms Reportable Conduct Scheme The reportable conduct scheme is intended to commence from 1 July 2017. Under the scheme, relevant organisations, including disability service providers, will be required to report allegations of child abuse and child-related misconduct to the Commission for Children and Young People (CCYP). Further information about the Standards and the reportable conduct scheme can be found on the DHHS website: http://www.dhs.vic.gov.au/about-the-department/plans,- programs-and-projects/projects-and-initiatives/children,-youth- and-family-services/creating-child-safe-organisations

Training Training in recognising and reporting abuse Targeted training for community visitors to be rolled out in 2017-18 Training, resources and tools for : Disability service workers in government run and community based services Workers in government run residential services People with complex communication needs People with cognitive disability Families and carers of children with a disability Work is underway to deliver a range of safeguarding capacity building projects to support people with a disability, their families and carers.   The projects aim to reduce the risk of abuse occurring by supporting people with a disability and their families to know their rights, to exercise choice by knowing what to look for in a service provider and what to do if abuse occurs. Examples include the online teaching guides for parents and carers to support their child’s emotional, physical and sexual development, and healthy and respectful relationships being developed by the Association for Children with a Disability a multimedia education strategy being developed by VALID about issues of abuse and how to support people at risk Communication tools and resources to support people with limited communication and service providers working with people with complex communication needs to report abuse

Training cont. Human rights training for disability workers A human rights video based e-learning program developed by National Disability Services and funded by the Victorian and Western Australian governments - designed to be accessed for free by anyone in the community or fee for service for organisations if hosting on organisations learning management systems The program is part of the NDS ‘Understanding Abuse e- learning suite of resources funded by DHHS www.nds.org.au/zero-tolerance- framework/understanding-abuse