1. Disability safeguards
Parliamentary Inquiry into abuse in disability services
February 2017

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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.

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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.

9. Other safety mechanisms
Disability abuse reporting – links to Family Violence initiatives
The government has committed to implement all 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

10. 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.

11. Other safety mechanisms
Reportable Conduct Scheme
The reportable conduct scheme is intended to commence from 1 July 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: programs-and-projects/projects-and-initiatives/children,-youth- and-family-services/creating-child-safe-organisations

12. Training Training in recognising and reporting abuse
Targeted training for community visitors to be rolled out in
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

13. 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
framework/understanding-abuse