We are committed to assisting people with disability in Yarra, and increasing their representation and participation in the community. Our goal is to provide support services to protect and enhance the health, wellbeing and independence of people with disability.
We provide services for people with disability who are not eligible for the NDIS, and people with disability over 65 who are eligible for home based services.
The Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability Royal Commision (DRC) handed down their final report last Friday 27 October . The DRC heard from nearly 10,000 people who shared harrowing experiences of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation. These testimonies were tremendous acts of generosity, shared in many cases with the knowledge that justice may never be served. I felt that I could not let the handing down of the report and the 220 recommendations pass without acknowledgement.
The Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability (DRC) handed down their final report last Friday 29 September. The DRC heard from nearly 10,000 people who shared harrowing experiences of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation. These testimonies were tremendous acts of generosity, shared in many cases with the knowledge that justice may never be served.
Executive Summary and Recommendations - This provides a “brief” 356 page overview of the final report and recommendations provided by Disability Resource Centre
Volume 1 - Voice of people with disability - More than 9,000 people with disability, their family, friends, supporters, advocates and others shared their experiences and recommendations with the Royal Commission. Many gave consent for their accounts to be published as short de-identified narratives that capture the authentic voices of people with disability and provide an insight into their daily lives. This volume contains a selection of these narratives.
Volume 2 - About the Royal Commission - This volume describes the background, nature and scope of the DRC. It introduces the Commissioners and other key people involved in the DRC, as well the various public hearings, submissions, advisory groups, research, data, policy and community engagement that informed the report.
Volume 3 - Nature and extent of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation - This volume describes the nature and extent of the violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation people with disability experience in different settings and contexts and across their life stages.
Volume 4 - Realising the human rights of people with disability - This volume addresses the need for a stronger and more comprehensive legal framework to respect, protect and fulfill the human rights of people with disability consistent with the CRPD. It makes the case for amendments to the Disability Discrimination Act, a new Disability Rights Act and a National Disability Commission.
Volume 5 - Governing for inclusion - This volume considers what governments can do, at a strategic level, to prevent people with disability from experiencing violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation, and to achieve a more inclusive society.
Volume 6 - Enabling autonomy and access - This volume examines what governments, public authorities, organisations and the community can do to better enable the autonomy of and access for people with disability. It includes key areas like supported decision making, advocacy, restrictive practices and healthcare.
Volume 7 - Inclusive education, employment and housing - This volume is made up of several parts and examines barriers to inclusion across a range of settings including education, employment and housing. The Commissioners are divided in their views on the pathway to reducing and ending segregation across these settings.
Volume 8 - Criminal justice and people with disability - This volume describes the treatment of people with disability in the criminal justice system in Australia including that people with disability are significantly overrepresented at all stages of the criminal justice system.
Volume 9 - First Nations People with disability - This volume sets out the issues and themes identified by First Nations people with disability and their communities. It highlights the challenges they face and proposes changes to prevent violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation of First Nations people with disability.
Volume 10 - Disability Services - This volume is delivered in 2 parts - part 1 is directed to disability service providers and part 2 to the NDIS Commission. It examines how both service providers and the Commission can do more to prevent, identify and respond to violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation in disability services.
Volume 11 - Independent oversight and complaints mechanisms - In this volume the DRC suggests additional independent oversight and complaint pathways that should be available to Australians with disability, not just those on the NDIS.
Volume 12 - Beyond the Royal Commission - This volume discusses the implementation of the recommendations, the need to improve data and research to build the evidence base for disability policy and services and the impact of the DRC during its inquiry.
With this unique opportunity to make change, there is understandably a sense of urgency now to act on the recommendations of the DRC before it loses its moment in the spotlight. But the work is far from over. When the media cycle moves on, it will be all of our responsibility to ensure that stories shared in the DRC, and those not shared, are honoured in a way that creates lasting change.
