There have been more than 7000 serious incidents in disability group homes over the past four years, with many including injury and abuse, according to the complaints watchdog for the NDIS. Source: The Australian.
The National Disability Insurance Scheme Quality and Safeguards Commission released a report yesterday into the running of group homes across the country, which reveals more than 7340 reportable incidents occurred between July 2018 and last September.
Of these, more than 1700 included the “serious injury” of an NDIS participant in supported accommodation, while just over 1700 included abuse and almost 1300 included neglect.
There were another 960 incidents of “unlawful physical contact”, 112 reports of “unlawful sexual contact” and 122 reports of sexual misconduct.
The NDIS Commission confirmed the reports of unlawful sexual contact involved both fellow group home residents and support workers, and that there had been “a few” incidents of financial abuse of a person with disability by support workers.
“A significant number of reportable incidents notified to the NDIS Commission relate to the conduct of workers,” the commission’s report says.
“(This includes) support workers exercising undue influence over a person with disability … and verbal and psychological abuse of a person with disability by a support worker.”
NDIS Minister Bill Shorten said the report would be used to “drive improvements” in the sector.
He said people with a disability had the right to a safe living arrangement, even when it is challenging, and the right to have their voice heard, particularly when it comes to the quality of their day-to-day lives.
FULL STORY
Injury and abuse among thousands of serious incidents in disability homes (By Sarah Ison, The Australian)
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