Co-design with people with disability
Co-design with people with disability an online accessible safeguards information hub. The hub will have information about preventing violence, abuse and neglect of people with disability.
What we will do:
- Set up an information hub that will fulfil Victoria’s commitment to improving access to the Staying Safe resources. This hub will entail co-designing with people with disability an accessible hub with resources about preventing violence, abuse and neglect. Scoping of available resources has been undertaken.
Lead division: Disability, Complex Needs and Emergency Management
Strengthen the authorisation process for restrictive practices
Strengthen the authorisation process for restrictive practices. Ensure Victoria continues to meet the national principles for restrictive practice authorisation. Ensure Victoria continues to meet the national principles for restrictive practice authorisation.
What we have done and continue to do:
- Amendments to the Disability Act became law in May 2023. This strengthened the authorisation process for restrictive practices within Victoria.
- Strengthen the commitment to the principles with several funded projects delivered through the Victorian Senior Practitioner and amendments made to the Disability Act.
- Support continuing work by all jurisdictions to reduce and ultimately stamp out restrictive practices on people with disability.
Lead division: Disability, Complex Needs and Emergency Management
Support practitioners to develop and implement high-quality behaviour support plans
Work with the Commonwealth, states and territories to improve the capacity and capability of behaviour support practitioners to develop and implement high-quality behaviour support plans.
What we have done and continue to do:
- Begun Professional Development in Behaviour Support and Intervention training programs. These programs support practitioners to develop their competencies in positive behaviours support approaches. The course works to ensure the skill and knowledge base of practitioners aligns with the NDIS Positive behaviour support capability framework.
- Working with the Victorian Senior Practitioner and the University of Melbourne, the course will become an accredited micro credential course. Further funding was provided for the initiative in May 2023.
Lead division: Disability, Complex Needs and Emergency Management
Identify and work to address gaps
Identify and work to address gaps in legislative residential rights and protections for residents of, and people needing, disability supported accommodation.
What we have done:
- Amendments to the Disability Act.
- The Act became law in May 2023. Changes addressed gaps in residential protections for Victorians in disability accommodation. We also strengthened quality and safeguards via changes to the Residential Tenancies Act 1997. The changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will come into force before 1 July 2024.
Lead division: Disability, Complex Needs and Emergency Management
Work towards nationally consistent residential rights and protection
Work with the Commonwealth, states and territories towards nationally consistent residential rights and protections for people living in specialist disability accommodation across all jurisdictions.
What we have done:
- Provided a breakdown of the current residential rights and protections in Victoria to the NDIS Review Secretariat, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet in July 2023, as an exemplar for other states and territories. The NDIS Review is expected to make some recommendations about national consistency, which will be considered at that time. The department has offered to help other states and territories with their deliberations.
Lead division: Disability, Complex Needs and Emergency Management
Set up principles and functions to guide and modernise the role of community visitors
Set up principles and functions to guide and modernise the role of community visitors within the context of the NDIS. Strengthen the role for state-based disability services through legislative reform.
What we have done and continue to do:
- Advocated for the inclusion of the Community Visitors program into the National Quality and Safeguarding framework. This was identified in the NDIS Review. We continue to work together to strengthen the role of the Community Visitor program. This includes proactive engagement with the NDIS Review panel to support reforms such as nationally consistent principles to underpin outreach visitation initiatives.
What we will do:
- As part of the amendments to the Residential Tenancy Act, Victoria will expand the scope of the Community Visitor program to include properties not currently visited. This recognises the important safeguarding function the program performs.
Lead division: Disability, Complex Needs and Emergency Management