With disability services there are care plans for almost every aspect of a person’s life. Service provision seems to consider a person’s quality of life is directly proportional with the number and complexity of their care plans, directives, standards, guidelines and values.

There are ‘Behaviour Support Plans’, ‘Residential Statements’, ‘Person Centred Plans’, ‘Action Plans’, ‘Oral Health Plans’, ‘Communication Plans’, Residential Services Practice Manuals, Quality Frameworks, Active Support Guidelines, Quality Assurance Handbooks, Day Service Procedures, Disability Standards, Disability Acts, etc, etc, etc.

Yet, with all this directive, there is almost no direction that this bevy of direction shall be implemented in a practical and meaningful way for those for whom all this direction is intended to benefit – those with disabilities and their families.

There is also no obligation within all this direction, that there shall be transparent, meaningful and accountable outcomes for those for whom all this direction is intended to benefit – those with disabilities and their families.

There needs to be mandatory expectations placed on those producing and responsible for regulation intended to benefit people with disabilities and their families, to ensure the regulation is implemented with its direction, intention and spirit.