The NDIS “Quality and Safeguarding Framework” is, in principle, similar to Victoria’s disability policies and standards by the Department of Health & Human Services. They are both intended to set the standard of care and support for people with disabilities.
No matter how good intentions are, the implementation of such policies and standards at the service point for people with intellectual and multiple disabilities is totally dependent on support service management having the ability and integrity to consistently set, monitor and maintain direct care staff work value expectations that they shall consistently provide support services within care policies, standards and values, and within their job descriptions.
Overall there is far too much mindercare in services such as group homes and day services, where service level, quality and staff integrity are difficult to monitor and evaluate, with most clients having little ability to report questionable activities, and are mostly not believed anyway. And, stakeholders are often very actively discouraged from any form of service evaluation, and are made feel unwelcome to attend service facilities – most especially by government direct services such as DHHS in Victoria. Some of the findings of the KPMG were - https://0j.b5z.net/i/u/10196230/f/extracts_from_kpmg_rreview_of_dhhs.das.pdf
Many group home direct care staff see their role as just administration, domestic duties and client personal care. They see all ‘active support’ as the responsibility of day services. Whereas, many day service staff see their role as little more than a minder service. Between the two, clients fall into total mindercare. And, with the predicted extreme shortage of direct care staff for the full roll-out of the NDIS, the potential of questionable care and support is compounded.
With the NDIS policy and practice focused mainly on participants with low support needs and individualised digital/tick-the-box support, those with high support needs will get little of what they really need – consistent analogue interaction, engagement and skill development within the main support service funding avenues of their NDIS plan. That they are not left doing little but sit or wander aimlessly for most of their day, every day.
