Building natural supports The consultation identified the importance of natural supports as a safeguard. Broadly, were references to the need to recognise and support parents and carers in their roles, to support positive relationships, and to support other family members, including siblings. More specifically, circles of support and peer support networks were identified as useful. A circle of support involves a group of people voluntarily coming together to help formulate, promote and support the goals of a person with disability. Because they involve a number of people they enable people to take time out when needed and provide ongoing and sustainable support. Stakeholders also referred to community visitors as a useful support for people with few natural supports (see section 6.2.2) and to the need to for supports to positive community connections and community capacity for inclusion (discussed in the next section). In this context, a submission from a person with autism noted that there is a need to support people with intellectual disability to understand different relationships because they can be susceptible to predators and to recognise that intensive social environments can be incredibly traumatising for people with autism. This person was concerned that professionals had pushed them to make a friend, join a group and make local connections, without considering their individual needs, why they were not making friends, what skills they might need to develop first, and whether they wanted to participate. Individual capacity building Talk to us and ask us what we want and need. Have more advocates who only work for us to help us. Advocates teach us about our rights and teach us honestly. They are the only ones who tell us everything and don't baby us. [Person with disability, Tasmania, questionnaire] People with disability can learn new skills – it may take longer, and they may learn in a different way, but they can learn – with the right support. Skills around keeping safe, like decision-making and speaking up when things aren’t going well are important safeguards for people. But regardless of all the capacity building that might be done, it’s still important that independent advocates are there to keep an eye on things and support people to speak up when they need to. Advocates can also help people to learn new skills by showing them a way to approach something and supporting them to do it themselves. I see advocacy as a capacity building thing as well as a preventative thing and someone to help when things go wrong. [Parent, online discussion forum]
Building natural supports The consultation identified the importance of natural supports as a safeguard. Broadly, were references to the need to recognise and support parents and carers in their roles, to support positive relationships, and to support other family members, including siblings. More specifically, circles of support and peer support networks were identified as useful. A circle of support involves a group of people voluntarily coming together to help formulate, promote and support the goals of a person with disability. Because they involve a number of people they enable people to take time out when needed and provide ongoing and sustainable support. Stakeholders also referred to community visitors as a useful support for people with few natural supports (see section 6.2.2) and to the need to for supports to positive community connections and community capacity for inclusion (discussed in the next section). In this context, a submission from a person with autism noted that there is a need to support people with intellectual disability to understand different relationships because they can be susceptible to predators and to recognise that intensive social environments can be incredibly traumatising for people with autism. This person was concerned that professionals had pushed them to make a friend, join a group and make local connections, without considering their individual needs, why they were not making friends, what skills they might need to develop first, and whether they wanted to participate. Individual capacity building Talk to us and ask us what we want and need. Have more advocates who only work for us to help us. Advocates teach us about our rights and teach us honestly. They are the only ones who tell us everything and don't baby us. [Person with disability, Tasmania, questionnaire] People with disability can learn new skills – it may take longer, and they may learn in a different way, but they can learn – with the right support. Skills around keeping safe, like decision-making and speaking up when things aren’t going well are important safeguards for people. But regardless of all the capacity building that might be done, it’s still important that independent advocates are there to keep an eye on things and support people to speak up when they need to. Advocates can also help people to learn new skills by showing them a way to approach something and supporting them to do it themselves. I see advocacy as a capacity building thing as well as a preventative thing and someone to help when things go wrong. [Parent, online discussion forum]
consultation_report_ndis_quality_safeguarding_framework.docx