POLICY BRIEFING

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• POLICY BRIEFING
• Abuse and Neglect Policy and Procedures
• Final 1.0
• Approved May 2007

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OVERVIEW

• Abuse and Neglect policy (May 2007)
• Policy purpose
• Legislative framework
• Policy principles
• Types of abuse covered in the policy
• Reporting
• Procedures
• Prevention
• Indicators
• Useful contacts

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ABUSE AND NEGLECT POLICY 2007

• The Abuse and Neglect policy replaces
• Operational Procedures Response to Sexual
  Assault, Physical Assault, Emotional Abuse and
  Neglect, 1996 and
• Reporting Procedures for Adults of DADHC Operated
  and Funded Services (from Managing Risks and
  Incidents in the Workplace, 2003)

PREVENTION IS THE BEST PROTECTION FROM ABUSE
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POLICY PURPOSE

• To provide paid or unpaid workers of DADHC
  operated and funded services, with the means to
  respond quickly and appropriately to reports of
  abuse by
• identifying prevention strategies
• defining abusive situations
• detailing potential indicators of abuse
• providing procedures for responding to abuse
• including useful specialist contacts

EVERYONE HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO RESPOND
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LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK

• The policy is partly founded on the following
  legislation
• Community Services (Complaints, Reviews and
  Monitoring) Act 1993
• NSW Crimes (Forensic Procedures) Act 2000
• NSW Crimes Act 1900 and Section 316
• NSW Disability Services Act 1993 and supporting
  Standards
• Protected Disclosures Act, 1994
• Victims Rights Act 1996

NOT RESPONDING CAN BE A CRIME
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POLICY PRINCIPLES

• Prevention
• reasonable steps are taken by service providers
• Identification
• understand what is abuse and recognise signs
• Reporting
• well articulated procedures and a supportive
  environment
• Responding
• procedures are followed and appropriate reports
  made
• Confidentiality
• details confined to those directly involved
• Responsibilities
• clearly defined and followed

PRINCIPLES ARE FOUNDATIONS OF POLICY
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TYPES OF ABUSE

• Abuse may be observed, reported or suspected
• The policy addresses eight types of abuse or
  neglect but relates to abuse of any kind
• Domestic violence
• abuse against a person in a relationship where
  the power balance is unequal
• Neglect
• failure to provide the basic necessities of life
• Physical abuse
• assault causing harm or injury

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TYPES OF ABUSE (cont.)

• Restraints and restricted practices
• physical or chemical restraint for non-medical
  reasons
• Sexual assault
• sexual interference in any form with an under age
  person or non-consensual sexual interference with
  an adult
• Emotional abuse
• verbal assaults, threats, humiliation or
  intimidation
• Financial abuse
• improper use of a persons property or assets
• Systems abuse
• inadequate or inappropriate provision of services

ABUSE CAN OCCUR IN DIFFERENT WAYS
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REPORTING

• Emergency report to NSW Police
• a client or other person has been assaulted
• a client or other person is in immediate danger
  of assault
• General report to NSW Police
• sexual assault
• physical assault
• domestic violence, neglect, restricted practices,
  emotional, financial or systems abuse

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REPORTING (cont.)

• Exceptions
• an incident that would usually be classed as
  assault, is caused by a person with an
  intellectual disability who lacks understanding
  of the behaviour
• physical contacts occurring between clients (e.g.
  pushing or striking) that are appropriate for
  resolution using behaviour management strategies,
  and are reported internally

IF IN DOUBT CONTACT NSW POLICE FOR ADVICE
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PROCEDURES

• Emergency
• Protecting evidence
• Line managers role
• Abuse by a member of staff
• Abuse by another client
• Financial abuse
• Past incidents of abuse

• Communication
• Support for clients
• Support for staff
• Privacy and confidentiality
• Record keeping
• Managing risk
• Regional reporting

YOU WILL HAVE A ROLE IN RESPONDING TO ABUSE
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PREVENTION

• Prevention is enhanced by
• increasing staff awareness of potentially abusive
  situations
• implementing prevention strategies
• devise adequate recruitment screening practices
• ensure that staff understand issues relating to
  abuse
• make staff aware of current policies, procedures
  and legislation
• confirm clients and staff understand clients
  rights
• implement personal contact plans
• foster supportive culture for registering
  complaints
• follow appropriate intervention strategies

USE PREVENTION STRATEGIES TO PROTECT CLIENTS
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INDICATORS

• Physical
• Bruises, burns, scalds, fractures
• Hunger, weight loss, poor hygiene, inadequate
  clothing
• Body trauma, soreness when sitting or walking,
  blood stained clothing, STD, pregnancy
• Speech disorder, weight gain
• No access to money, missing money or assets,
  unexpected changes to will

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INDICATORS (cont.)

• Behavioural
• Injury inconsistent with explanation, aggression,
  withdrawal, sleep disturbance
• Stealing food, listlessness, seeking company
• Self mutilation, depression, crying,
  sleeplessness, constant showering
• Low self esteem, attention seeking
• Stealing, borrowing money, begging

LEARN TO RECOGNISE SIGNS OF ABUSE
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USEFUL CONTACTS

• Intellectual Disability Rights Service (IDRS)
  legal advice
• Criminal Justice Support Network (CJSN)
  support, information
• Law Access NSW information
• Community Legal Centres (CLC) free legal advice
• Disability Discrimination Legal Centre (NSW)
  free legal advice
• NSW Ombudsman complaints
• National Disability Abuse and Neglect Hotline
  reporting
• Victims of Crime Bureau support, information,
  counselling, compensation
• Sexual Assault Service local and immediate
  care, counselling

SUPPORT CLIENTS TO GET HELP