VULNERABLE PERSONS

Mandatory reporting is a term used to describe the legislative requirement for selected groups of people to report suspected cases of abuse and neglect to government authorities. Parliaments in all Australian states and territories have enacted mandatory reporting laws and governing bodies to oversee providers.

We investigate allegations of abuse and neglect in line with relevant state legislation and reporting lines. We will provide you with evidence-based outcomes along with potential systemic issues or gaps in education and/or training that have been identified in our investigation.  We will also identify potential gaps in service delivery and provide comment in relation to potential risk of incident reoccurrence.

 

We are aware of individual state-based reporting time frames and will adhere to legislative requirements when completing an investigation on your behalf.  At all times we are flexible in our approach and put the client at the centre of our investigation.  We are discreet whilst conducting our investigations and are mindful and adaptable to the individual’s needs.

Our Person-Centred Approach

We believe our role is to have a voice for those who cannot be heard. We achieve this by adapting to individual client and/or resident needs. Prior to an interview, our investigators review individual Care Plans, Case Plans, Communication Profiles and Behaviour Support Plans to ensure they have the best possible understanding of the interviewee. We then adopt a range of investigative interviewing techniques with the person’s disability or cognitive impairment at the centre of the interview. For example, some clients/residents prefer play-based activities and drawing, while others prefer the use of dolls and/or augmentative communication styles. We believe it is important to ensure each interviewee has the opportunity to be heard in their own unique way.

 

Our interviews are conducted in an environment where the interviewee is most comfortable. To ensure this, we write to the interviewee and include a picture of each investigator prior to any interview being conducted, and we obtain their consent to participate in the interview. This process enables key workers and/or carers to inform the interviewee of who we are and why we are coming to speak with them.

 

Our methods comply with the Rules of Evidence; we obtain consent to audio record and we test truth and lies to ensure open-ended questions are asked during the interview. It is also important to note that our interviews are admissible in all legal environments; we do this to ensure the people you support are not subjected to multiple interviews, and our interview can be shared with police and the relevant governing body.

Children’s Services

Reportable Conduct includes sexual offences, sexual misconduct, ill treatment or neglect, reckless act or failure to act, or physical violence against or in the presence of a child, as well as behaviour causing significant emotional or psychological harm to a child or significant neglect of a child in statutory out of home care, involuntary out of come care or respite supported accommodation, either short or long term.

 

See Victorian and NSW legislation.

Aged Care

Elder abuse and neglect can be physical, psychological or emotional, sexual or financial in nature. It can also be the result of intentional or unintentional neglect.

 

Reportable Incidents include assaults, sexual assaults committed upon aged care residents. Reportable Incidents also include unexplained absences of residents who reside in Aged Care facilities.

 

For more information, click here.

Disability

Disability Reportable Incidents include the abuse and neglect of a person with a disability, who has an NDIS plan, and can include; the death of an NDIS participant, serious injury of an NDIS participant, abuse or neglect of an NDIS participant, unlawful sexual or physical contact with, or assault of, an NDIS participant, sexual misconduct committed against, or in the presence of, an NDIS participant, including grooming of the NDIS participant for sexual activity and the unauthorised use of a restrictive practice in relation to an NDIS participant. Allegations can include client-to-client or employee-to-client allegations. Legislation governing disability support is state-based and reporting obligations can vary between states.

 

For more information, click here.

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