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Victorian Standards for Disability Services
Client Handbook
Written and published by
VALID Inc
March, 1999
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This handbook was written and produced byVALID © March 1999 with funding provided bythe Department of Human Services.
Author: Wendy SimpsonIllustrator: Patricia BroadbentEditor: Kevin Stone
Acknowledgements
Victorian Advocacy League for Individuals with DisabilityABN: 94 976 328 100
235 Napier Street, Fitzroy Vic 3065Telephone: (03) 9416 4003 Facsimile: (03) 9416 0850e-mail: [email protected] www.dice.org.au/~viccid
VALiD
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CONTENTS
Introduction 4
Standard 1: Service Access 6
Standard 2: Individual Needs 7
Standard 3: Decision-Making and Choice 8
Standard 4: Privacy, Dignity and Confidentiality 9
Standard 5: Participation and Integration 10
Standard 6: Valued Status 11
Standard 7: Complaints and Disputes 12
Standard 8: Service Management 13
Standard 9: Freedom from Abuse and Neglect 14
Glossary 15
List of Advocacy Organisations 17
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IntroductionThe Victorian Government wants to makesure that all the services for people with adisability in Victoria are of a good quality.
To help this happen, the Department ofHuman Services, which is part of theVictorian Government, has adopted a setof standards. These are called the Victo-rian Standards for Disability Services.
These Standards, or rules, have beenwritten to help services be as good as theycan be. This means that people with adisability get the things they really wantand need from the services they use.
This handbook is written to tell you aboutthe Standards, and what they will mean foryou in your service.
What is Quality?
Quality means that the things that servicesdo are very good and right for the peoplewho use them.
A good quality service is one in whichclients:
* Choose and use the services which theywant and need
* Are treated fairly and get to do thethings which are important to them
* Are supported properly
* Get involved in and use their communi-ties
Quality does not mean that things areperfect, but they are as good as they canbe. Quality also means that services arealways trying to make things better for thepeople who use them.
What are Standards?
Standards are the rules written by theVictorian Government to help servicesknow how well they are going, and howthey can keep making things better for thepeople who use their services.
There are nine Standards that have beenwritten to help services. These Standardsare good for everybody because:
* They help people with a disability knowwhat they can expect to get from theservice they use
* They help staff to know what to do tohelp people in the best ways they can,and how to keep getting better
* They help the government make surethat each service that gets money fromthem is doing a good job.
Good quality services are the ones that tryvery hard to meet all the Standards, andthat work well for the people who usethem.
To find out how a service is doing, thepeople in the service will need to do a'self-assessment'.
What is Self-assessment?
Self-assessment is a way of looking at theservice and then looking at the Standards,and seeing how close they come. It is away of working out if the service is doingwhat the Standards say.
The Department of Human Services hasset up a 'self-assessment system' thatuses the Standards to help everyone findout how a service is going.
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Self-assessment gets everyone in theservice to have a say and write down howthey think the service is going, using theStandards as a guide.
Everyone can have a say in the self-assessment including:
* The people who use the service
* The staff who work in the service
* The people who run the service (man-agement).
The self-assessment helps everyone inthe service to find out:
* Whether they are doing what the Stan-dards say
* What they need to do to come closer tothe Standards
* How they can keep getting better atmeeting the Standards.
Who is this Handbook for?
This handbook is for everyone who uses aservice for people with a disability inVictoria.
This includes people in day programs,Adult Training and Support Services(ATSSs), Community Residential Units(CRUs), Residential Training Centres, andall other disability services that are fundedby the Department of Human Services.
This handbook belongs to you, and canhelp you when you get involved in the self-assessment of your service.
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Each client seeking a service hasaccess to a service on the basisof relative need and availableresources.
This Standard is about:
Making sure that people get into theservice they need.
What this means for you is that:
* When you first want to get into a ser-vice the staff in the service talk with youand ask you what you want and need.
* Staff talk to you about what you couldget if you came to their service.
* Staff show you around and give youinformation about the service that you cankeep.
* The information that you get helps youto decide whether the service is rightfor you.
* If the service is right for you,but you cannot get in straightaway, your name may be putonto a waiting list.
* If you cannot get intothe service at all, the stafftell you about otherplaces where you couldgo.
Standard 1: Service Access
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Each client receives a servicethat is designed to meet, in theleast restrictive way, his or herindividual needs and personalgoals.
This Standard is about:
Everyone who uses the service getting helpfrom the staff to learn and do the things theyreally want and need.
What this means for you is that:
* Staff ask you what you want and needfrom the service and help you to chooseyour goals, like learning to do more thingsfor yourself.
* When you say what you want to learnand do, staff really listen to you.
* The staff write a plan of the mostimportant things you want and need.
* You get a copy of your own Plan, andyou understand it and agree with what itsays.
* Staff talk with you about the programsand activities you can do to meet your Plan.
* Staff help you to learn the things in yourprogram in ways that you like, and that helpyou achieve the things in your Plan.
* Staff meet and talk with you often to askwhat you like and don’t like in your program,and about the things you are doing in theservice.
* You can say if you think the program isgood or bad for you, and staff listen to you,and help you change your program.
* If you speak in a language other thanEnglish, staff help you understand in yourown language.
Standard 2: Individual Needs
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Each client has the opportunity toparticipate as fully as possible inmaking decisions about theevents and activities of his or herdaily life in relation to theservices he or she receives.
This Standard is about:
Everyone using the service being able tohave a say about the things they want andhow the service is run, and having thestaff and management listen.
What this means for you is that:
* Staff talk to you about what happens inthe service and the way the service runs.
* Staff give you information about howthe service runs, that you can keep, likethe fees you pay, and your rights in theservice.
* Staff tell and show you how decisionsare made about the things that happen inthe service.
* Staff tell and show you the steps totake, if you want to have say about howthe service runs.
* You get help from staff to makechoices and say things about what youthink should happen for everyone in theservice, and staff listen to you.
* Staff help you to make choices andhave a say about the things you do in theservice, like what activities you do, andwhere you do them.
* You can speak up about what youdon’t like about how the service runs orproblems you have, and staff listen anddecide on any changes with you.
* You can get together withother people using the serviceand speak out as a clientgroup, and staff listen anddecide on any changes withthe group.
* Staff talk with everyoneabout any big changes that aregoing to be made which affectthe people using the service.
Standard 3: Decision-Making & Choice
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Each client’s right to privacy,dignity and confidentiality in allaspects of his or her life isrecognised and respected.
This standard is about:
Everyone using the service having the rightto be treated with respect, and the staff andmanagement keeping information abouteveryone, private.
What this means for you is that:
* Staff talk to you and help you do things inways that show they respect you, like talkingto you as an adult, or calling you by yourcorrect name.
* You can get help from staff with yourpersonal needs if you need it, in polite andrespectful ways, like staff asking you if it’s allright to help you in the bathroom.
* You have privacy when you need it, likealways having the door closed when you arein the toilet or bathroom.
* Staff tell you about the things that arewritten about you and put on your file.
* You can see any of the information that iswritten about you by the staff, if you want to.
* Any information about you is kept privateand staff don’t show it to anyone, unless yousay they can.
* Staff make sure your personalcommunication is private, like giving youyour mail not opened, and making privatephone calls without anyone listening.
* You have a place in the service to keepyour personal things, like your own lockerwith your own key to keep things like yourmoney or books.
Standard 4: Privacy, Dignity & Confidentiality
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Each client is supported andencouraged to participate and beinvolved in the life of thecommunity.
This standard is about:
The service helping everyone using theservice to go out into their local commu-nity, meet other people, and do the samethings that others do.
What this means for you is that:
* Staff help you get out and about intoyour local community as often as you can,like using the bank, going shopping, orworking out at the local gym.
* Staff help you to work out where youwould like to go and what you would like todo in the community.
* Staff help you to meet other people inthe community and do the things thateveryone does, like joining a club orgroup, or travelling on a train or public bus,or going to the places you want to go.
* You can keep in touch with your familyand friends when you want to, and staffhelp you with this, like ringing up, or invit-ing them to visit you.
* The service is close enough to theplaces and people in the community thatyou like to go and see.
* If you need support to get to places ordo things in the community, staff will makesure you get the extra help you need.
Standard 5: Participation & Integration
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Each client has theopportunity to develop andmaintain skills and toparticipate in activities thatenable him or her to achievevalued roles in thecommunity.
This Standard is about:
Staff and management helpingeveryone using the service to learnthe same skills and do the samethings that other people do in thecommunity.
What this means for you is that:
* The service highlights the goodthings about people with a disability.
* Staff mostly look at the things youcan do and help you get better atthem.
* Staff help you to learn and prac-tice new skills in the places you needthem most, like learning to shop atthe supermarket.
* Staff treat you as an adult andhelp you to do the same things thatother people your age do in thecommunity.
* Staff help you get involved inthings in the community that mostpeople think are good, like being astudent in a course at TAFE, orbeing a member of a committee.
Standard 6: Valued Status
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Each client is free to raise andhave resolved, any complaints ordisputes he or she may haveregarding the service provider orthe service.
This Standard is about:
Everyone who uses the service having theright to speak out about any problems,and staff and management listening andsorting out the problems.
What this means for you is that:
* Staff tell and give you informationabout how to speak out about any prob-lems you have with the service.
* The information staff give you helpsyou to know what to do, where to go andwho to see if you have a problem with theservice.
* If you have a problem with your ser-vice, staff tell and give you informationabout people and groups outside yourservice who can help you.
* Staff help you speak out if you have aproblem about the service, or get anadvocate to help you, if you want one.
* If you speak out about a problem, staffreally listen to you and then start to dosomething about fixing the problem.
* Staff talk to you about what is happen-ing while the problem is sorted out.
* Staff make sure that the problem getssorted out in the best way for you.
* If you speak out about a problem, staffand management make sure you don’t getinto any trouble for speaking out.
Standard 7: Complaints & Disputes
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Each service provider adoptssound management practiceswhich maximise outcomes forclients.
This Standard is about:
The people who run the service makingsure that everything the staff do, and themoney they spend, helps everyone usingthe service as much as possible.
What this means for you is that:
* The staff know about their jobs andhow they should do their jobs in the ser-vice.
* The staff who spend time with youknow what you need, and are good athelping you with the things you need.
* The staff and management make surethe service is safe and that accidents orbad things don’t happen to anyone.
* You can get around the service withoutany problems, like there are ramps if youneed them.
Standard 8: Service Management
* Staff help you to use and look afteryour own money, or they look after it foryou properly.
* If you get food from the service, staffmake sure it is healthy, the kind you like,and you have enough.
* Staff give special sorts of food toanyone who needs it, like when you are ona special diet.
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Each client has the right tobe free from physical,sexual, verbal and emotionalabuse and neglect.
This Standard is about:
Everyone who uses the servicealways being safe and well caredfor by staff and management.
What this means for you is that:
* Staff and management careabout what happens to you in theservice.
* Staff look after you and treat youin ways that you like.
* Staff make sure that no badthings happen to you, and that noone hurts you, like being yelled at orhit.
* If any bad things happen to youthat you don’t like, you can tell staffor management, and they will dosomething to stop it, like if someonetouched you on the private parts ofyour body, without your permission.
* If you are hurt by staff in anyway, you can tell management andthey will do something to stop it.
* If you are hurt by someone elseusing the service, you can tellmanagement and they will dosomething straight away to helpyou.
Standard 9: Freedom from Abuse & Neglect
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Word What it means
Achieve To be able to do something and finish it.
Advocate Someone who listens to what you want and gives youthe help you need to speak up or to sort out a prob-lem.
ATSS Adult Training and Support Service. A place withstaff where people with a disability can do daytimeprograms to achieve things. Programs can be in theservice or in the community.
Community Places where most people live and do things, likeliving at home, seeing friends, going shopping.
Client Someone who buys something or uses a service.
CRU Community Residential Unit. A home in the commu-nity where people with a disability live with staffsupporting them.
Day Programs A place with staff in the community where peoplewith a disability go to do programs and achievethings.
Decision Having a say about what you want.
Goal What you want to happen for you in the future.
Government The people who make decisions and laws about whatshould happen for everyone.
Independent Doing things for yourself, as much as you can.
Information Things you get told about.
Management People who are in charge of the service, like theDirector, or committee.
Needs Things that you require to help you grow and de-velop.
Privacy Being on your own if you want to be, and havingthings that you don’t have to show to anyone.
Problem Something that you don’t like, or that doesn’t go rightfor you.
Glossary
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Program Doing activities that help you learn and achievethings.
Residential Training Centre An institution. A place with staff where many peoplewith disabilities all live together.
Respect To be nice and treat people well.
Self-assessment A way of finding out if services are meeting the Stan-dards.
Service The place and the staff that are there to help you, likean ATSS or CRU.
Skills Being able to do things well.
Staff People who are paid to help you in the best way theycan.
Standard Something that is written that helps services to knowwhat they should be doing.
Understand To know what things mean.
Quality Things that are good and right.
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List of Advocacy OrganisationsCLIENT ADVOCACY GROUPS
ADEC (Action on Disability in Ethnic Communities)13 Munro St, Coburg 3058 9383 5566 Freecall 1800 626 078
AMIDA (Housing & Tenancy Rights Organisation for People with Disabilities)3rd Floor, Ross House,247 Flinders Lane, Melbourne 3000 9650 2722
ARN (Action Resource Network)266 Johnston St, Abbotsford 3067 9416 3488
Association for Children with a Disability (ACD)590 Orrong RdArmadale 3143 9500 1232 Freecall 1800 654 013
Action for Community Living (formerly Attendant Care Coalition)179 High St, Northcote 3070 9489 2999
Autism Victoria ***PO Box 235, Ashburton 3147 9885 0533
Carers Association of Victoria ***5th Floor, 130 Little Collins St, Melbourne 3000 9650 9966 Freecall 1800 242 636
CAUS (Communication Aid User’s Society)36a Wilson St, Brighton 3186 9553 8390 Freecall 1800 995 383
Disability Discrimination Law Advocacy Service (DDLAS)11th Floor, 343 Lt Collins St Melbourne(GPO Box 1139k, Melbourne 3001) 9602 4877 Freecall 1800 651 275
Disability Employment Action Centre (DEAC)8th Floor, 55 Swanston St, Melbourne 3000 9650 2533
Disability Rights Victoria - physical and multiple (DRV pm)179 High St, Northcote 3070 9489 2999
Headway VictoriaLevel 2, 212 King St, Melbourne 3000 9642 2411 Freecall 1800 817 964
STAR2nd Floor, Ross House247 Flinders Lane, Melbourne 3000 9650 2730
*** Not funded as an advocacy service
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VALID (Vic. Advocacy League for Individuals with a Disability)235 Napier Street, Fitzroy 3065 9416 4003 Freecall 1800 655 570
VICNORD (Victorian Network on Recreation and Disability)179 High Street, Northcote 3070 9489 2999
Victorian Mental Illness Awareness Council (VMIAC)23 Weston St, Brunswick 9387 8317
Villamanta Legal Service6 Villamanta St, Geelong West 3218 5229 2925 Freecall 1800 014 111
RURAL ADVOCACY SERVICES (also refer to Disability Councils below)
Ararat/Stawell Advocacy Service109 Barkly St, Ararat 5352 2722
Colac Otway Region Advocacy Service (CORAS)50 Rae St, Colac 3252 5232 1009
Council for the Disabled - Main office listed below under ‘Disability Councils’
Loddon Mallee service- Bendigo Office, 127 Mitchell St
(Box 2219, Bendgo Delivery Ctr 3554) 5443 0550 Freecall 1800 462 480
- Mildura Office, 3/152 Pine Ave, Mildura(Box 129 Mildura 3502) 5023 6998 Freecall 1800 236 998
- Swan Hill Office, 210 Beveridge Street 5032 0082
South West Advocacy Association104 Liebig St (Box 480) Warrnambool 3280 5561 4584
DISABILITY COUNCILS
Barwon Disability Resource Council (BDRC)48 McKillop St, Geelong 3220 5221 8011
Gippsland Disability Resource CouncilPO Box 63, Moe 3825 5127 5555 Freecall 1800 625 674
Council for the Disabled16 Edwards St (Box 1763) Shepparton 3630 5822 1944 Freecall 1800 221 944
Disabled Persons’ Regional Council (DPRC) - Upper Murray20 Stanley St (Box 982 : 3689) Wodonga 02 6056 2420
