Policy Submission: National Policy Framework Working Group

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JFA Purple Orange provided further comment on the proposed version of the draft National Standards for Disability Services (NSDS).

Recommendations

Recommendation 1 - Language

The use of contemporary language which upholds the conceptualisation of people living with disability as valued citizens who are able to make choices about their preferred lifestyle and have control in how that occurs for them. This may entail the provision of appropriate personalised support;

Recommendation 2 - The importance of the full expression of human rights

With regard to services human rights involve much more than safety from abuse and privacy of an individual’s information. In order for each human right to be taken seriously and to be acted on by services we consider that it is important to describe the full responsibilities regarding upholding the human rights of individuals living with disability;

Recommendation 3 - Person-led support arrangements means re-orienting the standards so that they are written from the perspective of the person's decisions and wishes

We have re-focused the standards to reflect that people living with disability have a preferred lifestyle which reflects their individuality, life goals and opportunities to participate in the community. Living a preferred lifestyle involves people living with disability exercising choice and control. They can provide feedback and act on it in the same way that other individuals do. We believe it is important to reflect this in the standards. Therefore any goal or support activity must start with the person's preferences and wishes;

Recommendation 4 - Access involves more than physical access

Physical access alone does not guarantee that a person living with disability will be able to take up active citizenhood. The likelihood of a person being able to benefit from opportunities of active citizenhood are significantly increased when inclusive practices are embraced. Inclusion is an integral part of access and involves capacities of access, welcome and personal considerations being in place. Consequently we have renamed the Access section to be Access and Inclusion;

Recommendation 5 - Access also includes having information in a variety of formats to meet the needs of people with different sensory disability

Recommendation 6 - Service accountability is an important feature of JFA-Purple Orange's proposed version of the standards as it provides a framework within which people living with disability are able to have a say about the services they receive

JFA Purple Orange believes that it is critical that support services are made accountable to people living with disability for outcomes in their lives. Throughout the revised version we have incorporated a stronger requirement for service accountability.