Disability Support Work Regional Victoria

Disability support workers help people with disabilities manage daily tasks and take part in leisure, productive and social activities. They can work in people’s homes or in specialised care settings. They can also provide information and advice to people with disabilities.

For some, disability work is a career change. Others find their way into the industry from nursing, aged care or other health backgrounds.

Supported decision making

Supported decision making has emerged as a major area of disability research in recent times. This is largely due to Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), which affirms that people with cognitive disability have the full legal right to exercise their decision-making capacity, and to receive support to do so. Governments and funding agencies are increasingly focusing their attention on this area, as are researchers.

In 2014, the Office of the Public Advocate in Victoria launched a pilot supported decision-making project. This project matched volunteers with people who had a disability jobs and wanted help making decisions about their individualised funding and service plans. This project is now being expanded to other regions in Australia. It is important to remember when providing decision-making support that your own preferences and opinions should not be imposed on the process. This is because the decision should be based on the participant’s own wishes, beliefs and values.

Travellers Aid

Travelling by public transport can be a challenge for people with disability. However, there are many ways to help. One way is to use a buggy service, which is available from most NDIS support services.

Another way is to hire a personal companion. You can find out more on the Travellers Aid website. Travellers Aid also operates the Connection Assistance service, which runs from Southern Cross Station and Seymour Station in Melbourne. This service provides free buggy or wheelchair assistance to passengers at the station.

Lastly, you can use the Accessible Victoria website to search for accessible activities and facilities. The website includes a booking engine for curated bookings. In addition, most public buildings in Victoria are required to be accessible and have accessible toilets. You may also be eligible for a Companion Card, which allows your carer or carer to travel with you for free on trains. This is a great option for people with disabilities who need assistance travelling by bus or train.

Disability Liaison Officers

Disability Liaison Officers (DLO) work with health care teams to provide safer, more accessible and inclusive care for patients with a disability or special needs. They are available to assist with accessing hospital admissions and outpatient appointments, and can support people to navigate the health system and health services.

DLOs also drive longer-term health service and systems improvement projects to address known or emerging health risks across disability support settings. They provide education and training to healthcare professionals and community groups, and support the delivery of information to individuals.

Disability support work regional victoria need to know their rights and how to protect themselves from discrimination, violence and sexual harassment. They must also be aware of their obligations to report incidents and how to get help. If you suspect that a colleague or client has been victimised, contact the Disability Liaison Office. This service is free. Call 1800 650 898 or click here for more information. It is a confidential service.

Inclusion

Inclusion is the heart of our approach to ensuring people with disability can participate in all aspects of life. Whether it is at work, at home or in the community. Scope Independence Australia Group provides choices for people with disability, empowering them to live independently at home and in the community.

Our inclusion support workers can help schools with the Disability Inclusion Profile – an innovative strength-based approach to supporting students. This supports the Education State vision of excellence, equity and wellbeing. The Disability Inclusion Profile will be rolled out to Victorian government schools over the period 2021 – 2025.

The Disability Inclusion Profile process will be included in the annual Student Resource Package (SRP) cycle, for Year 5 schools from 2024. Refer to the Guidance tab for details on how this will be implemented. In addition, schools will continue to access their core student learning allocation funding and Tier 2 school-level funding through the SRP.

Our team of experienced support workers are experts in disability, youth and community services. We pride ourselves on helping people enjoy a better quality of life and building genuine relationships with our clients.