NDIS Provider Apologizes to Group Home Residents After Allegations of Abuse and Neglect | Royal Commission on Disability

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One of Australia’s largest providers of national disability insurance plans has apologized to residents of two struggling group homes after allegations of violence, abuse and neglect emerged during a investigation.

The commission also learned on Tuesday that Life Without Barriers was charging residents of a Victoria home a substantial proportion of their disability pension for “rent” despite the property being rented on a $ 1 pepper contract. month.

During hearings last week, the Royal Commission on Persons with Disabilities heard that the violence between residents of the Victoria group home managed by the provider was so severe that it had become “normal” as it was. There were also allegations of violence, sexual abuse and neglect at another house in New South Wales.

In a case released to the committee last week, a resident of the NSW home was hospitalized with bowel disease and “nearly died” after staff allegedly failed to follow care protocol. The supplier did not report the incident to the NDIS watchdog.

In another incident, the commission heard an investigation by Life Without Barriers which found that there was insufficient evidence to support claims that a support worker pushed a customer from the NSW home to the ground, even though the employee admitted it.

Before the royal commission on Tuesday, Claire Robbs, CEO of Life Without Barriers, apologized to residents and families on behalf of the company.

“The views and experiences of individuals and their families have highlighted several areas where damage has been done to people and we recognize and offer our deepest regrets,” she said.

Robbs also apologized to each of the victims individually, using the pseudonyms used by the royal commission.

“I do not condone the violence against Sophie and I offer Sophie and her family our sincere apologies for the damage caused to her, including for the manner in which our investigations into the case were carried out,” he said. she declared.

She also apologized to a woman known by the pseudonym Natalie for “alleged sexual misconduct by a staff member” which was “totally unacceptable”.

The staff member was then charged and found not guilty by a court, according to the investigation last week.

Asked by the chairman of the royal commission, Ronald Sackville, if Life Without Barriers had “committed a serious breach of a duty which it owed to Natalie”, Robbs answered “yes”.

Robbs also agreed that the normal course in such a case would be to offer compensation.

Life Without Barriers offered no compensation to Natalie or her family.

It was also Natalie who was subsequently hospitalized and, according to her mother’s testimony, almost died, as a result of an intestinal obstruction resulting from non-compliance with treatment protocols by the staff.

When asked by assistant lawyer Patrick Griffin, Robbs admitted that the provider only paid $ 1 a month to rent out Victoria’s group home, but still billed residents for a portion of their bi-monthly board on the ” rent “.

Robbs suggested that the “rent” also covered upkeep and other services, although she couldn’t say if this was reported to residents or families.

Griffin explained to Robbs that most people would consider “rent” to refer to money paid to a landlord for the right to live in a property.

“I think if someone asked me this question I would think that the rent also covered the maintenance that should be done on the premises, I would expect that to be part of the rent payment”, a- she declared.

The inquest has already heard that Sophie, who lives with cerebral palsy and intellectual disability, was sexually assaulted by a date in a public park.

Sophie last week told the royal commission they met at a park because Life Without Barriers prohibited her from having guests in the house after 6 p.m.

Hobbs was asked why such a serious incident was not reported to the Life Without Barriers board.

She replied that it was because the incident had not happened “while Sophie was in our care”.

“I am troubled by your answer,” Griffin said, noting “the imposition of these rules in fact [Life Without Barriers] partly responsible for what happened afterwards ”.

This was “because Sophie had been denied the opportunity to have someone in her home and, as a result, she had found herself in a more vulnerable position.”

When questioned, Robbs agreed that was the case, but maintained it was appropriate not to report the incident to the board.

The investigation is continuing.

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