Childcare prosecutions: 32 being processed now for serious incidents Disabilities prosecutions this year so far :1 that I know of
It is interesting that if you compare prosecutions for abuse incidents in childcare they are much higher than those for disability abuse incidents. Most likely because the industry is regulated, they often do have cameras in daycare centres now and they can be prosecuted for hurting children, neglecting, abusing. Not so for disabilities and this needs to change by demanding and bringing in changes to the laws for disabilities so that we can have equality of justice for our disability children and punishments and penalties for those organizations who breach the rules at present no one gets in trouble not even for neglect.
Interestly and despicably the Integrity Care organization that let Ann Marie Smith be neglected, die and have her money stolen out of her bank (NDIS is also responsible for her care) quickly went out to accredit its workers, 33 in fact (ABC news 19 July 2020) straight after Ann Marie's death to cover themselves because their workers were not accredited. Go figure. They did not want to get in trouble because she had died, and yet they did not go to the trouble of looking after this woman properly and giving her at least more than one worker. Especially when they were being paid by NDIS as providers to do this and she had money in the bank which was also stolen...who by? Maybe the worker.
I saw the photo put up of the worker who neglected Ann Marie and she looks like a mother typically caring of her son standing next to her and I wondered how she could treat Ann Marie Smith so badly and not care, and if she did steal things from her, including the fridge and not feed her what kind of human being was this? That treated the Ann Marie so inhumanely.
All the parents of vulnerable disability kids think dear God how could this happen? Please dont let this happen to my beautiful child when I am gone....none of us want that...
There needs to be a catch net in place for children young or old should their parents die so that they are cared for properly.Disability workers need to be trained that should be a given. If they hurt someone they must be punished, sacked and prosecuted. If they are not up to standard they should not be employed and if they have neglected and failed to care of duty for another disability person they should not be employed. Why is this allowed? Why is no one punished?
Recently noted in an article by the daily Telegraph (Harris 2020 June 27th) the total of serious incidents in Childcare in New South Wales where a child suffered serious injury or trauma requiring medical attention grew from 5416 to 5749 this financial year (2019-2020). Centre-based daycare services recorded the high number of breaches followed by after school care 1452 breaches recorded. NOw there are prosecutions occurring for 32 of the incidents.
Similarly in disabilities care just in 2019 between July to September Australia wide there were 8,595 reports of serious incidents against those with disabilities.
In the year 2018-2019 the NDIS commission showed 4,537 reports of serious incidents in NSW and SA and 1,236 of those were of alleged abuse and neglect, including physical, verbal or financial. The amount of prosecutions I have heard of none so far. Perhaps one in NSW of a worker recently this year who recording himself abusing those in his care. A foolish young man arrested. Apart from that is the investigation in Ann Marie Smith who died when she was meant to be getting care from the carer who let her starve and did not bath or move or feed her properly. Parents are traumatised over her story because we do not want it to happen to our children.
My son would be one of those stats who was injured last year and again no investigation or prosecution. I said to the Police inspector if my son died would you still say no cameras no crime?
He said nothing.
The childcare industry is regulated and organizations of daycare etc are fined, punished, penalized if a child is hurt in their care. A worker in childcare can be fined and penalized, arrested.
In disabilities no one is punished even though there is mandatory reporting, if they fail to report an incident, they are not put in trouble. They are not fined or prosecuted for neglect, abuse, exploitation of those in their care.
We need the disabilities service providers to be regulated and if they hurt, harm or neglect a disability child even over the age of 18 who often are like children especially if non verbal the service provider workers should be punished, fined, imprisoned for the crimes they do.
If we need cameras to prove that crime then it must happen. We need a law that says anyone that hurts a disability person in care should be prosecuted. If there is no law no one will get in trouble and it will not stop it will continue for the rest of our children's lives as well as other disability children's lives unless we fight for more laws that protect them now.
Way back in 2016 in an article by Sydney Morning Herald newpaper (Robertson 2016) the headline screamed "a thousand allegations of abuse and only 18 prosecutions" This has not changed -the writer notes a thousand 'reported' allegations of abuse and only a fraction of them prosecuted. WE must not let this go on - the perpetrators must be prosecuted, must be charged, must be punished, fined or imprisoned.
Lately there are threats of prison and fines of $50,000 in Australia for breaching quarantine so obsessed is the government to make people comply or suffer and yet they will not defend the vulnerable perhaps because it does not generate finance for them. They need to change. Threatening and making draconian punishments for those who dare to meet too closely yet for those who hurt a disability person. Nothing.
Instead of just saving their own skins the governments needs to start making laws to protect the vulnerable in society and not just he money makers. You reap what you sow, they could be that vulnerable person one day who needs a hand, needs help, needs protecting and others will just walk on by and turn a blind eye and say it doesnt matter.
Let us, the parents, and those who just know we must look after disabilities people, human beings that need help,and are vulnerable and unable to defend themselves, Let us stand and fight for the rights for that protection and that includes cameras, laws that prosecute those who hurt the disability person and punishments for workers who fail to care, and neglect, abuse or harm the vulnerable. Fines and prison should be dished out to those workers, and those heads of organizations that do these crimes and no longer allowed to get away with it. Let us as parents now demand this!
Anndrea x