https://anndreaspeakz.podbean.com/e/the-day-my-son-got-hurt/

My beautiful son, James is now 30 years old and lives with Fragile X Syndrome, a genetic condition that causes learning disabilities and cognitive impairment. He cannot speak. Recently, my son suffered a shocking head injury at his respite facility, and nobody bothered to inform me or take responsibility. That’s why I am calling for better protection for vulnerable people with disabilities.

It is protocol for disability respite workers to report any incident or injury that occurs during the day. However, not only was I not informed of the injury, the staff at the respite facility denied that any incident took place.   Again a year later at a day program my son was assaulted by a worker with punches to his arm - the provider said they did not know how it happened and it was a 'mystery'  but it is not a mystery I said to them you know what happened however they denied it even happened at their program and kept their workers away from me when questioned what had happened to James.    I then wrote a post in James's injury being 'unknown' by the provider and he was suspended from their services even without naming them.   I did not want my son there any further in any case but this shows the extent providers go to in covering up any abuse or neglect in their programs and care.      

There were 8000 cases of serious harm reported to the NDIS quality commission in 2020 to 2021 who also are slack in their investigations of their own organization and providers of course.   There were no prosecutions yet in childcare there were 30 or more prosecutions - they are more likely to have cctv cameras and they regulate their childcare centres and have trained workers with at least two years university or tafe before they can be a childcare worker  we need the same for disabilities where the most vulnerable are being funded and put in programs or care with often uneducated and untrained workers who may not even care about these precious ones.

      Better protection for people with disabilities needs to happen. I think it should be mandatory to have cameras installed in respite facilities and other places of care for disabled persons.  The NDIS told me that the providers are allowed to have cameras and yet they do not choose to do so, likewise it is needed to protect children in special needs classrooms. We need CCTV cameras to be made mandatory as a part of Health and Safety in disabilities especially where the children or adults are non verbal.

We all saw the shocking footage of mistreatment in aged care facilities. We need to have a record of what is happening in disability respite and accommodation  centres.  

Sadly, our recent experience is not an isolated incident. I know of countless other heartbroken mothers sharing stories of their children being abused at respite group homes. Parents live with the constant stress of worry for their disability  child's well-being especially for that child's future care.

As a mother of a son with a disability, It sickens me that nothing is being done to protect people with disabilities. Respite workers are under no obligation to even be questioned for any incident or accident involving vulnerable persons. Police are often reluctant to investigate.  We need stronger laws to protect the vulnerable who can’t fight for themselves unable to even speak up or express themselves . 

We need to be guaranteed safety and protection for our kids if we choose to use respite homes or group accommodation that is permanent . The lack of legal protection for these vulnerable individuals is discrimination and marginalisation of these beautiful people who are human beings with the same fears and same feelings as the rest of us.   Adult persons with disabilities are as vulnerable as children.  We need cameras in respite care homes.

Please, sign and share my petition so we can have stronger laws to protect vulnerable persons with disabilities.

Anndrea Wheatley (Mother and Resilience Psychologist)   

#SAIDstopabuseindisabilities

#disabilitylivesmatteroz                   Facebook:  IfJamescouldtalk