Outstanding initiative - sponsored by Griffith University
This award recognises a specific project (short or long term) that has achieved outstanding results for people with a disability and their families and carers.
Joint award recipients
Queensland Advocacy Incorporated Justice Support Program
Queensland Advocacy Incorporated Director Kevin CocksThe Justice Support Program provides a free support and information service for people with a disability who are:
- victims or witnesses of a crime, accused of a crime, or going to court and need support
- in police custody after hours and need support and legal advice
or who are
- family members, friends or disability workers who are trying to assist someone in their dealings with the police or in a court case
- police officers, solicitors and other agencies in the criminal justice system.
The service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and relies on staff and volunteers to attend to people in need at police stations, legal appointments, courts and court-related processes such as youth justice conferences, mediation and community tribunals.
The program aims to offer non-legal support until the matter is resolved. It also facilitates after-hours lawyers who offer advice over the phone to clients while they are at the police station.
The support extends to providing emotional support to a person during a police interview, assisting the person to understand his or her options and alerting police to occasions when the person may not understand the questions.
The program demonstrates a commitment to justice and human dignity.
Legal Aid Queensland
Legal Aid Queensland representative, Director Elizabeth ShearerAccess to justice is essential for people with a disability if they are to overcome social exclusion, discrimination and over-representation in the criminal justice system as offenders and victims. For the past five years, Legal Aid Queensland (LAQ) has invested in making its services more accessible and appropriate for people with a disability through the:
- Intellectual disability and cognitive screening project
- Brief Services Unit
- Disability Legal Assistance Forum.
Intellectual disability and cognitive screening project
To improve service delivery and legal outcomes LAQ will now use the Hayes Ability Screening Index to help identify clients with intellectual disability or cognitive impairments (ID/CI). By using this screening staff have indicated that their knowledge of ID/CI has improved their practice skills and ability to deal with legal issues and has improved their understanding of their client's background.
Brief Services Unit
LAQ established the Brief Services Unit in 2005 to provide additional legal advice, assistance and representation where a client's basic legal rights are at stake. The unit focuses on areas that have a significant impact on the client's financial or social circumstances, such as housing, income, debt, personal safety and access to basic services such as health and education.
Disability Legal Assistance Forum
LAQ convened this forum in February 2009 along with other legal aid agencies that provide services to people with a disability. The forum aims to promote cooperation between legal service providers in the interests of clients with impaired decision-making capacity. The forum is mapping the legal needs of people with a disability to identify appropriate client pathways and gaps in legal service delivery for people with a disability.
Last reviewed: 01 October 2009