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From the Minister for Disability Services

The establishment of Disability Services Queensland (DSQ) signalled a significant change in the way services are provided to people with a disability and their families, guardians, friends, carers and advocates in Queensland.

Preventing and responding to the abuse, assault and neglect of people with a disability and the Disability Services Queensland Strategic Plan 2000 - 2005 are a solid basis for service delivery in Queensland.

This policy has been developed to establish standard practices across all services operated or funded by DSQ. It reinforces the Queensland Government's commitment to providing safer communities and better quality services to people with a disability and their families.

The document consists of a set of core policy principles, procedures, and some guides to assist service providers to develop procedures to prevent and respond to the abuse, assault and neglect of people with a disability. A resource booklet has also been prepared to accompany this policy and further assist service providers to identify abuse, assault and neglect.

The implementation of this policy will assist the following people to develop a common understanding of the requirements, roles and responsibilities that are involved in effectively preventing and responding to the threat or occurrence of abuse, assault and neglect of people with a disability:

• people with a disability;
• their families;
• their advocates and guardians;
• management;
• staff;
• volunteers;
• service providers.

I would like to acknowledge the very real and active role that the community, through a statewide consultation process, played in the development of this policy. The consultation process involved people with a disability, their families, friends, carers, and advocates as well as both government and non-government service providers. It was very clear from these consultations that there is extremely strong support across both the community and service sector for the introduction of this policy.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank members of the Abuse Prevention Reference Group for their invaluable contribution to the development of this policy.

I commend the document ‘Preventing and responding to the abuse, assault and neglect of people with a disability’ and I look forward to continually progressing towards safer service delivery in Queensland.

Judy Spence MP
Minister for Disability Services