[This] report, [commissioned by the Australian Government Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs], presents a draft model and recommendations for certification of people who work in the disability sector, to support the objectives and principles of DisabilityCare Australia. The project research included an online survey, interviews and group discussions. [The authors] talked to people with disability and their families, support workers and managers, and people from the government. People across Australia were asked what gave them confidence that the disabili
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[This] report, [commissioned by the Australian Government Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs], presents a draft model and recommendations for certification of people who work in the disability sector, to support the objectives and principles of DisabilityCare Australia. The project research included an online survey, interviews and group discussions. [The authors] talked to people with disability and their families, support workers and managers, and people from the government. People across Australia were asked what gave them confidence that the disability support worker was the 'right person for the job' and about how they would recognise a good worker. [The research] also looked at what people were doing in other countries, and in other industries in Australia.
The research found that many people agree about what makes a good support worker. However, there were many different ideas about what workers should have to do to be certified, and how a system of certification would be regulated. Many people with a disability and their families were worried that they would not be able to find a support worker if there were too many rules. Having choice and control was very important to many people. Therefore, the report recommends that a system of certification be introduced one step at a time. In the first stage, a voluntary register of support workers should be set up and tested in the DisabilityCare Australia launch sites. Workers' references and police records should be checked before they are listed on the register. It is recommended that in the future, the register should become compulsory. Also in the future, workers who want to show that they have a higher level of skill and knowledge should be able to apply for higher levels of certification. The project report includes the findings from the research and recommends how a system of certification could be set up to provide recognition for good support workers, and give people with a disability and their families more choice and control over who provides their care and support.
Edited excerpt from publisher's website.
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