Chas and Jacquie
Content Warning: These stories are about violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation and may include references to suicide or self-harming behaviours. They may contain graphic descriptions and strong language and may be distressing. Some narratives may be about First Nations people who have passed away. If you need support, please see Contact & support.
Chas, early 40s, has cerebral palsy, intellectually disability, vision impairment, depression and anxiety. He has represented Australia in elite sport, winning gold for Australia.
In his late 20s, Chas wanted to be more independent and move out of the family home.
‘I wanted him in an environment where they understood his disabilities,’ his mum Jacquie told the Royal Commission, ‘where he was going to get the right support and where he had some company.’
Chas moved into a group home with numerous residents of mixed age and disability.
He was living a full life and volunteering several days a week at this time. He was used to being independent and having choice.
But staff at the home took away a lot of Chas’s choice and control.
He liked to come in the side door but staff refused to let him. They would tell him he couldn’t have vanilla ice-cream because they only bought Neapolitan. They made him eat soup even though he found it difficult to eat without spilling it everywhere.
‘That was enough to give him a meltdown, literally.’
Jacquie said staff assumed Chas’s capacity was greater than it is.
‘He is visually impaired and in a wheelchair. And he had to clean his own room, he had to clean his own toilet and he does have difficulty with toileting sometimes. You might have to help him.’
Chas’s room became a mess and his personal hygiene deteriorated.
‘They wouldn't help him with his shaving, they wouldn't even cut his fingernails.’
His sheets and clothes became filthy and would go missing. His room became a mess and he couldn’t find anything.
‘He would be having a meltdown because he was going to be late for work … But they didn't really take on board that he was going to his job.’
Chas became more and more frustrated.
Staff started ringing Jacquie every day to complain about Chas’s behaviour.
One of the residents picked up on the way staff spoke to Chas and started to goad and bully him because he was an easy target.
‘All of it culminated in my son unravelling, my health declining, our family suffering because I was really quite unwell.’
The residents ganged up on Chas and told him they didn’t want him to live there.
Chas was traumatised.
‘This is a man who in the right environment won a gold medal. If he was treated with respect and his needs were understood, he could rise to the occasion.’
Soon after, Chas was on a train. He became distressed when a group of athletes got on, and tried to get off. The driver intervened and Chas lashed out.
Police charged Chas with assault. He was set to appear at the Magistrates Court until an advocate intervened.
‘It took him getting into trouble with the police for anybody to actually listen.’
The court provided a justice worker, a psychologist, behaviour management specialist and organised a psychiatric assessment.
‘[The assessment] clearly demonstrated [Chas] has no ability to regulate his own emotions and the level of supports he requires. This has assisted to get support workers to understand his level of need.’
Chas now lives in a one-bedroom unit. Support workers come in to do his washing, make him meals and help him shower.
‘He likes his workers at the moment, but I would have to say he just had to fit into their timetable … It is about the person fitting into their environment rather than them fitting into the person's needs.’
Disclaimer: This is the story of a person who shared their personal experience with the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability through a submission or private session. The names in this story are pseudonyms. The person who shared this experience was not a witness and their account is not evidence. They did not take an oath or affirmation before providing the story. Nothing in this story constitutes a finding of the Royal Commission. Any views expressed are those of the person who shared their experience, not of the Royal Commission.