Alan and Lana
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.
‘How can a company keep on operating and treating vulnerable participants and staff like this?’
Lana told the Royal Commission that her son Alan, who has intellectual disability, has been financially exploited by a disability service provider. This provider also reportedly exploits its staff, which leads to inadequate care and neglect of clients.
Lana said that the day after Alan received his plan from the NDIS and the disability support provider became his plan manager, the provider withdrew two lots of $20,000 for ‘daily activities’ and ‘social community & civic participation’. Less than two weeks later, the provider withdrew another $10,000 for ‘social community & civic participation’.
Lana was concerned and talked with parents of former clients. They had had similar experiences and had to bring in outside help to try and get their money back.
When Lana confronted the CEO, he responded that he had made a mistake but that Alan would receive the services, so ‘don’t worry’.
But this was not the case. Lana said, ‘Whenever they were short staffed they would use [Alan’s] carer elsewhere, leaving [Alan] with no carer or with new carers that simply did not understand how to care for my son.’
Over the next few months the company continued to withdraw funds until only 25% remained.
Meanwhile, Lana had been speaking with staff. They said they weren’t getting paid on time or getting paid superannuation. This meant that ‘good staff’ never stayed long. Lana heard that sometimes staff just didn’t turn up and clients would be left in bed, uncared for.
Eventually Lana ‘reached breaking point’ and asked for the funds to be reversed back into Alan’s plan. Weeks went by. Nothing happened until Lana threatened to go to NDIS fraud, the media ‘and to anyone that would listen’.
Lana wasn’t comfortable about this approach. ‘I knew that the money would simply be taken out of someone else’s plan and a vulnerable person would be facing what I was and perhaps did not have someone to advocate for them.’
Alan now has a new support coordinator, an ‘excellent carer’ and is enjoying life. But Lana still worries. ‘Me and my husband are in our 70s, we are worried that companies like this continue to operate and take advantage of these vulnerable people and no-one is there to help them or to advocate for them.’
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.