Darla
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.
Darla is a paid support person. She told the Royal Commission that improving training and working conditions for support staff would lead to fewer cases of abuse and neglect of people with disability in a support context.
‘What I find is that there is a severe lack of training for disability support workers in all aspects, but mostly on how to handle stress in the workplace when residents behaviours are pushing support workers too far.’
Darla has observed that there is often conflict or ‘clunky communication’ between staff, doctors and family when it comes to making a decision about medications, particularly medications for controlling a client’s behaviours.
‘Too many times,’ Darla says, ‘management of an organisation have stepped in or tried to step in and a patient has ended up incorrectly medicated … management of an organisation are not medical experts.’
Darla thinks there should be someone who oversees these issues and then cannot be overridden, ‘a “buck stops here” board of medical specialists/advisers’.
Ultimately, Darla hopes ‘that vulnerable people get a chance at a life that is their kind of normal and have access to all the supports that they need including medications that are suited to them to give them the quality of life they deserve and support their emotional welfare’.
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.