Tristan and Brenda
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.
Tristan has autism and is non-verbal. He exhibits challenging behaviours and needs constant supervision. He lives in a complex group home where residents have dual disability diagnoses.
Brenda, his mother, is concerned the privatisation of disability services will lock in systemic abuse and neglect of people with disability living in group homes.
‘With the advent of NDIS, the … Government has thrown all the disabled who rely on 24/7 care into the lap of businesses. "Not for profits" are businesses, too ─ believe me! … He is now in the care of a money mentality with a bottom line in mind.’
Brenda says the ongoing decline in the quality of training of disability staff is mirrored by a decline in competitive pay rates and a reduction in experience of disability support workers in complex settings.
Brenda voiced her concerns to the organisation that runs the group home.
‘I complained on several occasions about the inexperience of recruits employed to work in my son's setting. I was assured “trained” people would be employed.’
But Brenda saw the recruitment ads for the organisation. They asked only ‘for a driver’s licence and willingness to work shift hours’. The organisation reassured Brenda, ‘Those people would obviously NOT be employed at your son's residence.’
‘That was a bald faced lie,’ Brenda told the Royal Commission. ‘Workers are already coming into my son's home who have little or no qualifications or experience.’
‘Luckily, for now at least, a core of the highly experienced and qualified (e.g. ex psychiatric nurses) have remained at my son's group home … But I fear for the future when the Crown award is terminated. These quality staff will be forced to look elsewhere for employment.’
Brenda said that managing extreme behaviours, including aggression and ‘continuing to give people like [Tristan] a worthwhile life’ is challenging – it’s not just ‘taking people out for coffees, ice-cream and shopping trips’.
‘The pay scale of people putting themselves on the line needs to reflect this.’
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.