Braylon and Arianna
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.
‘I see him once a month, and sometimes when he comes I cry. Well, I should be enjoying my son. I should be able to be relaxed knowing he's being supported well. And he's not.’
Arianna is in her 70s and is mum to Braylon, who has a cognitive disability and is non-verbal.
Braylon lives in public housing and is supported by the NDIS through a service provider.
‘I would be told, "If you aren't happy, [Arianna], I'm happy to find you another service," knowing full well that I am struggling with debilitating health issues and I've … no energy to do that. I'm totally burnt out,’ Arianna told the Royal Commission. ‘That's why I handed [Braylon's] support over to [the service provider].’
For more than two decades, Braylon lived in a government-run institution.
‘Abuse by staff was horrendous … There has been no compensation, no class action or anything in regard to those horrendous injuries that he suffered. Emotionally and physically to this day [Braylon] still suffers.’
Nearly 20 years ago, desperate to get him out of the institution, Arianna started her own service provider.
‘That service worked extremely well. [Braylon] had a much better life, everybody that saw it was impressed by the way it was set up, by the way we did things, how the house looked, everything.’
Arianna ran that service provider unpaid for more than a decade.
‘I had to learn and process wages for staff … interview people, hire them and train them over long, full shifts day and night up until 10 at night … I filled in as a support worker when staff were ill, away or on leave and was a mentor to the staff. I researched extensively ways to improve [Braylon's] health and overall health issues, which didn't leave a lot of time for me to be [Braylon's] mum, which is what I craved to do at that time.’
‘Burnt out’, Arianna retired and looked for another service provider to take over. She found one, but says they now employ poorly-trained staff.
‘[Braylon’s] personal care is shocking. Quite often he's not shaved properly … Sometimes [Braylon] had been hospitalised and the hospital even queried the abuse. The doctor would say to me, "What was going on, where were you, what happened?"’
Arianna said the service provider appears not to be concerned about his welfare or enjoyment. It is slow to report injuries. It stopped Braylon’s horse-riding lessons.
‘Staff are not trained in how to prepare Braylon for a ride so he's missing out on the joys in his life, after more than 35 years riding. Staff stopped [Braylon's] swim in the pool … He's not encouraged to do many things that he did before and staff are surprised when I say, "Oh, but he can do this or he can do that." "Oh, we didn't know that," would be the comment. Most staff have no idea what he can do, so the level of participation for [Braylon] in the house is lost.’
Braylon was recently rushed to hospital with a food blockage, ‘a mistake made by staff giving bigger food’.
‘Staff are not trained properly. They've been working with [Braylon] for several years. They just stick with what they know and nothing new is learnt and nothing new is passed on.’
Arianna said that being ‘in fear for your son's life’ isn’t what she expected from modern service providers.
‘I can't do any more than I have done now. That's the way I feel,’ Arianna told the Royal Commission.
‘I can't do anything about what goes on at [the new service provider] anymore. I just look at him and just say "Sorry [Braylon], I've done my best. I can't do any more for you, mate."’
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.