Isabelle, Jemma and Poppy
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.
Isabelle wrote to the Royal Commission about her experiences working in a group home over a period of about five years. Her employment was terminated a few years ago after she ‘blew the whistle’ on staff who unreasonably limited the rights of residents to make their own decisions.
Isabelle told us about two residents in particular, Jemma and Poppy.
Jemma is in her mid-30s, has Down syndrome and is non-verbal. She is ‘cheery’, ‘loving’ and ‘determined’, loves helping with household chores, walking around the park and going to the movies. Jemma’s chosen and agreed Friday community activities were going with a support worker to the park or swimming, but Isabelle said she was routinely denied this.
Jemma was ‘not allowed to use the second toilet in her own house’, as was her preference. Certain staff would physically block Jemma, resulting in altercations in which she would be on the floor, refusing to move and crying.
Poppy is almost 60, has an intellectual disability and is ‘easy going, happy and friendly’. Poppy’s family and cat are ‘her greatest treasure in her life’.
Poppy also loves to buy fresh flowers. She loves to smell them every day, and prune them before replacing them each week. But one of the staff members decided that Poppy was ‘wasting money’ doing this and took it on herself, without Poppy’s consent, to use Poppy’s money to buy fake flowers instead.
The same staff member also refused to let Poppy feed her cat at dinner time.
The same staff member would micromanage Poppy’s diet and shopping choices. For example she would not allow Poppy to buy herself popcorn and soft drink when residents had outings to the cinema, or let her choose her own meals in the house, or let her have flavoured drinks, despite Poppy’s dietician saying these things were ok.
This staff member even dictated which exact fruit and vegetable items Poppy could buy at the shops. She was ‘very controlling’ and ‘refused [Poppy’s] choices and her rights’.
Isabelle believes Poppy was scared of this staff member. ‘She developed signs of depression … withdrawing herself from others and staying in a dark room.’
Isabelle told the Royal Commission that she and her family have suffered as a result of her attempts to report and rectify abuses in the house.
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.