Jaxx and Macy
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.
Jaxx is a young adult who has autism and epilepsy. He lives at home with his parents and siblings.
A couple of years ago Jaxx’s family decided to hire support workers to assist him with daily living skills. ‘General house cleaning, doing his washing, shopping etc,’ said his mum Macy.
The family chose a local disability support provider in their area. Over three years a number of different workers came to their home. They all had varying levels of skills and training.
Macy said that when she raised concerns about some of the workers, she was ‘dismissed without due consideration’. The organisation was unwilling to acknowledge any wrongdoing, allowing their staff ‘do as they please without recourse’.
As a carer, she told the Royal Commission, ‘you spend the vast majority of your time justifying your right to even get the service, once you get it, the providers then treat you like they are doing you a favour.’
In one incident, a support worker ‘almost burnt the house down’ when he left a pot to burn dry on the stove. He also told Jaxx to hang washing out in the rain.
One day Macy came home from work to find a mostly empty freezer. She immediately rang the support worker who said all the items smelled bad and had passed their use-by dates. ‘[Recently opened] packets of spinach, vegetables... spice jars which I reuse and tins... homemade dinners still in their decor containers had also been thrown out.’
Jaxx overheard his mother’s frustration and became upset, blaming himself for what happened.
Macy then went into Jaxx’s room and discovered an empty money jar. The day before it had been full. She rang the company and made a complaint.
Macy was told that part of the duties of the company’s support workers was ‘to go into the homes of men with a disability who live alone and teach them about expiry dates and throw out food that had gone bad.’ But Jaxx didn’t live alone, and Macy felt the worker’s actions showed an ‘obvious lack of knowledge regarding what is and isn't unsafe food’.
The supervisor offered Macy financial compensation for the value of the food items that had been destroyed. She was not offered anything to replace the missing money.
Macy refused the offer of compensation. She says the issue was not about the food or the amount of money they suspected had been taken. ‘The issue was the betrayal of trust and the worry that this man would be free to steal from other more vulnerable people under his care.’
The incident impacted Jaxx directly. ‘[His] trust had been damaged and it took a long time for him to accept another support worker and he became paranoid about hiding his money.’
The family terminated their contract with the organisation. They now employ support workers from a different service provider. Macy says she has learnt many lessons along the way.
‘I have made sure ever since that someone else is in the house when any support worker is with my son as I don't trust new people alone with him.’
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.