Kieren
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.
‘There are carers that have been in the industry for many good reasons –they have an understanding, they have family with a disability that they can relate to – but yeah, it’s really sad to see them just drop off like flies.’
Kieren is in his 30s and lives with a spinal cord injury from an accident more than a decade ago. He uses a wheelchair and catheter, and relies on well-trained support workers.
Kieren told the Royal Commission that during the COVID-19 pandemic service providers sent him untrained staff.
‘There’s just more random people coming through my doors and people who aren’t trained, who are inexperienced,’ Kieren told the Royal Commission. ‘And apart from the care support [there are] safety concerns.’
Kieren said support workers turn up without identification.
‘I don’t know who the stranger is, it’s just a name given to me by a text message. Yet I’m having a stranger in every time enter my house from an agency. That plays on my mind and is a major concern as well.’
Kieren said service providers often promise the workers they’re sending are ‘well-trained or have spinal specific training’, but he feels ‘like they’re just walked off the streets into this industry to take care of people’.
‘No qualifications, no training, no nothing.’
For example, a service provider recently sent him support workers who failed to drain his catheter bag and nearly killed him. As a result of that incident, Kieren developed post-traumatic stress disorder.
‘They have no bowel care training, nothing. If you ask them, “Where do you usually do all this? Who’s the majority of your clients?” they come across like, “I worked with people with intellectual disabilities.” It’s a common thing I hear. So, you know, there’s no transparency with companies and agencies.’
Kieren said his last service provider withdrew its support because it sent an untrained worker who injured himself lifting Kieren.
‘There was no training prior to them commencing, he was thrown into the deep end, no [occupational health and safety] OHS training, no manual handling, no training at all. He was just chucked in hands-on.’
Kieren said service providers seem to be losing the better-trained, experienced workers because good workers often aren’t paid any better than bad ones.
‘They’re not acknowledged for their hard work that they put in, not only for the organisation but for the client, and they’ve just gone.’
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.