Vicente and Chantria
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.
Vicente, in his mid-30s, has a ‘mild intellectual disability’ and Asperger’s syndrome. ‘Because of that, he has difficulty getting a job,’ his mother Chantria said.
Vicente has sought work through several Disability Employment Services (DES).
‘Some of them are good, some of them just want to take the money.’
She described one job placement Vincente had in a restaurant.
‘It was two full shifts in one day and I am sure that is illegal … He said to me, Mum, I can’t do this anymore.”’
When Chantria complained to the DES provider, they apologised, but in the next breath told her Vicente would have to keep working there.
‘They wanted him to stay for the three months so that they got the Government hand-out.’
Chantria eventually got a job working in the DES sector and was able to observe firsthand problems in the system.
The organisation she worked for ran a factory and employed people with disability to work there.
‘They paid them very little because they already have, I believe, a government pension,’ she said.
Chantria’s job was to sit with the person she was supporting while they worked. She said that even on very hot days there was no air-conditioning – except in the office, where people without disability worked.
‘They had all the comforts. I thought that was really off.’
Chantria thinks there should be better monitoring and auditing of DES.
The organisation she worked for was one of the larger DES, with offices in several states.
‘You’d think they would be reputable. They are just not,’ she said. ‘The government shouldn’t just give money to organisations without checking them.
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.