Comments on: Yes we want to hire workers more easily. But let’s also talk safeguards and support

By: Maree Becker

Maree Becker — Sat, 17 Dec 2016 18:58:52 +0000

Hi,
Similar story to Suzanne although I have been hired as my brothers Service Coordinator. We have been self managing his ISP funds for 5 years now and it has been the best decision for him! He has great support workers who are properly trained and experienced to work with him as he has complex support needs. My mum oversees the day to day stuff and my role is to offer support on a professional level when an incident has occurred or staff require extra support for their role. My role as Service Coordinator is to advertise and hire staff, write up employment contracts, ensure staff have insurances, schedule monthly meetings, write up agendas, approve minutes, complete monthly rosters, staff training (I’m a trainer in the industry) review goals and care plan just to name a few. Choosing to self manage under the NDIS is a great option however will be met with some confusion due to the complexity of coordinating supports and ensuring the life of the individual runs smoothly and consistently from worker to worker. I definitely agree there needs to be a middle person or a Service Coordinator to help make this happen.
Great article and thanks for opening up the dialogue.
Maree

By: Daniel H

Daniel H — Thu, 03 Nov 2016 03:41:10 +0000

How do we show commitment to building trust between people with a disability, families, workers and organisations?

• By having integrity in yourself.

• Prove you can be trusted by treating people with kindness and respect.

• Don’t be scared to admit your wrong.

• You cannot be a gossip or backbiter, this destroys trust.

• Also by following through on what you say your going to do, this builds trust.

What avenues are there for disclosing issues safely and confidentially if things go wrong between individuals and their workers?

This is a very good question and at the moment there are very few avenues for this to happen. This really needs to be explored. One option is to appoint a trusted support worker as a team leader or keyworker so that individuals and workers can bring issues to them. Regular staff appraisals are also a good way to tackle any issues that arise before they result in conflicts between individuals and their workers.

Who is responsible for offering professional development to individuals, their families or their workers as we navigate this new NDIS world?

I don’t really know!

By: Suzanne

Suzanne — Wed, 26 Oct 2016 23:50:59 +0000

Hi there, I have been employing directly on behalf of my daughter for around 7 years now and I believe it is the best option for us. We don’t look for formal qualifications in staff, rather, we look for common interest areas and personal attributes such as common sense, patience, being part of a community and a willingness to share.
On behalf of my daughter, I hire (with funding) a third party who I suppose you could say in a support coordinator. She, along with my daughter, meets with and shares our values with new staff. A series of questions about their understanding of the role and willingness to be involved in my daughters life are asked/ discussed. She follows up with staff several times a year, both individually and in a group. I also organise 3-4 staff meetings with me per year. We acknowledge staff birthdays and occasionally all of us have lunch together. I believe it is really important to make staff feel that they know each other and that each is a valued team member.
We have had good experiences self-managing and I often am amazed at the wonderful people that have come into our lives as swimmers, cleaners, cooks, uni students, musicians, horse riders, business owners, travellers from all over the world…my daughter’s world is so much richer for the experiences she has been able to have through welcoming these people into her life.