Part 3 – Making sure people with disability are safe

A safety icon and a person with disability pointing at themselves and raising their hand.

We want the new Act to make sure people with disability are safe.

A person giving 2 thumbs up and a services icon.

We want services to be:

  • safe
  • good quality.

A services icon and a good quality icon.

We want the new Act to work well with the rules we have now about:

  • safety
  • quality.

A Code of Conduct document showing a list with ticks and crosses.

The new Act will also include a Code of Conduct for all providers.

A Code of Conduct is a list of rules about how providers and workers should behave.

What could be in the Code of Conduct?

A group of providers smiling.

The Code of Conduct would have rules for all providers about how to do things well.

A group of people working together at a meeting.

The Code of Conduct would be public.

This is so everyone would be able to find and use it, including people with disability.

A Code of Conduct document that says 'NDIS'.

We think the Code of Conduct could be like the NDIS Code of Conduct.

A government building, a cross and a dollar sign.

If people don’t follow the Code of Conduct, we think they should:

  • get less funding
  • not be able to get any funding.

A Code of Conduct document and a change icon.

We also think we should be able to change the Code of Conduct in the future if we need to.

Getting a certificate

A safety icon and a provider giving a thumbs up.

When a provider has a certificate, it means they’re trained to deliver services in a safe way.

A certificate and a provider pointing at themselves and raising their hand.

We think only providers who deliver certain services should need a certificate.

And the Code of Conduct could cover everyone else.

A standards document showing a list with ticks next to a thumbs up.

Standards are rules about how to do things well.

You can:

  • meet standards
  • go above standards.

A standards document that says 'NSDS' and a certificate.

We think people should need to get a certificate that uses the National Standards for Disability Standards (NSDS).

These are the standards we used in the old Act.

A calendar showing an arrow pointing forward.

But we should be able to create other standards in the future if we need to.

A standards document that says 'NDIS', a standards document that says 'NSDS' and a certificate.

We know that right now, some providers must get a certificate under more than one set of standards.

For example, the NDIS standards and the NSDS.

A standards document that says 'NDIS' and a box with a tick inside of it.

The new Act would allow us to make a rule, so people only need to get a certificate under one set of standards.

For example, if they meet the NDIS standards, they don’t have to meet the NSDS as well.

What does this mean for people with disability?

A safety icon above 2 people having a conversation.

Our rules and standards will help make sure that people get supports and services in a safe way.

A person giving 2 thumbs up.

The Code of Conduct will help people with disability understand how providers must treat them.

What does this mean for providers?

A provider writing in a document next to a Code of Conduct document.

Providers would have to follow the Code of Conduct.

2 providers with their hands on their hearts while they shake hands.

They would have to keep following the rules they agreed to for the programs that are still going.

A person thinking next to a high risk icon.

For new services and programs, we’ll decide if a provider needs a certificate.

We’ll check the level of risk when we make this decision.