Quality, Safeguards and Standards
Go to the Handbooks Page to download the Quality, Safeguards and Standards handbook. (Free for NSW sole traders and NDP Sole Trader members.This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to find out more.)
Summary
NDIS participants must have access to high quality services that will support them to achieve their goals.
The NDIS Quality and Safeguarding Framework will apply in NSW and SA from 1 July 2018. Other States and Territories will follow as they reach full scheme NDIS. Existing arrangements will apply until this date.
The framework details those aspects of quality and safeguarding that are the responsibility of the Commonwealth, and which components will remain the responsibility of States and Territories. Most functions will be undertaken by the Quality and Safeguards Commission. In addition to universal protections, States and Territories will retain some responsibilities for worker screening and restricted practices authorisation.
The NDIS Commission does not replace the National DIsability Insurance Agency (NDIA). The NDIA will continue to:
- Deliver the NDIS
- Provide individualised plans and support people with disability
- Coordinate service bookings, payments and access to plans fro providers
- Handle complaints about the NDIA itself, eligibility funding and participant plans.
NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission
The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission is an independent Commonwealth body, established to oversee the delivery of quality supports and services under the NDIS. The Commission will implement the NDIS Quality and Safeguarding Framework which was released by the Council of Australian Governments Disability Reform Council in February 2017. The Framework sets out a national system to support NDIS participants, carers and providers – upholding the standards that participants deserve, and ensuring clarity on the rights and responsibilities of participants, providers and their staff.
The NDIS Commission is now available in New South Wales and South Australia. The Framework will come into effect as each state and territory reaches full scheme NDIS.
- NSW and SA – from 1 July 2018
- NT, TAS, VIC, QLD, ACT – 1 July 2019
- WA - 1 July 2020.
The Commission will support NDIS participants to exercise choice and control, ensure appropriate safeguards are in place for NDIS supports, and establish expectations for providers and their staff to deliver quality support. NDIS participants are covered under their state or territory's existing quality and safeguards systems until the Commission is available.
What is changing for providers?
There will be several changes for NDIS providers under the new Commission, which will simplify quality and safeguards requirements. Changes include:
- Registration (inclusive of practice standards);
- Complaints;
- Reportable incidents;
- The new NDIS Code of Conduct;
- Behaviour support; and
- Worker screening.
Until the implementation of a national quality management framework for NDIA registered providers, you still need to be mindful of existing state and territory based systems that will continue to ensure participants have access to high quality services that achieve their goals, which are free from abuse, neglect and exploitation. This means that you may be required at the time of registration to demonstrate your capacity to comply with existing standards, existing worker screening and police check requirements. These are detailed further in the ‘Registering as a service provider’ section of this hub.
For further information visit the NDIS Commission website.
State and Territory requirements
Quality and safeguards ensure people with disability have access to high quality supports and services. Safeguarding people with disability from abuse, harm and neglect is every disability service provider's responsibility and must be an important part of everyday practice. Safeguards include natural safeguards like personal relationships and community connections, and formal safeguards like service standards, regulations and quality assurance systems for service providers and the people they employ.
The Provider Registration Guide to Suitability outlines the different requirements for each state and territory that must be adhered to. Providers registering in multiple jurisdictions must meet the requirements relevant to each registration group you are applying for in each jurisdiction.
Quality and Safeguards Working Arrangements and requirements for each jurisdiction:
- VIC - www.ndis.gov.au/providers/vic-registering-provider.html
- NSW - www.ndis.gov.au/providers/nsw-registering-provider.html
- ACT - www.ndis.gov.au/providers/act-registering-provider.html
- TAS - www.ndis.gov.au/providers/provider-toolkit/tas-registering-provider.html
- South Australia - https://www.ndis.gov.au/providers/sa-registering-provider.html
- Western Australia - https://www.ndis.gov.au/providers/wa-registering-provider.html
- Northern Territory - www.ndis.gov.au/providers/nt-registering-provider.html
- Queensland - www.ndis.gov.au/providers/qld-registering-provider.html
For jurisdictions where the arrangements are still under development, providers will need to refer to the NDIA website and the Guide to Suitability which will continue to be updated as arrangements come into place.
Note that registration and Quality and Safeguard approval is not transferable to another entity or ABN. If providers are planning to move to a new entity, they will need to register again under the new ABN and undertake the relevant Quality and Safeguards approvals for the relevant jurisdiction(s).
Guide to Suitability
The Provider Guide to Suitability provides information to assist providers to understand their quality, safeguards and compliance obligations as providers of supports funded through the NDIS. During transition, and until these arrangements are replaced by a single National Quality and Safeguards Framework, providers of NDIS supports are required to comply with existing Commonwealth, State and Territory standards and legislation. All providers need to manage their own compliance obligations and ensure they meet or exceed the relevant requirements specified to each jurisdiction.Different supports have different levels of risk associated with their delivery. To minimise risk, enhance outcomes and maximise the social and economic participation of people with disability, there are specific experience, qualifications, processes and expertise required of providers. As the quality and safeguards arrangements differ between jurisdictions, providers must comply with the individual requirements of each jurisdiction in which they are providing supports. Read the Provider Registration Guide to Suitability.
National Standards for Disability Services
The National Standards for Disability Services detail the quality standards expected of services that provide disability services. They outline how disability services are to be provided and what people with disability, families and carers should experience when accessing services.
There are six revised National Standards that apply to disability service providers. They are:
- Rights - The service promotes individual rights to freedom of expression, self-determination and decision-making and actively prevents abuse, harm, neglect and violence.
- Participation and Inclusion - The service works with individuals and families, friends and carers to promote opportunities for meaningful participation and active inclusion in society.
- Individual Outcomes - Services and supports are assessed, planned, delivered and reviewed to build on individual strengths and enable individuals to reach their goals.
- Feedback and Complaints - Regular feedback is sought and used to inform individual and organisation-wide service reviews and improvement.
- Service Access - The service manages access, commencement and leaving a service in a transparent, fair and equal and responsive way.
- Service Management - The service has effective and accountable service management and leadership to maximise outcomes for individuals.
Zero Tolerance
Zero Tolerance is an initiative led by NDS in partnership with the disability sector. It assists disability service providers to understand, implement and improve practices which safeguard the rights of people they support. Built around a national evidence-based framework, Zero Tolerance is:
A way for organisations to understand actions they can do to prevent and respond to abuse, neglect and violence of people with disability a clear message that abuse, neglect and violence are not okay a way of thinking about abuse as a human rights issue not a disability issue an organisational and personal commitment to act on:
- anything that makes a person with disability be or feel unsafe
- anything that doesn’t support a person’s human rights
- anything that we could be doing better
- a collection of resources to educate and train staff at all levels to understand their responsibilities in preventing and responding to abuse a way of working collaboratively within and outside the disability sector to prevent and respond to abuse.
