Research

Our research and systemic advocacy activities focus on problems affecting people with disabilities. They aim to change things like government and non-government policies, laws and community attitudes. Systemic advocacy addresses the causes of problems rather than the symptoms. It can bring about changes that improve life for many people. Each year we work on more than 30 systemic issues.

How do we find out about a problem?

We usually find out about problems from our volunteers and staff who work with people with disabilities, service providers, government departments and people with disabilities.
We undertake research, write submissions and issues papers, hold discussion forums, give information to the media and raise issues with government and service providers.

Systemic advocacy: risk versus rights – a case example

In recent years an increasing amount of social and support services have been provided in community locations and private homes. Service providers are working in more diverse locations than ever before. They have to meet their legal, ethical and financial obligations in these new environments. The growing focus on risk management in the corporate and business worlds has increasingly influenced how human services are provided.

Increasingly, service providers have responded to this challenge by trying to minimise risks. This has led to some providers limiting services and in some cases refusing to offer a service. Increasingly, people with disabilities have been missing out on the services they needed to live life in the community.

In response these problems the Office of the Public Advocate hosted two forums. The first forum in 2004 aimed to raise awareness and promote debate on the issue. The second forum in 2005 included a series of workshops. Providers from the aged, disability and mental health fields shared their approaches to managing risk in ways which did not adversely impact on client rights. The forums attracted over 500 people including people with a disability, service providers, managers, lawyers and policy makers. As a result other services across the state held similar forums to address the issues in their local area.

These forums have led to a number of positive changes:

The Office of the Public Advocate has collaborated with Worksafe to create health and safety guidelines for home care workers and an information pack to help small community organisations understand their occupational health and safety obligations. Worksafe is the prevention arm of the Victorian Workcover Authority. It aims to reduce workplace death, disease and injury.

The Department of Human Services has funded an Occupational Health and Safety Network for disability agencies to discuss their approaches to this issue.

The Office of the Public Advocate has been invited to a number of local and national conferences in order to raise the issue, and has presented on the ‘No Limits’ television program on channel 31.
The Office of the Public Advocate, the Department of Human Services and LaTrobe University were jointly awarded an Australian Research Council grant to investigate the impact of risk management in human service delivery.

The Office of the Public Advocate has created a training module for service providers on risk management and client rights.

The Office of the Public Advocate has been instrumental in leading the debate on this critical issue affecting the lives of people with disabilities. It will continue to advocate for a more balanced approach to risk management in human services.