The Six National Standards is what pins our practice at abbaCare

• 1.

  Rights:

  abbaCare promotes individual rights to freedom of expression, self-determination as well as decision-making and make an effort to prevent abuse, harm, neglect and violence.
• 2.

  Participation and Inclusion:

  abbaCare works with individuals, families, friends and carers to provide opportunities for substantial participation and effective inclusion in society.
• 3.

  Individual Outcomes:

  Services and supports are evaluated, organized, delivered and reviewed to build on individual strengths and enable individuals to reach their goals.
• 4.

  Feedback and Complaints:

  Frequent feedback is sought after and used to inform individual and organisation-wide service about reviews and improvements.
• 5.

  Service Access:

  abbaCare manages access, commencement and leaving a service in a clear, honest, equal and responsive way.
• 6.

  Service Management:

  abbaCare has effective and accountable service management and leadership to maximise results for individuals.

Standard One:

Rights

• dignity and respect;
• freedom of expression;
• self-determination;
• choice and control;
• confidentiality and privacy;
• freedom from discrimination, exploitation, abuse, harm, neglect and violence;
• the role of families, friends, carers and advocates in the safeguarding of rights; and
• comprehensive systems to prevent or promptly respond to any breaches of rights.

Rights for people

Outcomes for people

Standards for service

National Indicators of Practice

• 1:1

  The service, its staff and its volunteers treat individuals with dignity and respect.
• 1:2

  The service, its staff and its volunteers recognise and promote individual freedom of expression.
• 1:3

  The service supports active decision-making and individual choice including the timely provision of information in appropriate formats to support individuals, families, friends and carers to make informed decisions and understand their rights and responsibilities.
• 1:4

  The service supports active decision-making and individual choice including the timely provision of information in appropriate formats to support individuals, families, friends and carers to make informed decisions and understand their rights and responsibilities.
• 1:5

  The service has preventative measures in place to ensure that individuals are free from discrimination, exploitation, abuse, harm, neglect and violence.
• 1:6

  The service addresses any breach of rights promptly and systemically to ensure opportunities for improvement are captured.
• 1:7

  The service supports individuals with information and, if needed, access to legal advice and/or advocacy.
• 1:8

  The service recognises the role of families, friends, carers and advocates in safeguarding and upholding the rights of people with disability.
• 1:9

  The service keeps personal information confidential and private.

Standard Two:

Participation and Inclusion

• promoting a valued role for people with disability in public and private life;
• connection to family, friends and chosen communities;
• economic and community participation and associated benefits to the individual and the broader community;
• participation based on an individual’s interests, identity, heritage, preferences, goals and aspirations (which may change over time); and
• the role of family, friends, carers, advocates and other organisations in promoting participation and inclusion.

Rights for people

Outcomes for people

Standards for service

National Indicators of Practice

• 2:1

  The service actively promotes a valued role for people with disability, of their own choosing.
• 2:2

  The service works together with individuals to connect to family, friends and their chosen communities.
• 2:3

  Staff understand, respect and facilitate individual interests and preferences, in relation to work, learning, social activities and community connection over time.
• 2:4

  Where appropriate, the service works with an individual’s family, friends, carer or advocate to promote community connection, inclusion and participation.
• 2:5

  The service works in partnership with other organisations and community members to support individuals to actively participate in their community.
• 2:6

  The service uses strategies that promote community and cultural connection for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Standard Three:

Individual Outcomes

• people with disability leading and directing their supports with support from family, friends, carers and advocates (with consent);
• service planning, implementation and review being based on individual strengths, needs and life goals;
• collaboration and dialogue,
• responsiveness to diversity; and
• minimal restrictive options.

Rights for people

Outcomes for people

Standards for service

Indicators of Practice

• 3:1

  The service works together with an individual and, with consent, their family, friends, carer or advocate to identify their strengths, needs and life goals.
• 3:2

  Service planning, provision and review is based on individual choice and is undertaken together with an individual and, with consent, their family, friends, carer or advocate.
• 3:3

  The service plans, delivers and regularly reviews services or supports against measurable life outcomes.
• 3:4

  Service planning and delivery is responsive to diversity including disability, age, gender, culture, heritage, language, faith, sexual identity, relationship status, and other relevant factors.
• 3:5

  The service collaborates with other service providers in planning service delivery and to support internal capacity to respond to diverse needs.

Standard Four:

Feedback and Complaints

• clear and regular communication about how to provide feedback including how to make a complaint;
• the use of feedback and complaints to continuously drive service improvements;
• regular, proactive and inclusive feedback systems;
• effective complaints management and resolution;
• transparent dispute management; and
• access to independent information, support, advice and representation to ensure people are able to provide feedback or make a complaint.

Rights for people

Outcome for people

Standard for service

National Indicators of Practice

• 4:1

  Individuals, families, friends, carers and advocates are actively supported to provide feedback, make a complaint or resolve a dispute without fear of adverse consequences.
• 4:2

  Feedback mechanisms including complaints resolution, and how to access independent support, advice & representation are clearly communicated to individuals, families, friends, carers and advocates.
• 4:3

  Complaints are resolved together with the individual, family, friends, carer or advocate in a proactive and timely manner.
• 4:4

  The service seeks and, in conjunction with individuals, families, friends, carers and advocates, reviews feedback on service provision and supports on a regular basis as part of continuous improvement.
• 4:5

  The service develops a culture of continuous improvement using compliments, feedback and complaints to plan, deliver and review services for individuals and the community.
• 4:6

  The service effectively manages disputes.

Standard Five

Service Access

• accessible information to respond to diversity of need;
• transparent and consistently applied service commencement and leaving a service processes;
• information provision and active referral when a service is not available;
• the value of partnerships with other agencies and relevant community members to enable referral; and
• regular reviews to identify and respond to any potential barriers to access.

Rights for people

Outcome for people

Standard for service

National Indicators of practice

• 5:1

  The service systematically seeks and uses input from people with disability, their families, friends and carers to ensure access is fair and equal and transparent.
• 5:2

  The service provides accessible information in a range of formats about the types and quality of services available.
• 5:3

  The service develops, applies, reviews and communicates commencement and leaving a service processes.
• 5:4

  The service develops, applies and reviews policies and practices related to eligibility criteria, priority of access and waiting lists.
• 5:5

  The service monitors and addresses potential barriers to access.
• 5:6

  The service provides clear explanations when a service is not available along with information and referral support for alternative access.
• 5:7

  The service collaborates with other relevant organisations and community members to establish and maintain a referral network.

Standard Six

Service Management

• sound governance and management in all aspects of service planning, development and provision;
• clear communication to staff, people with disability and other stakeholders;
• continuous improvement and evidence based practice;
• a range of methods for active participation of people with disability and their family, friends, carers and advocates in planning, delivery and review at the individual, service and organisational levels; and
• compliance with workplace related legislation and regulation including Work Health Safety, human resource management and financial management.

Rights for people

Outcome for people

Standard for service

Indicators of practice

• 6:1

  Frontline staff, management and governing bodies are suitably qualified, skilled and supported.
• 6:2

  Practice is based on evidence and minimal restrictive options and complies with legislative, regulatory and contractual requirements.
• 6:3

  The service documents, monitors and effectively uses management systems including Work Health Safety, human resource management and financial management.
• 6:4

  The service has monitoring feedback, learning and reflection processes which support continuous improvement.
• 6:5

  The service has a clearly communicated organisational vision, mission and values which are consistent with contemporary practice.
• 6:6

  The service has systems to strengthen and maintain organisational capabilities to directly support the achievement of individual goals and outcomes.
• 6:7

  The service uses person-centred approaches including the active involvement of people with disability, families, friends, carers and advocates to review policies, practices, procedures and service provision.