Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse

1
Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to
Child Sexual Abuse

• Supporting disability accommodation residents to
  participate in the Royal Commission into
• Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse
• June 2016

2
About the Royal Commission

• The McClellan Royal Commission into Institutional
  Responses to Child Sexual Abuse continues to
  examine the experiences of children who were
  sexually abused in institutional settings.
• The Royal Commission wants to hear from people
  with disability who have experienced or witnessed
  institutional child sexual abuse.
• The Royal Commission has developed a number of
  different fact sheets and other accessible
  information about its work.
• A list of Royal Commission and DHHS links and
  resources is given in the last two slides.

3
Supporting the work of the Royal Commission

• DHHS unreservedly supports the work of the Royal
  Commission and the right of any person with
  disability to participate.
• The department and accommodation services staff
  have already supported residents to participate
  in other enquiries including
• the Victorian Parliaments enquiry into the abuse
  of children in non-government institutions
  (Betrayal of Trust)
• the Commonwealth Senate enquiry into violence,
  abuse and neglect against people with disability
  in institutional and residential settings
• the Victorian Ombudsmans investigation into
  disability abuse reporting.

4
Participating in the Royal Commission

• Disclosing child sexual abuse is difficult for
  anyone. Children and adults with disability may
  find it even harder, especially if theyve grown
  up in an institutional residential setting. All
  staff should support residents who have disclosed
  allegations of sexual abuse and make them aware
  of the Royal Commissions mandate and support
  them if they choose to participate.
• The Royal Commission has funded a range of
  organisations to provide advice and support to
  anyone who may need it, including people with
  disability. These are listed on their website.
• People can contact the Royal Commission by phone,
  email or mail. The person should tell the Royal
  Commission about any communication or other
  support needs they may have. The Royal Commission
  can offer a private session to hear the
  residents story in person.

5
What is a private session?

• The Royal Commission can offer people a private
  session. In a private session, one of the
  Commissioners meets with the resident one-on-one
  to hear their story. A support person can also
  attend.
• A private session lasts about an hour, and can be
  held at a location that suits the resident,
  including their home, or a neutral place that is
  comfortable and convenient for the resident. A
  counsellor will be available to talk to the
  resident before they leave, and will follow up
  with them about a week later.
• There is a long waiting list for private sessions
  due to the number of people who have requested
  one. The Royal Commission is closing
  registrations for private sessions at the end of
  September 2016, so anyone who would like to
  schedule a private session must contact the Royal
  Commission before then.

6
What should I do if a resident says they want to
talk to the Royal Commission?

• Ask the resident if they would like support to do
  so, and if so, who they would like to help them.
• This may be
• a family member of friend
• an advocate
• a staff member
• someone from one of the support agencies funded
  by the Royal Commission
• Ideally, the support person should know the
  resident well, have their trust and be familiar
  with the residents communication or other
  support requirements.
• Staff should make every effort to support a
  resident to engage with the Royal Commission, but
  staff must not act as a personal advocate or
  representative of the resident.

7
What should I do if a resident says they want to
talk to the Royal Commission?

• If the resident does not have a family member or
  friend they are comfortable telling about the
  Royal Commission, staff should contact one of the
  support agencies.
• People with Disability Australia (PWDA) are
  expressly funded by the Royal Commission to
  provide independent personal support to people
  who need it.
• Staff must be careful to respect the residents
  privacy
• Be mindful of how information about a persons
  involvement with the Royal Commission is recorded
  or discussed.
• Some residents will choose not to involve their
  family members. Do not discuss the residents
  involvement with the Royal Commission with their
  family members or anyone else unless the resident
  has asked you to do so.

8
Will someone need to go to the Royal Commission
with the resident?

• Depending on the resident's preferences and
  support needs, a staff member may need to attend
  the private session, or arrange for the private
  session to be held at the resident's house.
• If a staff member does attend a private session,
  they should advise their line manager. They
  should also advise the Commissioner of their role
  in supporting the resident's participation and
  follow any instructions the Commissioner gives
  them about the confidentiality of anything they
  hear during the session.
• Once again, staff must not act as a guardian or
  personal advocate for the resident, or speak on
  their behalf. The role of staff is to support the
  resident to fully participate in the session. An
  independent support person can also attend, such
  as a friend, family member or a representative
  from PWDA.

9
What happens afterwards?

• Telling someone about an experience of child
  sexual abuse is distressing for anyone. It can
  bring back unpleasant memories, feelings of
  powerlessness and fear.
• The resident should be appropriately supported
  after the meeting by ensuring any additional
  supports, such as counselling, are available.
• Staff be on the alert for any signs of distress,
  such as acting out, withdrawal, self-harm, or
  other atypical behaviour.
• Staff should discuss the need for any additional
  support with the house supervisor or operational
  manager, if the resident shows signs that they
  are in distress.

10
How do I support someone who tells me they were
sexually abused?

• If a person discloses an experience of sexual
  abuse to you, whether they were a child or an
  adult at the time, you must report this in line
  with your organisations reporting policy.
• Section 6.7 of DHHSs Residential Services
  Practice Manual, Responding to allegations of
  physical or sexual assault (see last slide for
  link) also contains information about how to
  support a person following a disclosure of
  assault.
• Given the highly personal and distressing nature
  of child sexual abuse, it is critical that staff
  respect and safeguard the privacy of any resident
  making a disclosure, or wishing to talk to the
  Royal Commission.

11
How do I support someone who tells me they were
sexually abused?

• Staff in group homes must report any actions that
  place the physical or psychological well-being of
  residents at risk.
• If you are aware of actions or practices that
  place a residents well-being at risk, you must
  take action, including reporting these incidents
  or concerns immediately. Refer to your
  organisations policy and practice instructions
  for detailed guidance.
• DHHSs Residential Services Practice Manual
  (Section 1.2.1 Reporting concerns) has more
  information about how to recognise behaviours
  that should concern you (see last slide for
  link).
• If you have any questions or concerns, you should
  discuss them with your house supervisor or
  operations manager.

12
Royal Commission contact details

• By phone
• 1800 099 340 - Monday to Friday between the hours
  of 8am and 8pm AEST.
• TTY 133 677
• Speak and Listen 1300 555 727
• Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) 131
  450 
• By email
• contact_at_childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au
• By mail
• Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to
  Child Sexual Abuse
• GPO Box 5283
• Sydney NSW 2001

13
Royal Commission resources

• Royal Commission resources
• The Royal Commissions website
  https//www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/
• The Royal Commissions contact details
  https//www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/conta
  ct-us/
• The Royal Commissions Practice Guidelines 1 and
  3 provide general information about how the Royal
  Commission interacts with people who want to tell
  their stories
• https//www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/about
  -us/practice-guidelines
• Information about private sessions
• https//www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/share
  -your-story/private-sessions
• Support services for people in Victoria
• https//www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/suppo
  rt-services/victoria
• Resources for people with disability
• https//www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/resou
  rce-centre/people-with-disability
• The Royal Commissions Auslan YouTube channel
• https//www.youtube.com/playlist?listPLIEsadGEiOC
  qXdXbzErWHgufAwz4SuS1V

14
DHHS resources

• DHHS resources
• Residential Services Practice Manual
• The Residential Services Practice Manual (RSPM)
  outlines the roles and responsibilities of
  disability services support staff working in
  residential services managed by the department.
• The manual describes best practice approaches to
  supporting people who live in residential
  services and applies to department-managed group
  homes, facility-based respite and residential
  institutions. Department-managed specialised
  statewide residential services use relevant
  sections of this manual in conjunction with
  service specific policies and procedures. The
  RSPM is available on line at
• http//www.dhs.vic.gov.au/about-the-department/doc
  uments-and-resources/reports-publications/resident
  ial-services-practice-manual
• If you have any questions or concerns, you should
  discuss them with your house supervisor or
  operations manager.