Latest Resources
Addressing Occupational Violence in the Victorian Disability Sector
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Key benefits
- Practical resources to help ensure the safety of staff
- Research highlighting how high-quality supports that uphold the human rights of people with disability lead to worker safety
- Quick links to resources to use to develop training, update policies and implement safe work practices
On this page
- Overview – Keeping everybody safe
- Key elements in providing high quality services that address Occupational Violence
- General publications, toolkits, and web links for Australian workplaces
- Disability services publications and toolkits
- Health services publications and toolkits
- Working alone
Who is this for?
Everyone in the disability sector can and should contribute to keeping everybody safe.
Overview - Keeping everybody safe
Keeping everyone safe and understanding how to do this in disability services is the aim of an NDS project being undertaken in 2022 and 2023. The aim of this project is to address occupational violence and the current focus is on participant and worker interactions.
We need to ensure people with disability receive high quality supports that uphold their human rights and ensure that workers have a safe working environment. A safe environment for everyone is one where physical and psychological risks are identified, managed, and prevented.
This hub provides the disability sector with access to information, tools, and resources to understand the risks and the solutions to reduce and prevent them. When organisations support participants and workers to have the skills, resources, and/or environments to achieve this, we keep everybody safe.
There are multiple components to achieve this aim. The scan of the evidence-based literature strongly indicates:
- The importance of the leadership from the executive levels that development of capable environments
- Embedding use of positive behaviour support principles across the services (not just where behaviours of concern have been identified)
- The use of person-centred active support
- Incorporating a trauma informed support approach
- Understanding and using communication systems that support both expressive and receptive communication
- Building skills to ensure everyone can have a meaningful life and is part of their community
The graphic illustrates the foundation of good practice for all that builds to be more tailored to meet specific needs.
Image description: Pyramid diagram. Top tier says Comprehensive assessment and PBS plan with specialist interventions, monitoring, and evaluation. Second tier says All of level one strategies, and brief functional assessment, function-based Positive Behaviour Support plan and individual strategies in key areas. Third tier says Whole of organisation approach - Foundations of Positive Behaviour Support, knowledge that all behaviour has a function - Total communication environment - Trauma informed support, Person-centred active support - Community presence - Positive risk taking
Image adapted from: Five ways to use positive behaviour support strategies in your classroom | Monash Education and Positive Behaviour Support Framework | PBS Alliance UK.
Equipping the workforce with the training and skills to best support people, to recognise signs of distress and intervene early with non-aversive reactive strategies promotes a human rights approach and reduces and prevents the risk of behaviours that challenge. Training is needed to build and support worker’s capabilities and to be regularly reinforced through both general worker professional development and individual supervision.
Key elements in providing high quality services that address Occupational Violence
Positive behaviour support
Positive behaviour support aims to improve a person's quality of life and that of the people around them. There is evidence that links training in PBS and reductions in levels of behaviours that challenge from people receiving support.
- Foundations of Positive Behaviour Support films Foundations of Positive Behaviour Support films | NDS
- Zero Tolerance Positive Behaviour Support eLearning Program | NDS
- A self-assessment checklist to evaluate your PBS provision | The PBS Academy UK
- Positive Behavioural Support Competence Framework | The PBS Academy UK
- What does good PBS look like? | BILD UK
Creating a total communication environment
Many people require additional support with communication, such understanding and interpreting communication (receptive language) and expressing themselves. They may use a combination of speaking, gesturing, writing, facial expressions, use of symbols systems, body language and vocalisations.
- Supporting effective communication | NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission
- Speak Up and be Safe from Abuse: Communication toolkit | Scope Australia
Trauma informed support
Many people with severe disability have a history of trauma, and this can be a trigger for behaviours that challenge. It is important to understand how this experience may present additional risks for a person responding with behaviours that challenge.
- Trauma Informed Support films | NDS
- Taking Time Literature Review and Framework | Berry Street
- Guidelines for Trauma Informed Practice: Supporting People with Disability who have experienced Complex Trauma | Blueknot
Person-centred active support
Person-centred active support aims to involve people with disability in actively in making choices and taking part in meaningful activities and social relationships.
Recognising restrictive practice
A restrictive practice is 'any practice or intervention that has the effect of restricting the rights or freedom of movement of a person with disability' (NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission). Restrictive practises should only be used in limited circumstances, as a last resort and the least restrictive response should be chosen. Their use needs to be part of a positive behaviour support plan and needs to the reported to the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.
- Recognising Restriction on people’s lives films | NDS
- Recognising Restrictive Practices Workshop | NDS
- Regulated Restrictive Practices Guide | NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission
Practice Leadership
There is a critical role for frontline supervisors/service managers in assisting workers to understand and implement good practice including positive behaviour support, active support, trauma informed support and enhancing communication.
- Supporting Practice Leadership: A Collation of Resources | NDS
- Frontline Practice Leadership resources | Living with Disability Research Centre
Organisational Leadership Resources
Supporting people who have the potential to use behaviours that challenge requires an organisation-wide approach. A system that builds the capabilities of both people with disability and their support workers minimises the likelihood of the use of behaviours that challenge.
- A self-assessment checklist to evaluate your PBS provision | The PBS Academy UK
- Positive Behavioural Support Competence Framework | The PBS Academy UK
- Enabling engagement and inclusion | La Trobe University 2019. This Australian research report outlines the organisational factors that are needed to embed active support in accommodation
Resources for Behaviour Support Practitioners
Behaviour Support Practitioners assess people with disability's behavioural needs, develop behavioural support plans in conjunction with people and their support team, and evaluate the effectiveness of those plans. They have a key role in providing training and support to strengthen the practice skills and knowledge of all staff. Behaviour Support Practitioners must be registered with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.
- Practice Leadership Resources for Behaviour Support Practitioners | NDS
- The Positive Behaviour Support Capability Framework | NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission
- Compendium of Resources for Positive Behaviour Support | NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission
- Resources for Behaviour Support Practitioners | Victorian Senior Resources for Behaviour Support Practitioners
- Behaviour Support Practitioners Community of Practice | NDS
General publications, toolkits, and web links for Australian workplaces
- Occupational violence and aggression - Resources | Department of Health, Victorian Government
- Occupational violence and aggression: Safety basics | WorkSafe Victoria
- Work-related violence | WorkSafe Victoria
- Occupational Violence Safety Sheet | WorkSafe Victoria
- Preventing workplace violence and aggression | Safe Work Australia 2021 includes a section on potential hazards and example control measures for health, aged care, and community service settings.
Disability services publications and toolkits
- Positive solutions in practice: clinical risk assessment and risk management in people with an intellectual disability | Office of the Senior Practitioner 2009
- Guide to challenging behaviour risk prevention in specialist schools | WorkSafe Victoria
Health services publications and toolkits
- Framework for Preventing and Managing Occupational Violence and Aggression | Victorian Government 2017
- Preventing occupational violence in Victorian health services: policy framework and resource kit | Victorian Government 2007
- Work-related violence | WorkSafe Victoria
- Occupational violence and aggression against healthcare workers brochure | WorkSafe Victoria
- Prevention and management of violence and aggression in health services 2017 | WorkSafe Victoria
- Prevention and management of work-related violence and aggression in health services and toolkit | Queensland Government
Working alone
The introduction of the NDIS has seen an increase in the number of workers working alone in both the community and private homes. It is important that risk assessments have been carried out prior to services being delivered and staff have had safety training. This may include dynamic environmental risk assessment, assessing your safety in each situation, how to use de-escalation techniques and instilling a culture of removing yourself from an unsafe situation.
- OHS Home Visit Checklist | NDS
- Identifying and controlling risks associated with working alone | WorkSafe Victoria
- Safe Home Visiting: Practice Guide | Child and Family Support System, SA Government
- Anger and Aggression | Out-of-Home Care Toolbox
Addressing Occupational Violence workshops
For any enquiries, please contact Fiona Still, Senior Policy and Projects Officer Occupational Violence, submit enquiry/feedback, show phone number