What is this division about?
Division 1 of the core module is about respecting and supporting the person’s rights and making sure they are safe. This means the person should receive supports that:
- are person-centred
- respect their personal beliefs, cultures and values
- maintain their privacy and confidentiality
- respect their dignity
- are based on informed choices
- increase their independence
- are free from violence, abuse, neglect, exploitation or discrimination.
Why is it important?
The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission (NDIS Commission) is responsible for overseeing the quality and safety of NDIS supports and services. This includes NDIS providers of any size and with any number of participants.
The NDIS Commission wants to make sure that all services, including services-for-one:
- follow the NDIS Code of Conduct
- provide person-centred supports
- support the person’s legal and human rights
- take steps to prevent violence, abuse, neglect, exploitation or discrimination
- take appropriate action when violence, abuse, neglect, exploitation or discrimination have happened or been reported
- respect and support the person’s beliefs, cultures and values
- respect and protect the person’s privacy and dignity
- communicate in ways that the person can best understand
- give the person enough time to ask questions
- support the person to access an advocate that they choose
- support the person to make informed choices. This includes explaining the risks and benefits of a decision and letting the person choose what they want to do. This is also called dignity of risk.
What will the auditors be looking for?
Auditors will look for evidence to show that the service-for-one is providing services in line with NDIS quality and safeguarding requirements, including that:
- the person feels supported to connect with their community. They could find this out by talking to the person or looking at file notes.
- the person’s rights, culture and values are respected when they are receiving a service. Auditors could find this out by watching how workers act with the person or looking at their support plans. They could also ask about what sorts of training workers have done.
- worker training is done in line with the legal requirements that all NDIS providers must follow.
- there are policies and procedures that make sure services are delivered in line with their rights and responsibilities.
- everyday practices follow these policies. This makes sure you are doing what you say you will do.
- the service-for-one can show how they are assisting the person to achieve their goals.
Evidence Tables
How to use the tables in this guide
We have included the following tables as checklists to help you prepare for your online self-assessment and your audit.
Each table includes examples of evidence that will help you show the auditor that you are meeting the practice standard that is described at the top of each section. These are examples of evidence only. You are likely to have other evidence that you can also show the auditors.
The questions before each table are the quality indicators for each practice standard. These help you assess your progress towards meeting each practice standard. Each question is numbered. The numbers in the table relate to each of these questions.
There is also a large table at the end of the printable document (PDF) that you can use as a checklist to keep track of the evidence you are providing and the practice standards you are meeting. The numbers in this large table also relate to the quality indicators for each standard.
Remember that the auditors will also consider evidence including:
- your policies and procedures
- feedback from the person, key stakeholders, workers and chosen communities, such as sporting, social or religious groups and other providers (where necessary)
- observation during the audit process.
We have not listed these in the tables as they apply across almost every practice standard.
Person-centred supports
Outcome
The person has access to supports that promote, support and respect their legal and human rights. The person is also supported to make informed choices and control of their lives. The way your service-for-one provides services supports and respects the person’s rights to freedom of expression, self-determination and decision-making.
Quality indicators (QI)
Auditors will assess your progress towards this outcome using the following quality indicators:
QI 1. Are the person’s legal and human rights understood and included in everyday practice?
QI 2. Does communication with the person about their supports meet their needs? Is it provided in a way they understand?
QI 3. Is the person supported to connect with their family, friends and community in the way they want?
| The type of evidence you can use | QI 1 | QI 2 | QI 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Participant support plan | No | No | Yes |
| Records of person’s preferences of family, friends and the community | No | No | Yes |
| Brochures, newsletters, posters or other types of communication that are available and accessible in a way that meets the person’s communication needs | No | Yes | No |
| NDIS Code of Conduct signed by workers | Yes | No | No |
| Charter of Rights | Yes | No | No |
Individual values and beliefs
Outcome
The person can access supports that respect their culture, diversity, values and beliefs.
Quality indicators (QI)
Auditors will assess your progress towards this outcome using the following quality indicators:
QI 1. Are the culture, diversity, values and beliefs of the person identified and managed in a sensitive way?
QI 2. Is the person supported to practice their culture, values and beliefs while using supports?
| The type of evidence you can use | QI 1 | QI 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Participant support plan | No | Yes |
| File notes | Yes | Yes |
| Records of worker training | Yes | Yes |
| Workers are matched according to the preference of the person | Yes | Yes |
Privacy and dignity
Outcome
The person’s supports respect and protect their dignity and right to privacy.
Quality indicators (QI)
Auditors will assess your progress towards this outcome using the following quality indicators:
QI 1. Are there processes and practices to make sure the privacy and dignity of the person is respected and protected?
QI 2. Is the person told about confidentiality policies in a way they will understand?
QI 3. Does the person understand and agree to the personal information that is collected about them? This may include recorded material in audio or visual format.
| The type of evidence you can use | QI 1 | QI 2 | QI 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Record of consent, such as a signature, audio or video file, that explains what personal information is collected and why | No | No | Yes |
| Documentation or video that shows the person’s preferred way of communicating or being supported with decision making | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Brochures, newsletters, posters or other types of communication that are available and accessible in a way that meets the person’s communication needs | No | Yes | No |
| Confidentiality agreements signed by workers | Yes | No | No |
Independence and informed choice
Outcome
The service-for-one supports the person to make informed choices, have control over their lives and maximise their independence relating to the supports they receive.
Quality indicators (QI)
Auditors will assess your progress towards this outcome using the following quality indicators:
QI 1. Are decision-making and individual choice supported for the person? To help them make decisions, is the person provided with information in a way they will understand?
QI 2. Is the person’s right to the dignity of risk in decision-making supported? This means that each person is supported to make informed choices about the benefits and risks of the options.
QI 3. Is the person’s independence respected? This includes their right to intimacy and sexual expression.
QI 4. Is the person given enough time to think about their options and ask for advice? This can be at any stage of support provision: assessment, planning, provision, review or exit.
QI 5. Is the person supported to find an advocate (including an independent advocate) they want to use?
| The type of evidence you can use | QI 1 | QI 2 | QI 3 | QI 4 | QI 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Participant support plan | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Record of the person’s preferences of family, friends and the community are recorded | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| Documentation or video that shows the person’s preferred way of communicating or being supported with decision making | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Brochures, newsletters, posters, or other types of communication are available and accessible in a way that meets the person’s communication needs | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Information about advocates in an appropriate format | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Charter of Rights | Yes | No | No | No | No |
Violence, abuse, neglect, exploitation and discrimination
Outcome
The person’s supports are free from violence, abuse, neglect, exploitation or discrimination.
Quality indicators (QI)
Auditors will assess your progress towards this outcome using the following quality indicators:
QI 1. Are there policies, procedures and practices to prevent violence, abuse, neglect, exploitation or discrimination?
QI 2. Is the person given information about using an advocate (including an independent advocate)? Are they supported to access an advocate when there is a report of violence, abuse, neglect, exploitation or discrimination?
QI 3. Is action taken when there is a report or act of violence, abuse, neglect, exploitation or discrimination? Is the person supported? Are there good records of the investigation and its result? Is there information about what was done to stop similar incidents from happening again?
| The type of evidence you can use | QI 1 | QI 2 | QI 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| File notes | No | Yes | No |
| Brochures, newsletters, posters or other types of communication that are available and accessible in a way that meets the person’s communication needs | No | Yes | Yes |
| Information about advocates in an appropriate format | No | Yes | No |
| NDIS Code of Conduct signed by workers | Yes | No | No |
| Worker screening | Yes | No | No |
| Incident and complaints register and forms | Yes | No | No |
| Records of any outcomes from investigations into acts or reports of violence, abuse, neglect, exploitation or discrimination | No | No | Yes |