NDIS provider apologises to group home residents after allegations of violence and neglect
One of Australia’s largest national disability insurance scheme providers has apologised to the residents of two troubled group homes after allegations of violence, abuse and neglect were aired at an inquiry.
The commission also heard on Tuesday that Life Without Barriers charged residents at a Victoria home a substantial proportion of their disability pension for “rent” despite the property being leased on a peppercorn deal of $1 a month.
During hearings in the past week, the disability royal commission has heard violence between residents at the Victoria group home run by the provider was so bad it had become “normal”, while there were also allegations of violence, sexual abuse, and neglect at another home in New South Wales.
In one case aired at the commission last week, a resident in the NSW home was hospitalised with a bowel condition and “nearly died” after staff allegedly did not follow care protocol. The provider did not report the incident to the NDIS watchdog.
In another incident, the commission heard a Life Without Barriers investigation found there was not enough evidence to substantiate claims a support worker pushed a client at the NSW home to the ground, even though the employee admitted doing so.
Fronting the royal commission on Tuesday, Claire Robbs, the chief executive of Life Without Barriers, apologised to residents and families on behalf of the company.
“The views and experiences of people and their families have highlighted several areas where harm has been caused to people and we acknowledge and offer our deepest regret,” she said.
Robbs also apologised to each of the victims individually, using the pseudonyms used by the royal commission.
“I do not condone the violence towards Sophie, and I offer Sophie and her family our sincere apology for the harm caused to her, including for the manner in which our investigations into the matter was undertaken,” she said.
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She also apologised to a woman known by the pseudonym Natalie for alleged “sexual misconduct by a staff member”, which was “completely unacceptable”.
The staff member was later charged
and found not guilty by a court, the inquiry heard last week.
Asked by the chair of the royal commission, Ronald Sackville, if Life Without Barriers had “committed a serious breach of a duty that it owed to Natalie”, Robbs replied “yes”.
Robbs also agreed the normal course in such a case would be to offer compensation.
Life Without Barriers has not offered Natalie or her family compensation.
It was also Natalie who was later hospitalised and, according to evidence from her mother, nearly died, after a bowel obstruction that followed the failure of staff to adhere to care protocols.
Under questioning from counsel assisting Patrick Griffin, Robbs conceded the provider only paid $1 a month to lease the Victoria group home, but still charged residents a proportion of their fortnightly pension on “rent”.
Robbs suggested the “rent” also covered maintenance and other services, though she could not say if this was pointed out to the residents or families.
Griffin put to Robbs that most people would consider “rent” to refer to money paid to a landlord for the right to live in a property.
“I think if someone asked me that question I would think that the rent also covered the maintenance that would be required to be done to the premises, that would be something I would expect that would be part of the rental payment,” she said.
The inquiry has previously heard Sophie, who lives with cerebral palsy and an intellectual disability, was sexually assaulted by a date in a public park.
Sophie last week told the royal commission they met in a park because Life Without Barriers banned her from having guests in the house after 6pm.
Hobbs was asked why such a serious incident was not reported to the Life Without Barriers board.
She responded it was because the incident did not occur “while Sophie was in our care”.
“I’m troubled by your answer,” Griffin said, noting the “imposition of those rules in effect made [Life Without
Barriers] in part responsible for what subsequently happened”.
That was “because Sophie was denied the opportunity to have someone in her home, and consequently was put in a more vulnerable position”.
Under questioning, Robbs agreed that was the case, but maintained it was proper not to report the incident to the board.
The inquiry continues.