Zero Tolerance at Interchange
We are shocked and saddened to hear the devastating news over the weekend of the death of Ann-Marie Smith. The Adelaide woman with cerebral palsy died back in April in “disgusting and degrading circumstances” after being severely neglected by her carers.
People with disability, like everyone else in our community, have the right to live free of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation. Cruel crimes like this should not be happening and we are pleased to see the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission will be investigating this case.
We encourage our staff, people with disability, families, supporters and the general public, to expose wrong doings and alert the authorities if you have any concerns. Together we can protect vulnerable people, ensure their safety and build a community where they feel valued – a community in which Everyone Belongs. – Nicki Dyson, Executive Manager People & Culture Interchange WA
Interchange promotes a culture of transparency and openness and we are committed to the highest standards of conduct and ethical behaviour in all of our activities and at all levels of the organisation.
At Interchange we follow a Zero Tolerance approach to recognise, raise and respond to any deviation from the human rights of people using our services. It is a personal and organisational commitment to always have our eyes open and always be doing better to protect the rights of the people we support. Anyone who wishes to raise concerns can do so with without fear of intimidation, disadvantage or reprisal through our Whistle-blower policy.
We commit to Zero Tolerance an initiative led by National Disability Services in partnership with the disability sector to assist disability service providers to understand, implement and improve practices which safeguard the rights of people they support. We have an organisational and personal commitments to act on:
- anything that makes a person with disability be or feel unsafe
- anything that doesn’t support a person’s human rights
- anything that we could be doing better
Find the Zero Tolerance Guide HERE and the accessible version HERE
If you have any concerns for your own safety, or for that of others, act now. You can inform our Executive Manager People &Culture, Nicki Dyson , or call 000. You can also find help here:
- Lifeline 13 11 14
- Mens Line 1300 789 978
- Kids Helpline 1800 551 800
- 1800 RESPECT 1800 737 732
- National Counselling and Referral Service 1800 421 468 or 02 6146 1468
- Aboriginal Family Domestic Violence Hotline 1800 019 123
- Find a disability advocate near you