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Client Protection Policy

Policy statement

I CAN EXPLORE PTY LTD ACN 627 947 522 (referred to as we, us or our) provides orientation and mobility services and support worker services (Services) to people with a vision impairment and/or high function disabilities (Clients).

This Client Protection Policy (Policy) describes how we prevent abuse to our Clients and how we are committed to providing a safe and secure environment for our Clients.

This Policy forms part of, and is subject to, the provisions of our Contractor Agreement. By entering into a Contractor Agreement with us, the Contractor (referred to as you or your) is agreeing to adhere to this Policy.

Compliance

We are committed to adhering to the laws of Victoria and Australia, as well as the Orientation and Mobility Association’s code of ethics.

This Policy may be amended from time to time in our discretion or to comply with the relevant laws or code of ethics.

You agree to adhere to the provisions of this Policy as amended from time to time, and any such amendment Policy shall be provided to you by hand delivery, email or post to the address provided in the Contractor Agreement. You must notify us immediately if any of your contact details change.

Obligations

Our core expectation is for you to treat all people with fairness and dignity and to care for those who are less powerful and in need of nurture and protection.

Abuse

Abuse, can consist of one or more of, but is not limited to the following:

(a) Elder Abuse, a single or repeated act, occurring in any relationship where there is an expectation of trust, which causes harm or distress to an older person;

(b) Physical Abuse, any non-accidental physical injury resulting from practices such as hitting, punching, kicking (marks from belt buckles, fingers), shaking, burning (irons, cigarettes), biting, pulling out hair, alcohol and/or other drug administration;

(c) Sexual Abuse, any assault or abuse of a sexual nature, sexual molestation, indecent exposure, sexual harassment or intimidation

(d) Emotional Abuse, the chronic attitude or behaviour of one person which is directed at another person, or, the creation of an emotional environment which erodes a person’s self esteem and social confidence over time. Behaviours may include insulting, bullying, devaluing, ignoring, rejecting, corrupting, isolating, terrorising or other extreme acts in the aged or vulnerable person’s presence;

(e) Financial Abuse may include:

  1. (i)  misappropriation of money,valuables or assets;
  2. (ii)  forging signatures on cheques;
  3. (iii)  denial of access to personal assets;
  4. (iv)  accessing a person’s fundselectronically; and
  5. (v)  forced or unauthorised changes to legal documents;

(f) neglect, characterised by the failure to provide for basic needs;

(g) any serious omission or commission which jeopardises or impairs a person’s health or development.

 

Some actions may not be regarded as Abuse, but are unacceptable behaviour, particularly when providing Services to our Clients. These include:

  1. (a)  inappropriate conversation of a sexual nature;
  2. (b)  coarse language, especially that of a sexual nature;
  3. (c)  suggestive gestures or remarks;
  4. (d)  jokes of a sexual nature;
  5. (e)  inappropriate touching;
  6. (f)  inappropriate literature; and
  7. (g)  recording or filming without prior consent.

Each Client has the right:

  1. (a)  to full and effective use of their personal, civil, legal and consumer rights;
  2. (b)  to quality care which is appropriate to their needs;
  3. (c)  to full information about their own state of health and about available treatments;
  4. (d)  to be treated with dignity and respect and to receive services without exploitation, abuse or neglect;
  5. (e)  to receive services without discrimination or victimisation, and without being obliged to feel grateful to those providing their care and accommodation;
  6. (f)  to personal privacy;
  7. (g)  to live in a safe, secure and home like environment, and to move freely both within and outside any residential care service without undue restriction;
  8. (h)  to be treated and accepted as an individual, and to have their individual preferences taken into account and treated with respect;
  9. (i)  to continue their cultural religious practices and to retain the language of their choice, without discrimination;
  10. (j)  to select and maintain social and personal relationships with any other person without fear, criticism or restriction;
  11. (k)  to freedom of speech;
  12. (l)  to maintain their personal independence, which includes a recognition of personal responsibility for their own actions and choices, even though some actions may involve an element of risk which the client has the right to accept, and that should then not be used to prevent or restrict those actions;
  13. (m)  to maintain control over, and to continue making decisions about, the personal aspects of their daily life, financial affairs and possessions;
  14. (n)  to be involved in the activities, associations and friendships of their choice, both within and outside any residential care service;
  15. (o)  to have access to services and activities which are available generally in the community;
  16. (p)  to have access to information about their rights, care, accommodation and any other information which relates to them personally;
  1. (q)  to complain and to take action to resolve disputes;
  2. (r)  to have access to advocates and to other avenues of redress; and
  3. (s)  to be free from reprisals, or a well- founded fear of reprisal, in any form for taking action to enforce their rights.

We are committed to ensuring that our Clients are not only free from Abuse and inappropriate behaviour whilst in our care or your care, but that our Clients are also aware of their rights and feel comfortable to perform their rights as necessary.

Checks

Prior to being engaged as a Contractor with us, you must:

  1. (a)  provide details of relevant past experience, positions held, details of two referees and permission to contact them;
  2. (b)  obtain a criminal record check in accordance with the Australian Crime Commission Act 2002 (Cth); and
  3. (c)  obtain a Working with Children (WWC) check in accordance with the requirements of the Working with Children Act 2005 (Vic).

If your WWC check is due to expire during the term of this agreement, you must renew its WWC check prior to its expiration.

We may, in our sole and absolute discretion, at any time during the term of the Contractor Agreement, request to inspect the your WWC check.

For more information, please refer to the Victorian Government’s Working with Children Check website at
https:// www.workingwithchildren.vic.gov.au/.

Performance of Services

When our Clients are in your care, you must take them directly to and from arranged venues, events and locations and you are not authorised to detour or make alternative arrangements without our prior approval.

You must respect the feelings and privacy of our Clients, and all others you engage with, whilst performing Services under the Contractor Agreement.

 

Disciplining children

You may be required to provide Services to persons under the age of 18 (Child/ren) from time to time.

Is not your responsibility to discipline a Child. You must not administer any form of physical, emotional, financial or mental discipline.

If a Child misbehaves, does not abide by rules, or becomes an obstruction to the care of other Clients or the general public, you must suspend the provision of Services and return the Child to their parent or guardian.

Reporting procedures

We actively encourage the reporting of all abuse and we are committed to building an environment where our Clients feel comfortable to report such abuse.

You must report reasonable suspicions of abuse, meaning all fair and practical beliefs that an incident involving abuse has occurred, to Jessica Timmons or such other person as notified by us.

The details of those reporting abuse will be kept private and confidential.

We treat every allegation seriously and we will not attempt to deny the allegation or minimise its impact on the alleged victim.

We will promptly document allegations of abuse and such documentation will be stored in a secure location to protect to privacy of the persons involved.

If it is alleged that an incident involving abuse has occurred involving you or one of our Clients, we will immediately suspend the provision of Services by you or to our Clients until the allegation has been properly and thoroughly investigated by us, or the police where necessary.

If we determine that you or one of our Clients has committed an act of abuse, we will automatically terminate our Contractor Agreement with your or our Agreement with our Client.

Alcohol and drugs

The consumption of alcohol during the provision of our services is strictly prohibited except with our prior written approval. Alcohol consumption, when permitted, is restricted to no more than 2 standard drinks.

The consumption of illegal drugs during the provision of our Services is strictly prohibited.