The Victorian Disability Worker Commission commenced services on 1 July 2020.
In August 2018, the Victorian Parliament passed the Disability Service Safeguards Act 2018 to improve the quality of disability care and service standards across the community, and establish a registration scheme, including providing for approved accreditation standards, and providing for an approved Code of Conduct for the disability workforce.
The Disability Worker Regulation Scheme commenced in July 2020 and forms part of the Victorian Government's 'zero tolerance' approach to the abuse of people with a disability.
The scheme is administered by the Victorian Disability Worker Commissioner and the Disability Worker Registration Board of Victoria, supported by the Victorian Disability Worker Commission. It aims to:
- ensure people with disability receive high quality services
- ensure workers have the necessary skills, experience and qualifications to provide quality services
- stop people who pose a serious risk of harm from providing disability services in Victoria
- enable people with disability to exercise greater choice and control in their lives.
Your choice
Choice and control is central to the Victorian scheme, letting people with disability to choose with confidence the right workers for them.
To support informed choice, current and reliable information about disability workers registration status, qualifications and suitability to work is easy to access via online registers maintained by the Commission. For more information, see the Disability Worker Registration page on the Commission's website.
This gives you and your family members an added layer of assurance by providing reliable and current information about the workers that you have chosen to provide your supports and services.
The Victorian Disability Worker Commission is your contact point for the scheme, and all enquiries or matters related to the scheme should be directed to the Commission.
Making a complaint
The scheme also provides a central point where any person can make a complaint or report concerns about the quality and safety of services provided by disability workers – even if they are an unregistered worker.
The Commission makes sure the complaint is dealt with by the right organisation, and that appropriate protections are put in place for people with disability when there is an ongoing risk.
More information
For more information about the Victorian Disability Worker Commission and the scheme, see the Victorian Disability Worker Commission website.