EACH Statement of Commitment – Freedom from Abuse and Neglect
Our Commitment
EACH is committed to ensuring that all people have the right to live their lives free from abuse, neglect and exploitation. We take very seriously our duty of care to ensure that our clients are not exposed to any form of abuse or other forms of harm when accessing any of our services. Our duty of care also extends to all stakeholders of EACH including carers, family members, contractors and community members. We are committed to human rights principles and our clients’ rights to self-determination, safety and choice in their service provision. This commitment is demonstrated through a range of mechanisms across the organisation.
Our Systems & Practices
EACH has implemented a range of measures designed to minimise risk and strengthen protective measures for our clients and other stakeholders. We continuously review and assess the effectiveness of our systems, processes and services to ensure their effectiveness in providing our duty of care. These include:
- Regular, mandatory staff training including specific modules on preventing abuse and neglect, client wellbeing, consumer engagement, staff supervision and appraisal and incident reporting.
- Dedicated senior staff members with responsibility for promoting consumer rights and engagement across the organisation, as well as to be the first point of response when consumers or carers are concerned about the quality and safety of services they receive. (Manager – Consumer, Carer and Community Engagement and EACH’s Feedback and Complaints Manager) These senior managers are responsible for ensuring that the rights and interests of clients and communities are understood and therefore, embedded in our programs, systems and processes.
- Extensive safety checks being undertaken for all potential employees including National Name Checks, Working with Children Checks (where appropriate) and reference checks; these include international police checks.
- Scrutiny of agency staff. Where agency staff are utilised they are required to undertake the same rigorous background checks as EACH-employed staff.
EACH also undertakes regular accreditations across the organisation including:
- QIP
- Community Care Common Standards
- Attendant Care Industry Management Systems
- Disability Employment Service Quality Assurance
- Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems
These accreditation systems rigorously audit the processes we have in place to ensure that all staff employed by EACH have had the appropriate checks and receive the appropriate training and supervision.
Our Reporting Mechanism
Whilst every care is taken to prevent incidents occurring, should any staff member, client, carer or member of the public wish to raise a concern regarding an EACH service, we offer a number of different mechanisms for reporting. These options are designed to make it as simple as possible and for any person with a concern to feel confident in making a report, even if it is to discuss a suspicion. These include:
- Lodging a complaint via an anonymous staff member who will bring the matter to the attention of a senior manager by emailing feedback@each.com.au via the EACH Intranet,
- Lodging a complaint or comment in the complaint boxes at any EACH reception
- Through ringing the 1300 00 EACH number and speaking to a Service Access Advisor.
- Contacting the Manager – Consumer, Carer and Community Engagement or the EACH Feedback & Complaints Manager on (03) 8720 1100.
- Making an anonymous whistleblowers report via Your Call – 1300 788 712
- In conjunction with discussions with an appropriate manager, registering a perceived or potential risk to the safety of vulnerable individuals, such as children and people with disabilities, including the risk of exposure to ‘grooming’ behaviours, or other circumstances of risk, on RiskMan. This process guarantees that the risk is logged and followed-up.
To ensure accessibility of these reporting mechanisms for all members of the community, interpreters and the National Relay Service can be utilised to report a concern or complaint. To access an interpreter please call any of the numbers above and notify the EACH representative that you require an interpreter. To utilise the National Relay Service please call Voice 1800 555 660 (free from landlines) or TTY 1800 555 630 (free).
We commit to responding promptly, professionally and compassionately to any and all notifications of suspected abuse or neglect.
Our People
EACH is committed to recruiting and retaining staff and volunteers who embody our values of equality, respect, integrity, care and responsiveness. Upholding these values and empowering all staff to act in the prevention of abuse, neglect and exploitation is the single most effective way in which we can ensure our clients’ safety and wellbeing when accessing an EACH service.
Peter Ruzyla Les Smart
CEO Chair