By Aaron Cordy
BEGINNING any new scheme on the cusp of a pandemic was not ideal, but that was just one more challenge that faced the Victorian Disability Worker Commission (VDWC). Already tasked with the monumental job of regulating the registration standards for registered Victorian disability workers, registering Victorian disability workers, and investigating complaints about registered and unregistered workers.
VDWC Commissioner Dan Stubbs and his team were in Shepparton last week to begin building connections with people with disability. So they understand what VDWC is and that they have been set up to help people with disability.
The service commenced in July 2020 at a time when lockdowns had become a reality, which has hindered their ability to get out amongst the community they are here to protect.
“We were set up during COVID and we couldn’t come out to the community in our first two years. It’s taken a bit of time, but now we’re wanting to get to regional Victoria, to let all Victoria know that if they’ve got a problem with a disability service or disability worker, they can complain to VDWC,” said VDWC commissioner Dan Stubbs.
“Shepparton is our first stop. Shepparton has gone through some really challenging things over the last couple of years. And it’s really common for organisations like ours to go to some of the other regional centres that are maybe a bit easier a bit closer or get a bit more attention sometimes. Shepparton’s right in the middle of Victoria with a lot of services, with a lot of people with various kinds of needs, and I think it was the right place to come to first.
“We’re still in a growth phase. The hope is that we continue to build awareness and trust with the disability community. We are asking people with disabilities and their families to do maybe the hardest thing they’ll ever do, which is complain about their disability support worker or their service. That requires good trust and knowledge about the fact that we’ll do the right thing.
“We know there are things happening in the disability service sector that we’re not hearing about. And so, as we learn more, we’ll be able to drive improvement and safety.”
If you have concerns about someone working with disabled people, or want to learn more about VDWC, visit www.vdwc.vic.gov.au or call 1800 497 132 between 9.30am and 4.30pm, Monday to Friday.
