Families in Quality

Since the introduction of the Disability Service Queensland Standards, service providers have been supported by DSQ to understand and adopt the Disability Sector Quality System. However, there has been little equivalent support offered to people with disabilities and families.
CRU believes the Disability Sector Quality System has the potential to provide an accountability mechanism directly to the people using the services. However, as the mechanism is reliant on the ongoing monitoring and formal assessment of services by people with disabilities and their families, the effectiveness will not be realised until the people and families themselves are informed and supported.

Therefore, over the next six months CRU will be conducting a project to explore the role and support of families of people with disabilities in the Disability Sector Quality System. The objectives of the project are to:

• Investigate and explore what it will take for family members of people with a disability to gain an understanding of quality and to be effective and confident participants in their support arrangements;

• Develop a range of possible engagement models to inform, encourage and involve families of people with disability; and

• Ensure family members of people with a disability are included and given equal opportunity to participate in reform mechanisms as outlined in the Qld Government’s Future Directions in Disability Services Statement.

The project is funded by DSQ and will be conducted in partnership with Queenslanders with Disability Network who will engage with people with disability themselves about the Disability Sector Quality System.

This project has now been completed and a final report with recommendations has been submitted to Disability Services Queensland. The final report can be downloaded here

Final Report Word Document

Final Report PDF Document