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When I’m at work:Stopping neglect

What are your human rights?• Live without fear.• Feel safe where you live.• Enjoy the same rights as other people do.• Make your own decisions about things.• Get help and a fair go if you are in trouble.• Work where and when you choose.

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What is neglect?

… when someone who is meant to look after you does not look after you properly …

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Physical neglect

• Not having enough good food.• Not having a good place to live.• Not having enough clothes to wear.• Not having enough help to stay healthy or to look

neat and tidy.• Not being given the right medicine.• Not being taken to the doctor if you are

sick or need a check-up.

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Emotional neglect

• Being ignored.• Not having anyone to talk to about your problems.• Not having anything to do.

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Passive neglect

People who are supposed to look after you:• don’t notice that you need something• forget to pay attention to you.

They might not mean to do these things.

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Wilful neglect

People ignore your needs or wants on purpose.

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Neglect in the workplace

Your supervisors or fellow workers might:• ignore your work needs• not give you training or help for your job• not tell you how you can improve your work.

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What can you do about neglect?• Tell someone who you trust.• This is called reporting the neglect.

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MANAGER

Reporting neglect outside workTell a family member, support worker, friend, member of your church, or the police.

Remember to tell:• what is happening• why you think you are being neglected• when it is happening• who is neglecting you.

What can you expect to happen?When you report neglect, people you tell should:• listen to you• do something quickly• tell you what they will do to help you, and how long

it will take• let you know about what’s happening with your

complaint.

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What if nothing changes?

If you tell someone but they do not do anything about it, do not give up.

Tell someone else.

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Reporting neglect at work

Your workplace must protect you from neglect.

The Disability Services Standards make that clear.

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Disability Services Standard 12

Disability Services Standard 12 is about the protection of human rights.

When you are at work, your workplace must:• make sure you are safe and treated fairly• stand up for your rights.

Nobody should:• hurt you• talk to you in a way that you do not like• treat you badly because of your disability.

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Your workplace’s complaints policy• Tells you how to make a formal complaint.• Your supervisor can help you with this.• It is your right to use the complaints policy if you

need to.

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Other ways to make a complaintSometimes, the people you rely on for help can also be the people who neglect you.

Your workplace can give you details about how to contact an advocacy or complaints service.

People there can help you as well.

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Remember your human rights!It is really important to remember that neglect harms you in all sorts of ways, not just physically.

If someone who should be looking after you is not doing so, they are taking away your human rights and you should tell someone it is happening.

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Who can help you stop the neglect?If you are in danger, call the police on 000.

The fact sheet about stopping neglect has further contact details.

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000

National Disability Abuse and Neglect HotlinePeople at the Hotline can help you. They can also find someone else to talk about your problem for you.

The fact sheet about stopping neglect has full contact details.

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Complaints Referral and Resolution Service (CRRS)People at the CRRS can help you. What you tell them is confidential.They will not tell anyone else what you say.

The fact sheet about stopping neglect has full contact details.

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