New South Wales, Australia
— The NSW Department of Ageing, Disability and
Home Care unduly aggravated the stress already suffered
by families of children with disabilities, said a NSW
Ombudsman report.
Ombudsman Bruce Barbour said the
department's failure to properly implement its children's
policy meant that children with disabilities were unable
to remain with their families.
"Many families who care for
children with disabilities already face significant
stress," Mr Barbour told reporters.
"The results of the DADHC's
ineffective intervention was that this stress was unduly
aggravated."
The department's children's policy
had failed through a number of factors including poor
implementation and lack of clarity about its role in
supporting families in crisis, the report
said.
There was also confusion about the
respective responsibilities of the DADHC and the
Department of Community Services (DOCS), the report
said.
Mr Barbour said the DADHC had
responded positively to the investigation by developing
an action plan and establishing a task force to address
the problems.
NSW Disability Services Minister
Carmel Tebbutt said she regretted any undue stress
suffered by any families as a result of the department's
poor performance.
"The government supports the
recommendation that the Ombudsman has outlined in his
report.
"I regret if any family suffered
undue stress because of the department's poor
implementation of its children's policy."
The Ombudsman launched his
investigation after a number of concerns were raised with
the DADHC during the first half of 2003.
