SWAA Inc. Aims to give a strong voice to people with disability, we will advocate, encourage & empower them so that their rightful participation is ensured in this community.
HOW WE CAN HELP YOU
Our advocates support people with disability to solve problems, resolve issues and improve their quality of life. The support they provide can include going to meetings with or for the person, writing letters, making phone calls, assisting them to lodge complaints, and much more.
Our individual advocacy services are:
• Short to medium term
• Non-legal
• Issue-based
• For people with disability who have serious and urgent issues
At times SWAA may have a waiting list. You will be placed on this list until an advocate has capacity to see you. The waiting list is monitored weekly, and our intake officer will call you from time to time to discuss and verify any urgent changes to your situation/issue.
PRIORITY FOR INDIVIDUAL SERVICE
• While provision of service is generally non-discriminatory, where there are
competing claims for access to the service, priority of service will be determined by the following criteria.
• People whose problems are more urgent will receive priority of access.
• Examples of urgent problems include those regarding basic accommodation.
and essential care needs, severe financial hardship, and abuse of any kind.
• People who have heightened vulnerability because of the nature or extent of
their disability will also receive priority of access.
Additional Priority is given to people with disability experiencing abuse and neglect, discrimination, or those who lack appropriate services and supports. Additional consideration is given to groups of people experiencing increased disadvantage:
• Women with disability
• Children with disability
• People with multiple disabilities
• First Nations people with disability
• People with disability living in segregated settings (boarding houses, institutions, prisons and detention centres)
• People with disability living in regional or remote areas
RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Includes people with disability accessing the service, friends, family, and others raising a complaint
• You have the right to complain about a disability service provider
• You have the right to make an anonymous complaint
• You have the right to know how to make a complaint and to be provided with appropriate assistance to make a complaint.
To find out more about rights and responsibilities as a service user and a service provider, visit the Victorian Legislation and Parliamentary Documents website to read the Disability Act 2006 in full.
PRIVACY SAFEGUARDS & FREEDOM OF INFORMATION
SWAA recognises each service user’s right to privacy and confidentiality.
1. All information provided to the service will be strictly confidential and kept within the service.
2. Further information from other agencies regarding the service user is only to be obtained after the service user signs authorisation.
3. Information is to be used solely to obtain resolution of the service user’s problem.
4. Service user files will be kept locked within the service for a period of seven years. At the end of this time if there has been no further contact, we will contact the service user and offer them their file. If the service user does not want the file or cannot be located, it will be destroyed.
5. Only staff with the ‘need to know’ will have access to information held by the service about an individual.
6. Staff will be sensitive when discussing personal details regarding service users with other staff or other agencies and staff will be aware of the “Freedom of Information” provisions.
7. Service users will have access to their own file(s) by making an appointment with service staff. Service users’ files will be kept for a minimum of 7 years.
8. A copy of information in a service user’s file will be made available to the service user within seven days of receiving a written request.
9. With the service user’s permission only relevant information will be given to other agencies and only on a “need to know” basis.
HOW TO GET HELP
To understand how we can best help you, we need learn more about you, your situation as well as the issue you’re experiencing. Get in touch!
• Phone: 5561 4584 and speak to one of our intake officers
Once we have your information, we’ll then be able to provide the most appropriate assistance we can. One of our intake officers will be in contact with you via your preferred method of contact to provide you with information about progressing your case.
Southwest Advocacy is inclusive of all people with any type of disability regardless of religion, culture, age, sex, living arrangements and sexuality.
Service users are reminded that this information can be made available in large print on request.