Ethical dilemma’s facing the Disability Services Industry.

Are you even qualified to do this?

Imagine your next visit to the GP. During the examination you hold up your hand and enquire, “Sorry, but have you got a medical degree?”

As if, right? But this is exactly the dilemma facing the Disability Industry today. It’s one of the few remaining care industry areas that has failed to create a minimum qualification standard for its workers. Yet we care for people among the most vulnerable in our country. Aged care and children’s services have both introduced this mandate, yet disability services can still employ a worker with absolutely no training to assist with complex care needs, and it’s legal.

If you have friends or family receiving support from disability services, then you know why this is a problem. But think about it from the carer’s point of view – why should they bother with accredited training? After all, they are often competing against unqualified carers who are willing to work for lower pay. If you want to remain competitive, it’s a no-brainer.

And what about service providers? What chance do we have of achieving quality standards of care in the current climate? And whilst wages may be a short-term saving, think about the cost of injury to either client or carer, which could have been prevented through quality training. Not to mention the personal cost to clients of carers who don’t uphold quality standards, simply because they don’t know what they are.

But most of all, what about the clients? Do we accept that the complexities of providing hands-on assistance with moving about, transport, personal care, or even eating meals, are provided by carers with no qualifications and only on-the-job experience? Do we believe that the risk level is acceptable when care needs are of such a personal nature?

This issue poses a lot of questions, but not least of all: should minimum qualification standards for the disability industry be legislated? Next time you visit the GP, ask yourself that question.

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