Guides: Community Services: Disability

eBooks

Communicating Effectively with People with a Learning Disability (2011) If you are working within the learning disability sector and studying for the QCF Diploma in Health and Social Care, you will find this book invaluable in helping you to achieve the unit on Communicating effectively. It explain how communication affects all aspects of your work, including relationships, and provides guidance on how to overcome barriers to good communication.
Supporting Positive Behaviour in Intellectual Disabilities and Autism (2019) This highly practical book is an accessible and grounded handbook for addressing challenging behaviour in children and adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD), including autism. It recognises that challenging behaviour does not appear out of nowhere and is meaningful for the person exhibiting it. Behaviour can be communicative and an important signifier of underlying sensory or environmental issues. Focusing on a person-centred approach throughout, the book has advice and strategies for working with the client's families, support staff and professionals.
People with disability (2017) One in five Australians have a disability, however many encounter a range of barriers, stereotypes and negative attitudes. They are more likely to experience poverty, live in poor quality or insecure housing, suffer from mental illness and have low levels of education. They are often socially isolated, with fewer opportunities to take part in community life.

Websites

Australian Centre for Disability Law The Australian Centre for Disability Law (ACDL) was set up in 1994 as a specialist Community Legal Centre, working towards a world where people with disabilities are able to participate in all aspects of life.
Australian Federation of Disability Organisations Using the strength of our membership-based organisations to harness the collective power of uniting people with disability to change society into a community where everyone is equal.
A Brief Guide to the Disability Discrimination Act Australian Human Rights Commission
Carers WA Carers WA is a non-profit, community based organisation and registered charity dedicated to improving the lives of the estimated 310,000 family carers living in Western Australia.
Cerebral Palsy Australia Cerebral Palsy Australia is the national peak body of organisations that work with people with cerebral palsy and people with similar disabilities and their carers.
Communicate and consult with people with a disability When conducting consultation and engaging with stakeholders it is important to actively include people with a disability.. People with a disability should have as much input into the planning and development of services and activities as other community members.
Inclusive Communication: Interacting with People with a Disability Inclusive communication recognises that people communicate differently and encourages the use of a variety of techniques.
Livewire Livewire.org.au is an online community designed just for young people living with a serious illness, chronic health condition or disability, and their families. It is a safe online space where members can connect and share experiences with others who understand what they are going through.
National Standards for Disability Services (NSDS) The National Standards underwent extensive consultation, validation and user testing in 2014, culminating in a set of six standards that are able to be applied across a broad range of circumstances.
People With Disabilities Western Australia PWdWA is the peak disability consumer organisation representing the rights, needs and equity of all Western Australians with physical, intellectual, psychiatric or sensory disability via individual and systemic advocacy. PWdWA is run by and for people with disabilities and as such, strives to be the voice for all people with disabilities in WA.
Rocky Bay Rocky Bay was founded in 1938 by Rotary Clubs in WA to support families of children with disabilities. The organisation provides support to over 1,000 children and 500 adults living with disability in WA.
Visability VisAbility, formerly the Association for the Blind of WA, is Western Australia's leading provider of support and assistance to people who are blind or vision impaired.
Young Carers Young carers are children or young people up to 25 years of age, who help care in families where someone has an illness, a disability, a mental health issue or an alcohol or other drug problem.

The Dreamhouse

The Dreamhouse: On the move - Ep 1 of 6 Three young adults with intellectual disabilities fly the nest and move into a new home for 10 weeks. Experiencing life away from parents and learning to live more independently is a dream for all of them. And if it works out, they'll be able to stay on and call The Dreamhouse home.
The Dreamhouse: Settling in - Ep 2 of 6 Kirk, Justin and Sarah have very recently moved out of home for the first time, into what they're calling The Dreamhouse.
The Dreamhouse: Cracks in the curtain - Ep 3 of 6 Sarah, Kirk and Justin have been living together for three weeks and things are going well. It's time to celebrate with a housewarming party. But cracks soon appear with the planning underway, personal preferences ...
The Dreamhouse: The honeymoon is over - Ep 4 of 6 Five weeks in and Justin has invited his family over for a BBQ for the first time. He wants to impress and is clearly stressed, unlike his housemates who laze around.
The Dreamhouse: Dating mode - Ep 5 of 6 Six weeks in and Sarah's 24th birthday is coming up. It's her turn for a party and she's calling all the shots, enlisting the help of her housemates
The Dreamhouse: The Wrap - Ep 6 of 6 With two weeks to go in the Dreamhouse, decisions need to be made about the future. Sarah, Kirk and Justin all want to stay and now it is up to the parents to work out the mechanics.

Books in the Library

Caring in the Community : A Training Manual for Home and Community Carer (2011) Caring in the Community provides a solid, practical introduction to the role and responsibilities for workers caring for clients in their own homes.
The disability support worker. (3rd Edition) (2020) The third edition of The Disability Support Worker will differentiate from the competition as a comprehensive standalone Certificate IV resource. It will cover all 11 core units and 5 of the most highly subscribed electives. The level of the content will be repositioned through reflective pedagogy to require students to think about their own practice and consider themselves as professionals in the field, preparing them for their more senior and supervisory roles in the workplace. The link to practice will be further emphasised by including the new Industry Insights feature – a series of interviews with practitioners.
Individual support in Australia : ageing, disability, home and community care (2016) This text is a valuable resource for individual support workers in the aged care, disability and home and community support sectors. it also provides a useful source of information for other workers in these sectors, careers and volunteer workers.
Understanding and Responding to Behaviour That Challenges in Intellectual Disabilities (2019) Children and adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities and/or autism who display behaviour that challenges those around them continue to be particularly vulnerable tobeing misunderstoodand inappropriately supported, despite best practice policy.