What makes organisations safe for children with disability?
Consultative Focus Group
People with Disability Australia will be conducting focus groups as part of our work informing the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. The Royal Commission was established to look into why child sex abuse occurs in organisations, how they respond to child sexual abuse, and how we can prevent child sexual abuse from occurring.
We want to know people’s thoughts, opinions and experiences relating to the safety of children with disability in organisational settings, whether or not they have personally experienced child sexual abuse. The conversation might include discussion of issues such as access to justice, restrictive practices, institutional settings, sex and relationships education and out of home care.
The focus groups will help PWDA identify the ways in which institutions – both mainstream and disability specific – can be made safer for all children. Through the focus groups, we will gather important information to communicate to the Royal Commission and inform their reports and recommendations. All contributions will be anonymous and confidential.
If you know anyone who would like to participate in these focus groups, please contact meredithl@pwd.org.au by Tuesday 21st June with the subject line: Focus Group. Please include any supports you may need to participate fully.
Where: People with Disability Australia: Tower 1, Level 10, 1 Lawson Square, Redfern
When: Thursday 23rd June, 10am-2pm
RSVP: Tuesday 21st June
The focus group will run for 4 hours, including a break for a provided lunch.
We encourage all adults with any form of disability to participate, including:
• People with psychosocial disability
• People with intellectual disability
• Men, women, trans or gender diverse people, and people of intersex status
• Lesbian, gay, bisexual, asexual and queer people
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
• People from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
Access to counselling and individual advocacy will be facilitated through the focus groups. PWDA will be offering participants $50 gift cards to support their participation in these focus groups.
