The Office of Professional Practice is led by the Chief Practitioner and Director, whose role it is to enable timely and authoritative advice on practice matters in relation to child protection and disability services.
Current practice resources produced for disability workers:
Disability workforce resources
The Department of Families Fairness and Housing (DFFH) has developed three new workforce resources which provide advice/training to support people working in the disability sector. These resources were developed in response to system-wide recommendations issued by the Disability Services Commissioner and include:
- Practice advice – falls minimisation (Word)
- Deteriorating health – a poster for disability group homes
- Safe and enjoyable mealtimes - Training modules to support NDIS participants with swallowing difficulties
Three podcast episodes and videos have also been developed in collaboration with the NDS, based on the resource topics. The series features experts including Professor Prue Morgan Head of Physiotherapy, Monash University, Reece Adams, Head of the Centre for Disability Health and Professor Bronwyn Hemsley, Head of Speech Pathology, University of Technology Sydney.
Restrictive interventions
A disability service provider must follow rules to use restrictive interventions. These rules are in the Disability Act 2006. For more information, see Restrictive interventions
Rights and inclusion
Social inclusion is central to disability policy - the Australian federal and state governments are committed to take effective and appropriate measures to facilitate the full inclusion and participation of people with a disability in the community. For more information, see Rights and inclusion
Risk assessment
Risk is the chance of somebody getting hurt, being in danger, or doing something dangerous to other people. For more information, see Risk assessment
Trauma
Trauma and attachment is a very important issue that impacts on many people with a disability. For more information, see Trauma.
Visit the Department of Families, Fairness & Housing website to view the Framework for trauma-informed practice.
Behaviours of concern
Research has demonstrated that on various dimensions of social inclusion outcomes for people with severe behaviours of concern can be improved with intensive, carefully executed planning and support. For more information, see Behaviours of concern
Resource for child protection workers
The child protection manual provides essential practice guidance for professionals who work with vulnerable children, young people and families in Victoria.
The manual reflects the legislative requirements of the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 and is consistent with the latest research, knowledge and practice requirements for statutory child protection practice information in Victoria.
While child protection practitioners and contracted case managers are required to practice in a manner that is consistent with the manual, the manual is also an essential practice resource for other professionals. This includes staff that work in out-of-home care and youth justice.
- Read more about the Child Protection Manual