Zero Tolerance to abuse and neglect

Abuse and neglect of people is never okay – anywhere, any place. Let’s See it, Report it and Stop it.

Abuse and neglect of people is never okay – anywhere, any place. Let’s See it, Report it and Stop it.

SPEAK UP HERE
Ask a question about our campaign →

Ending abuse,
one conversation at a time

Abuse and neglect of people is never okay – so when it happens on our watch, let’s

If you see something, say something

 

If you see something, say something

No one should suffer in silence

People with disability experience a higher-than-average rate of abuse and neglect. Araluen’s “Let’s Talk” zero tolerance campaign aims to challenge and change the beliefs and behaviours that enable abuse and neglect to occur, to be overlooked or excused.

Our campaign name, “Let’s talk” expresses a powerful statement that emphasises the importance of speaking up and highlights the non-negotiable responsibility we all have to act so that every report is thoroughly investigated. By raising awareness about what abuse looks like, it’s impact and what to do when it is witnessed or suspected, we can create a safer, trusting environment.

“Let’s talk” aims to create conversations at Araluen so that people feel safe to talk about abuse and neglect whether they see it or face it themselves.

it’s a fact: Abuse can happen anywhere

But with the right conversations, we can make sure no one suffers in silence.

Let’s Talk will empower:

 

ARALUEN STAFF

to keep an eye out, know what to look for and how to respond to keep participants safe and minimise risks

 

PARTICIPANTS

to understand their rights and recognise when these are not being upheld, knowing it’s safe to say so

MANAGEMENT

action and response where every incident or allegation is investigated, confidentially and through the right channels

frequently asked questions

1. Why is Araluen running this campaign?
Araluen takes abuse and neglect seriously. The Disability Royal Commission underscored the widespread nature or abuse and neglect. All providers and support staff have a critical role to play in advocating for the rights and safety of people with disability because we are well-positioned to notice abuse and stop it.
2. What is Araluen doing to prevent abuse and neglect?
Araluen launched a zero tolerance approach to abuse and neglect in 2023. Since then, 97% of our current staff have completed in-depth training focused on our three core principles: See it, Report it, Stop it. This training is mandatory for all new staff members as well. Our “Let’s Talk” campaign aims to deepen everyone’s understanding of what abuse looks like in all its forms and clearly outlines the actions required to respond.

Importantly, “Let’s Talk” also encourages self-accountability as much as vigilance towards the actions of others. Self-awareness is a powerful driver of change – we aim to challenge people to reflect on their own behavior and ways of interacting with people with disability and consider if any of it might be subtly abusive or passive bystanding.

At Araluen, our zero tolerance policy is non-negotiable—abuse and neglect are never acceptable. We’re also enhancing our ability to keep people safe by introducing additional practices. By combining our zero tolerance approach with Active Support and living out our values, we can better identify and reduce the risk of abuse and neglect.
3. How will the “Let’s Talk” campaign work?
We have divided the campaign into four stages that mirror the mandatory training that all Araluen staff complete so we can build on this knowledge. So, over the next 9 months, you’ll see a focus on each stage in turn.

  1. INTRODUCTION:
    – explaining our campaign, goals and actions
  2. SEE IT – IF YOU CAN’T SEE IT, WE CAN’T STOP IT
    – focus on what abuse and neglect look like, in all forms, the impact and what to look for
  3. REPORT IT – IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING
    – don’t be a bystander – we are all advocates for the prevention of abuse and neglect. The emphasis is on speaking up, maintaining confidentiality and victim support
  4. STOP IT – NO ONE SHOULD SUFFER IN SILENCE
    – reinforce expectations and normalise the reporting of incidents or suspicions through accessible channels in an environment where everyone is heard, believed and supported
4. How is Araluen involving participants and community?
At Araluen, our most important promise is to ensure safety and respect for the rights of our participants. To honor this commitment, we’re first embedding our zero tolerance approach internally, ensuring that every member of our staff fully embraces these principles. Once this is firmly in place, we’ll actively involve participants, families, and carers in the campaign. Broad input is essential in building a community-wide commitment to safety and respect, making sure that our approach is truly comprehensive and inclusive.

We are developing ideas about how participants can be directly involved with shaping the campaign in the next stages. We will work with participants to support a strong understanding about their rights and the rights of others as well as helping everyone understand that if you speak up at Araluen, you will be safe and believed. We’ll make sure that everyone understands how to speak up in the right way and that the ways people can report are accessible and easy.

Let’s talk! You can keep someone safe.

It’s not “dobbing” and we will investigate every allegation  thoroughly, fairly and confidentially.