NDIS Policy & Procedure - Sandcastles of Life

FIONA WERLE COUNSELLING & SANDTRAY THERAPY
Policy & Procedure

NDIS Services

Cancellation Policy

Clients will be required to pay full payment if ‘no show’ or appointments cancelled up to 2 hours previous to appointment time.

Client Services Charter

Fiona Werle is a registered provider for the following:
0128 Therapeutic Supports/ 0118 Early Childhood Services
Required qualifications /experience: Membership with the Australian Counselling Association
NDIS provider no. 4050018910

• Deliver a great service every time to every client
• Treat clients with empathy, respect and dignity
• Listen intently to clients’ needs and those of their family/carers
• Provide flexible and creative options
• Respond in a timely manner to any concerns
• Provide a safe, supportive and inclusive environment
• Inform clients about changes and challenges in delivering a service
• Welcome feedback and act on complaints to enhance your experience

Fiona Werle Counselling & Sandtray Therapy services have been set up to ensure all clients receive the service in alignment with our Client Service Charter. This includes being aware of each individual client’s abilities and disabilities to work with the whole person, their strengths, assets and individual characters. Our commitment is to give our clients this wholistic service using research-based and evidence-based methods, supported by a framework of continuous improvement in training and knowledge as service providers.

Contents
Client Services Charter
CLIENT COMMUNICATION & PARTICIPATION

STANDARD 1: RIGHTS
STANDARD 2: PARTICIPATION AND INCLUSION
SERVICE STANDARD 3: INDIVIDUAL OUTCOMES
STANDARD 4: FEEDBACK & COMPLAINTS
STANDARD 5: SERVICE ACCESS
STANDARD 6: SERVICE MANAGEMENT

CLIENT COMMUNICATION & PARTICIPATION

1.0 POLICY STATEMENT
Our Client Services Charter represents our vision and values and sets out what clients can expect from Fiona Werle Counselling & Sandtray Therapy as a service provider.
To deliver on the intent and principles of our Client Service Charter, we are committed to actively seeking our clients’ participation in the strategic design and delivery of service options. As a provider of Therapeutic and Early Childhood services these policies relate to these areas of service provision. This is done by asking clients directly to provide constructive suggestions and share their ideas on how to shape service offerings such as, what is working well, what is not working and how could we do it better.
In all communications we will use language that is accessible, unambiguous and free from acronyms and jargon. The tone used will depend on the purpose of the communication and audience, but generally it will be clear and straightforward rather than stilted and formal. We are committed to providing customers with the information that they require in a timely manner and will make every effort to ensure that the information that we provide is accurate, relevant and current.
Client and community focus is the defining feature and translates into personalised, local service, and honest and open communication with our customers.

2.0 PURPOSE
The intent of this policy is to state our commitment to consult broadly with our customers and the communities in which we belong.
This policy outlines how we will ensure we will remain relevant and focused on our clients’ needs and aspirations in a constantly changing disability environment.

3.0 SCOPE
The Commonwealth and State Disability Services Acts and Standards relate to the provision of disability services for people with a disability and recognise the role of families, friends, carers and advocates.
This policy relates to all activities of Fiona Werle Counselling to take responsibility for ensuring full understanding of the commitments outlined in this policy and implement relevant systems, procedures, workplace training and other strategies that will direct the development of our supportive culture in our Client Services.

4.0 POLICY DETAILS
Methods for seeking Participation
Active participation, such as a willingness to provide critical feedback strengthens the links between clients and our services. To achieve true client-centric outcomes we will take note of what our clients informally and formally tell us is working or not working.
We will do this;
• when we deliver/end support
• at review meetings
• in regular client surveys
• following a complaint or investigation

Methods of communication
We will communicate using methods that are accessible, relevant and user friendly. Clients or their parents/carers can communicate with us using any of the following mediums:
Verbally – either in person or over the phone
In writing –email
Other – through comments and feedback provided on surveys

Workplace Training
Training and skills are required and provide ideas on how to design the service and supports we provide to clients, what is working well, what is not working and how could we do it better.
Training and skills required to communicate effectively with our client regardless of whether it relates to day to day service delivery, a specific client enquiry, a general enquiry, service issue or complaint.

Employees role will include:
• Warmly greeting client before starting the conversation/service
• Introduce themselves to client by their full name
• Listen intently to any inquiry from client or parent/carer for any suggestion or concerns
• Remain fully focused on listening to client using relevant questions as needed to provide clarity
• Seek assistance from parent/carer if having difficulty understanding client because of language, communication style or other barriers to communication
• With permission of client or parent/carer contact other people (including family, emergency services, advocacy services) if there are any indications of risk of harm to yourself or others
• On request will deal with an advocate if the advocate can be appropriately identified and authorised by you
• Record interactions and reports in the appropriate reporting format
• Prior to dealing with either an authorised representative or an advocate we will ensure that both the client and the nominated representative understand their rights of authorisation and the level of access they have to client information.

Monitoring, evaluation and review
Our adherence to this policy will be monitored via client complaints and feedback and
within training sessions.

5.0 REFERENCES
Legislative context
Disability Inclusion Act 2014
STANDARD 1: RIGHTS

1.0 POLICY STATEMENT
To deliver on the intent and principles of our Client Service Charter, we are committed
to the protection of the legal and human rights of all people.
Clients can expect that we will:
• Provide each client with a respectful, ethical and safe service
• Respect their individual choices and support them to have a voice and exercise their human rights
• Promote and uphold our clients’ legal and human rights with others
• Provide them with any information that will support independence and self determination
• Support each client’s parents/carer right to make the decisions about their life, enjoy a valued role in their community, have privacy and be free from discrimination
• Respond quickly and sensitively when any breach of our client’s rights occurs as a result of our delivery of service, immediately acting to stop such behaviours
• Proactively and sensitively supporting a client, to the limits of our expertise and resources, in circumstances where their rights are being breached by others
Direct customers to all other avenues of support available for the protection of their legal and human rights

2.0 PURPOSE
• To achieve this Fiona Werle Counselling is commitment to the protection of our clients’ human rights as part of our service delivery, community awareness activities, education and engagement
• To meet or exceed the Client Service Charter and the National Disability Services Acts and Standards and comply with all other relevant legislation

3.0 SCOPE
The National Disability Services Acts and Standards relate to the provision of disability services for people with a disability and recognise the role of families, friends, carers and advocates.
This policy relates to all activities of Fiona Werle Counselling to take responsibility for ensuring full understanding of the commitments outlined in this policy and implement relevant systems, procedures, workflows and other strategies that will direct the development of Fiona Werle Counselling’s culture of Client Service.
This policy will also apply in full to any relevant contractors, agents, visitors, consultants, suppliers and clients whilst they are on premises, or providing any service to a client, their family or carers.

4.1 POLICY DETAILS
Client safety and wellbeing is essential for us to assist them to achieve their chosen goals and outcomes. The protection by Fiona Werle Counselling, of clients’ human rights will be achieved by:
• Ensuring the service and supports clients received from Fiona Werle Counselling maximises their ability for self-determination, personal expression and taking control of their life
• Providing the information and support clients/parents or carers need to understand and exercise their legal and human rights including the dignity of taking risks
• Encouraging and supporting clients to access legal or advocacy services that can inform them of their legal, human rights and their employment rights while they are receiving a service from Fiona Werle Counselling or from any other agency or service
• Maintaining clients’ right to privacy, ensuring that records and information about them are only used under their direction for the purpose of providing their support safely as stated in their personal plan and kept confidential in line with all relevant legislation
• Ensuring Fiona Werle Counselling systems and processes are actively preventing and where possible eliminating any risk of discrimination, exploitation, abuse, harm, neglect or violence to clients.
• Reporting and responding to any abuse of clients’ rights addressing any breach promptly and systemically to ensure opportunities for improvement are captured
• When applicable – Training and supporting any staff on their duty of care to each client and their obligation/requirement to provide a service that is safe, ethical and free from discrimination, financial, sexual, physical or emotional abuse, neglect and exploitation

STANDARD 1: RIGHTS
• Providing accredited training and regular refresher courses to our workforce on their responsibility to adhere to all legal compliance requirements and policy and procedures
• Having the organisational knowledge and skills to follow the reporting processes for any incidents of alleged or known discrimination, abuse, neglect and exploitation, including notifying external authorities appropriately
• Offering information and support to clients, their family and carers when they tell us about any discrimination, abuse, neglect or exploitation so that we can fully understand and respond effectively to their issue
• We will actively consult with our clients, their family and carers for feedback about policies and processes that include our strategies for equality and upholding their human rights

5.0 REFERENCES
Legislative context
Disability Discrimination Act (Commonwealth) 1992
Disability Inclusion Act 2014
Anti-Discrimination Act (NSW) 1977
Sex Discrimination Act (Commonwealth) 1977
Disability Services Act (Commonwealth) 1986 and
Commonwealth Disability Services Standards
Disability Services Act (NSW) 1993 and NSW Disability Services Standards
Restrictive Practices and other linked legislation.
Australian Privacy Principals (Privacy Act 1988)

STANDARD 2: PARTICIPATION AND INCLUSION
POLICY STATEMENT
Fiona Werle Counselling Client Service Charter represents our vision and values and sets out what clients can expect when using Fiona Werle Counselling to provide their service.
Clients can expect that we will:
• Actively encourage and support clients to make and maintain personal connections and participate in their community in ways that are important to them, their family and carers
• Actively encourage and support clients, to participate and contribute to the economic life of their community in the way they choose as a valued community member
• Recognise that their interests, preferences and goals may change and require us to adapt to ensure we stay focused on what is important to clients
2.0 PURPOSE
• Assist clients to participate in the economic life of their community,
• Enjoy a sense of belonging and experience life in ways that are important and meaningful to them

3.0 SCOPE
The National Disability Services Acts and Standards relate to the provision of disability services for
people with a disability and recognise the role of families, friends, carers and advocates.
This policy relates to all activities of Fiona Werle Counselling and taking responsibility for
ensuring full understanding of the commitments outlined in this policy and implement relevant
systems, procedures, workflows and other strategies that will direct the development of our
culture of Client Service.
This policy will also apply in full to all relevant contractors, agents, visitors, consultants, suppliers and
customers whilst they are on DSA premises, or providing any service to clients, their family or carers.

4.0 POLICY DETAILS
We are committed to supporting our clients to participate in the economic life of their community, enjoying a sense of belonging and experience life in ways that are important and
meaningful to them. We will support each client to achieve this by:
• Supporting clients their family and carers to find, use and access the community facilities/services they need and work with them to reduce any limitations or barriers where they exist
• Proactively seek and develop community connections to promote and increase opportunities for clients active, meaningful participation in their community
• Provide clients parents/carers with the support and information they need to make individual decisions about the full range of ways they can connect with their community
• Supporting clients’ interests and activities in ways that consider the rights and welfare of the community
• Training and supporting any future workforce so they understand, respect and include customers’ culture, interests and skill development choices in a person-centred way
• Developing and maintaining connections with the clients’ local community to promote and increase the opportunities available to them
• Working with local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to enhance local cultural connections and increase options that could be beneficial to clients
• Working with culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities, agencies and services to enhance local cultural connections and increase options for clients
Where relevant working with interpreters (linguistic and/or sign), communication specialists and relevant
advocacy agencies/services that can also assist customer participation and inclusion in
their community based on their choices and needs

5.0 REFERENCES
Legislative context
Disability Services Act (Commonwealth) 1986 and
Commonwealth Disability Services Standards
Disability Services Act (NSW) 1993 and NSW Disability Services Standards
Disability Inclusion Act 2014
Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998, and Regulations 2000
SERVICE STANDARD 3: INDIVIDUAL OUTCOMES
1.0 POLICY STATEMENT
To deliver on the intent and principles of our Client Service Charter, we are committed to
placing our clients at the center of each decision in the planning, design and delivery of the
service and supports they ask us to provide.

Clients can expect that we will:
• Assist each client to lead and direct their service, supporting them to set the goals that will achieve their personal aspirations and meet their individual needs
• Recognise and respond to individual difference such as, age, gender, culture, heritage, language, faith, sexual identity and relationship status
• Use person centred thinking, planning and approaches when working with our clients to design the service and supports that will meet their personal needs and support their goals and aspirations
• Support our client’s’ informal network of family, friends, carers and advocates to be involved with the planning of the client’s supports in line with their wishes

2.0 PURPOSE
• Assist our clients in a person-centred way to deliver the support they want, for them to live the life they want and achieve their individual life goals. This includes us listening carefully to understand what is important to them and the people who care about them
• To meet Client Service Charter and the National Disability Services Acts and Standards and comply with all other relevant legislation

3.0 SCOPE
The National Disability Services Acts and Standards relate to the provision of disability services for
people with a disability and recognise the role of families, friends, carers and advocates.
This policy relates to all activities of Fiona Werle Counselling and to take responsibility for
ensuring full understanding of the commitments outlined in this policy and implement relevant
systems, procedures, workflows and other strategies that will direct the development of Fiona Werle Counselling culture of Client Service.

4.0 POLICY DETAILS
We are committed to ensuring our clients’ strengths, interests, identity, culture and life goals are reflected in the planning for their supports and in the way their individual needs are supported.
A customer’s plan will assist us to deliver and regularly measure and review how well our support is assisting them to achieve their goals.
We will support customers to achieve the outcomes they have told us are important to them by:
• Putting them and their family at the centre of decision making in all aspects of their life
• Supporting their or their family’s access to information on which to base their decisions when they want to try new things or continue with options that may not have gone well in the past including the benefits and risks, consequences and responsibilities to them and others
• Gaining their consent to the level of involvement that other people such as their family, carers or advocate have in planning and decisions about their life and how they chose to live it, including decisions about the supports that are important to them and for them
• Partnering with each client, their family, carers and advocates to assist in decision making before a substitute (nominated) decision maker is involved
• Respecting the views of the client’s family and carers but recognise that our client has the final say in the planning and decision making about their service unless guardianship has been legally appointed to others
• Ensuring the information and support the clients need to make decisions and choices, take into account their cultural, language and communication needs
• Recognising that our clients can communicate their choices, likes and dislikes in many ways for example verbal communication, withdrawal, acting out, engagement and disengagement, aggression, excitement, despondency and joyfulness
• Working with the client and adapting to their individual needs as they change over time regardless of the frequency or cause
• Understanding the cultural/ language needs of our clients family or carers, where they are involved, in particular respecting the social structure of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community
• Helping our clients discover and make the most of their strengths, abilities interests and talent
• Supporting clients to explore the things that are important to them such as family, culture, religion, friends and social networks, earning an income or having a valued community role; and important for them such as medical services, therapy, behavioural intervention, skill development, legal aid and advocacy
• Continuously reviewing how we support our clients to make sure we are meeting their individual needs and expectations using contemporary person-centered and strengths based approaches
• Continuously improving our capacity and capability to offer and deliver our clients a service that is flexible, responsive and personalised
• Providing potential workforce with training, supervision, career opportunities and acknowledgement giving our clients their family and carers confidence in the commitment, quality and competency of the people selected to support them

5.0 REFERENCES
Legislative context
Disability Discrimination Act (Commonwealth) 1992
Anti-Discrimination Act (NSW) 1977
Disability Services Act (Commonwealth) 1986 and Commonwealth Disability Services Standards
Disability Services Act (NSW) 1993 and NSW Disability Services Standards
Disability Inclusion Act 2014
Occupational Health and Safety Act (NSW) 2000
Occupational Health and Safety Regulations (NSW) 2001

STANDARD 4: FEEDBACK & COMPLAINTS

1.0 POLICY STATEMENT
To deliver on the intent and principles of our Client Service Charter, we are committed to
providing a high quality and professional service that meets the needs of each customer. We welcome and encourages client feedback, ideas and suggestions; they are all valued and help us to develop a better service to meet their needs and deliver positive outcomes.
Clients can expect that we will:
• Actively encourage and support our clients and their family and carers to provide feedback or to raise concerns about any aspect of the service we provide that is not meeting their expectation of quality and professionalism
• Respect that our clients their family and carers will decide how, when and where they wish to make a complaint and they can choose a key contact person to work through the process with them
• Provide our clients with ongoing information about our feedback and complaints policy and processes that is accessible and easily understood
• Resolve a client complaint in a private, confidential, fair, and timely manner and their personal views will be respected
• Help our clients to find a support person or advocate to assist or represent them if they want one.
• Throughout the complaint handling process we will support a client’s participation, identify their desired goal, and keep them and their supporters informed of all decisions and the reasons for those decisions
• Ensure that there are no negative consequences or disadvantage to any client or their supporters because they have complained or expressed their view
Quality Management System and our customer complaints and feedback processes to inform and direct continuous improvement across the organisation

2.0 PURPOSE
To ensure that
f regularly and actively seeks customer feedback about the service and supports they receive, creating a partnership where the client, their family and carers feel safe and supported to complain and express a view point, how and when they want with the assistance they choose
• To ensure that each client, their family and carers are aware of their rights, responsibilities and Fiona Werle Counselling responsibilities

4.0 POLICY DETAILS
We highly the important role of complaints and feedback from our customers in determining what we are doing well, what we are not doing well and what we need to do better or change. We are committed to providing a culture of client service where the client feels safe and supported to express their views about their satisfaction with our service, how and when they want with the support they choose.
We will achieve this by:
• Providing clients the information, support and a safe environment at a place determined by the client, in which to raise a complaint about any of the supports or services
• Ensuring they are aware of their right to raise a complaint to an external regulatory body i.e. the NSW Ombudsman; about the supports and the service provided to them by Fiona Werle Counselling if they are unhappy with how we have responded to their complaint or concern
• Supporting clients to seek the assistance of an external advocate if necessary, so together with we can resolve the complaint or concern
• Supplying clients with our written complaints policy and procedure taking into account the diverse backgrounds of our clients and the individual, cultural and language/ communication approaches that are required to assist our clients be aware of and understand the complaint handling process e.g. Sending clients directly onto the NDIA website
• Communicating with clients about changes in personnel and or organisational structure so clients their family and carers are always up to date on who they can report to and the person to whom they can escalate their complaint or concern to if they are not satisfied with the local response
• Ensuring a customer complaint is dealt with promptly, sensitively and as confidentially as possible and that their privacy and dignity is always respected and maintained
• Taking reasonable steps to resolve the complaint within an agreed timeframe
• Actively seeking input from the customer, their family and carers following the closure of a complaint to determine if our complaints management and process could be improved
• At the conclusion of a complaint handling process we will report complaint outcomes internally and where necessary externally
• Collecting feedback & complaint data, analysing trends to incorporate in policy development and continuous improvement as part of the Quality Management system
• Providing induction and ongoing re-fresher training for any potential workforce in complaints handling and policy and procedure
•
5.0 REFERENCES
Legislative context
Community Services Complaints and Appeals Monitoring Act (NSW) 1993
Disability Services Act (Commonwealth) 1986 and
Commonwealth Disability Services Standards
Disability Services Act (NSW) 1993 and NSW Disability Services Standards
Disability Inclusion Act 2014
Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Act (Commonwealth) 1986
Disability Discrimination Act (Commonwealth) 1992
Anti-Discrimination Act (NSW) 1977
Australian Privacy Principals (Privacy Act 1988)
Policy Context
Relevant State (NSW), Common

STANDARD 5: SERVICE ACCESS
1.0 POLICY STATEMENT

To deliver on the intent and principles of our Client Service Charter, we are committed to
all people with a disability having the right to fair, honest, ethical and non-discriminatory
access to a service and supports:
Clients can expect that we will:
• Inform people with a disability and the wider community of the service and supports we can provide, their possible benefits, any eligibility criteria and how people can access them
• Ensure ‘first to know’ agencies like schools, early childhood centers, peak organisations, welfare agencies, case workers, and health providers in the communities where we are present, are informed and knowledgeable about the services we can provide
• Actively promote and profile the service and supports we can offer to the wider community, specific and mainstream community groups and specialist organisations thereby building broad referral networks
• Ensure information about our services and supports is accessible and easy to understand and where possible adapted to meet individual client needs. This information will include details about the features and capacity of each support offered
• Work to improve service access for all as part of our community development strategy
2.0 PURPOSE
The purpose of this policy is to ensure:-
We inform people with a disability, their family and carers about the broad range of supports and services from DSA that are available to meet their needs
Each person who makes an inquiry about our service is treated fairly, honestly, ethically and without discrimination
Fiona Werle Counselling meets and exceeds the Disability Services Standards and complies with all relevant legislation

3.1 POLICY DETAILS
Fair, honest, ethical and non-discriminatory service access will be achieved by:
• Proactively communicating information about our service and supports, their different features and capacities as part of our broader community engagement activities
• Ensuring that potential clients understand the service and supports we offer, the eligibility criteria, cost and our capacity to provide the support in the local area
• Ensuring all enquiries by a potential client are responded to in a timely manner by someone who can provide equality of access to the information on which they can make a decision.
• Reviewing the information about service access with potential clients, their family and carers to identify and minimise any barriers that could prevent fair, equal access to the supports we can provide. We will make all reasonable adjustments where possible
• Providing potential customers with all options we are aware of in their community that could be of benefit to them and expand their choices in any aspect of their life
• In consultation with each potential client review regularly our client entry process and ongoing access to supports to ensure that we are not discriminating or unintentionally creating barriers to equal access. This should include issues of conflict of interest, favouritism, avoidances or unjustified refusal to provide a support.
• We will communicate with customers about any changes and improvements we make based on their feedback
• Openly supporting potential clients’ right to complain about any aspect they are not happy with in relation to their access to the supports that are important to them and for them, their family and carers. we will make this information available in ways that suit their needs
• Monitoring the diversity of the people accessing our supports and services to ensure we are reaching the whole community in particular those groups who are known to experience additional barriers to accessing services and support because of gender, culture, ethnicity and aboriginality
• Quality Management System auditing to check that this policy is being implemented effectively across all activities.
•
5.0 REFERENCES
Legislative context
Disability Discrimination Act (Commonwealth) 1992
Disability Services Act (Commonwealth) 1986 and
Commonwealth Disability Services Standards
Anti-Discrimination Act (NSW) 1977
Disability Services Act (NSW) 1993 and NSW Disability Services Standards
NSW Disability Services Standards2013
Disability Inclusion Act 2014
Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998, and Regulations 2000
Occupational Health and Safety Act (NSW) 2000
Occupational Health and Safety Regulations (NSW) 2001
United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006)

STANDARD 6: SERVICE MANAGEMENT
1.0 POLICY STATEMENT

To deliver on the intent and principles of our Client Service Charter, we are committed to
the development and maintenance of a client service culture in order to uphold service management.
Clients can expect that we will:
• Maximise the individual opportunities and enhance the outcomes of our clients by having the right culture, good management, effective quality management systems, community engagement and excellent governance practices
• Manage our corporate governance practices effectively and efficiently ensuring our service and supports are person centred
• Deliver a high quality, flexible and responsive service, that supports all aspects of our clients’ human rights
• Have in place effective quality management systems and practices for all parts of the business, including strategic planning, service management and day to day processes and Quality Management System for complaints and feedback

2.0 PURPOSE
• Clients receive a service and supports that are well managed and
• delivered by skilled workers with the right values, attitudes and experience to meet their needs.
• To meet or exceed Client Service Charter and the National Disability Services Acts and Standards and comply with all other relevant legislation

4.0 POLICY DETAILS
The principles and intent of this policy will be achieved by;
• Putting the client first and in control of all decisions about the supports that are important to them and for them.
• Upholding all aspects of our clients’ legal and human rights through effective and efficient governance
• Embedding consultation and feedback opportunities for our clients, their family and carers and all other stakeholders
• Utilising all informal learnings from feedback, complaints, networks and conferences and proactive learning from training and research to inform our continuous improvement strategic cycle
• Continuously monitoring services, activities, policies and practices to evaluate whether organisational objectives are met
• Monitoring strategic and business plans to ensure they are implemented in ways that maximise consultation and community engagement
• Ensuring Fiona Werle Counselling meets relevant legislation requirements and ethically governs its financial and human resources
• Actively seek customer feedback
• Effective internal controls and Quality Management System (QMS) to comply with the relevant Acts and Standards and other general legislative requirements
• Ensure potential workforce understand this policy, and have or develop sufficient skills, knowledge and ability for implementation
• Provide potential worker training, support and supervision to flexibly meet customer needs using a person-centered approach
• Implement effective Work, Health and Safety systems to provide clients with an accessible, safe physical environment (i.e. workplace or service delivery site) and emotional and culturally safe environment that meets all legislative and policy requirements