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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 7 Hansard (26 June) . . Page.. 2307 ..

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In my last Statement, I foreshadowed the release for consultation of the Disability Program's three year Strategic Directions Plan. The Plan was finalised in January 1997 after a period of extensive consultation, and contains an ambitious agenda for change.

A detailed implementation plan has been developed to ensure the goals of the Strategic Directions Plan become a reality. This plan includes key milestones for implementation. To date, all key milestones have been achieved.

On June 11 I was pleased to launch the Disability Program's enhanced operational policies. These policies build on and improve the operational policies which already existed within the Program.

The new policies are directly based on the philosophical framework provided by the ACT Disability Services Act (1991) and are aligned with National Disability Service Standards.

They are grounded in a philosophy which recognises the valued status of each individual. They are supportive of each consumer having an opportunity to make decisions and to direct the service he or she receives.

Valuable input has been received from staff from various work environments, backgrounds and areas of expertise, who participated in a series of workshops to examine the draft policies and to advise on ways to improve them.

The policies set high standards for Disability Program practice. They provide clear guidelines for staff on procedural matters in their daily work. They clarify what the Program expects of its staff.

They ensure that ambiguity and inconsistencies are removed from the working environment, and they provide staff with the assurance that their work meets Disability Service Standards.

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