fact sheet
“Traditionally, many services that support the lives of people with disabilities have taken an all or
nothing approach. People have either lived in their family home where they and their family took all
responsibility for their care, or they lived in facilities run by services that took over the responsibility and
with it, all authority over the person’s life, often to the great detriment of relationships, safety and
decent lives. Even when newer forms of service were established to support people with disability many
continued their same way of operating, moving into areas of life that, for other citizens, always remain
the personal business of the people themselves and/or of their families and trusted friends.” i
Considering Governance
In housing options, governance is about getting relationships right in the lives of people with a disability by
sharing and delegating authority and responsibility.
Governance is about decisions, such as:
Setting goals
Deciding what is important
Planning to make change
We are seeing more responses that provide an ongoing governing relationship with the person (or their family
and representatives). These responses aim to work on the best outcomes for the person who is using that
service for support.
Every governance arrangement is different. The practice is that multiple people are involved to help safeguard
the best interests and best outcomes for the person. This happens by meeting regularly and following up with
any actions needed.
www.dhcs.act.gov.au
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fact sheet
Resources
Useful resources to help understand governance and shared responsibility
•
Choreographing life: How authority and responsibility can be delegated and shared in right
relationship in the lives of people with a disability when they use services that support daily life
Home West Association 2007
(http://www.homeswest.org.au/Choreographing%20Life%20-%20Jan%20Dyke.pdf)
•
10 Guidelines in family governance Margaret Ward
(www.cru.org.au/projects/safeguards/TenGuidelinesforFamilyGovernancepaper.doc)
Disability ACT Housing Options Facilitator
The Housing Options Facilitator can provide you with further information or assistance.
You can contact the Housing Options Facilitator on:
email
telephone
[email protected]
(02) 6207 1086
tty
(02) 6205 0888
i
Dyke, J (2007) Choreographing Life pg 2 The Homes West Association
www.dhcs.act.gov.au
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