Submissions
December 2022
Submission to the Disability Royal Commission; CYDA's Summary of Recommendations 2019-2022
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Disability Royal Commission - information for families
About the Royal Commission
The Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability - commonly called the Disability Royal Commission - was established in 2019. It is scheduled to run until 2022.
A Royal Commission is an independent investigation into issues of public importance. Commissioners are appointed by the government. They will commission research, hear evidence and receive submissions, and then make recommendations to government about what should change.
For the Disability Royal Commission, the Commissioners have been asked to consider a range of issues, including:
- preventing and better protecting people with disability from experiencing violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation
- achieving best practice in reporting, investigating and responding to violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation of people with disability
- promoting a more inclusive society that supports people with disability to be independent and live free from violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation.
They will look at these issues across all settings and environments, including schools, hospitals, workplaces, and homes.
How you can get involved
If your child has experienced violence, abuse, neglect or exploitation, you can share your story with the Royal Commission.
There are a number of ways you can do this:
- Write your thoughts down. You can This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to the Commission, fill out an online submission form, or send in a written submission. The Commission's website has guiding questions to help you write your submission.
- Talk to someone at the Commission, by calling 1800 517 199 or 07 3734 1900 from 9am to 6pm AEDT Monday to Friday.
- Record your story (voice or video) and send it to the Commission.
- Apply for a private session with a Commissioner. This is a chance to speak to a Commissioner directly about your experiences. **Please note, because of the coronavirus pandemic, private sessions have been postponed until further notice.
The Royal Commission is also releasing issues papers about particular topics. So far this includes education and learning, justice, and group homes. The issues papers have questions you can answer in your submission if you would like.
You can provide as many submissions as you would like. For example, you may choose to provide a submission about a particular incident that happened at your child's school, and then make additional submissions about other incidents.
Free support is available
There are three types of free support being provided for people who are affected by the Royal Commission, or who would like to share their stories. This includes people with disability as well as their families and carers.
Counselling
Blue Knot Foundation offers free, specialist counselling support and a referral service for people with disability, their families and carers, and anyone affected by the Disability Royal Commission.
You can call Blue Knot Foundation’s national hotline on 1800 421 468 (9am to 6pm AEDT Monday to Friday, and 9am to 5pm AEDT on Saturday, Sunday and public holidays). Blue Knot can provide counselling and also refer you to local services in your state or territory.
Please visit the Royal Commission's website for information about accessing Blue Knot's services in another language or if you have a hearing impairment.
Advocacy
You can get free advocacy support to help with preparing your submission, and you can talk to advocates about assistance with other matters, too.
Find your nearest advocacy service through the Department of Social Services' Disability Advocacy Finder or through the Disability Advocacy Network of Australia.
Legal services
Free, independent legal advice is available from Your Story Disability Legal Support, to help you interact with the Royal Commission.
You can call Your Story on 1800 771 800 (9.15am to 5.15pm AEDT Monday to Friday). Please visit their website for information about accessing their services in another language or if you have a hearing impairment.
Your Story has a range of resources on their website to help when you're planning your submission, including factsheets and FAQs.
More information
For more information about the Disability Royal Commission, please visit their website. You can also subscribe to have updates emailed to you.
CYDA has been funded to engage with the Royal Commission over the next two years, including to provide information to families of children and young people with disability.
For more information about our work around the Commission, please contact our Policy and Program Manager Maeve Kennedy, on 03 9417 1025 or 1800 222 660 (regional or interstate callers). You can also This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Resources
Submissions
December 2022
Submission to the Disability Royal Commission; Quest for Inclusion: A vision for an Inclusive Australia
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Submissions
December 2022
Joint Submission to the Disability Royal Commission; Charter of Human Rights
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Submissions
December 2022
Submission to the Disability Royal Commission: Disability Pride Youth Forum
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Submissions
November 2022
Submission to the Disability Royal Commission: Targeted Engagement with young people with disability
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Submissions
November 2022
Joint submission from Disability Representative Organisations: Identified gaps in the scope of work undertaken by the Disability Royal Commission as at November 2022
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News
September 2022
Being realistic about inclusion: What’s realistic for young people with disability?
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Submissions
August 2022
CYDA's response to the Disability Royal Commission's background paper: Supported decision-making and guardianship: proposals for reform roundtable paper
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Submissions
May 2022
DRC Workbook for preparing a submission in support of your child
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Submissions
May 2022
CYDA’s response to the DRC’s Omicron issues paper
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Submissions
April 2022
CYDA Federal Election Platform 2022
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Submissions
February 2022
Submission to the consultation of the New Disability Employment Support Model
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Research & reports
September 2021
Locked out: Vaccination discrimination for children and young people with disability
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Submissions
July 2021
Endorsement of ARACY Covid Report to DRC
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Submissions
June 2021
Response to the Disability Royal Commission's Promoting Inclusion issues paper
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Submissions
March 2021
#End Segregation Campaign and Position Paper on Segregation
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Media Releases
February 2021
Media Statement: Education jurisdictions let off the hook by the Disability Royal Commission during COVID-19 after neglect of students with a disability
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Submissions
February 2021
DRC response to the Covid-19 hearing report
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News
December 2020
Media: Disability groups fight to end segregation of people with disability in Australia
Article
Submissions
October 2020
Disability Royal Commission - Response to Restrictive Practices issues paper
Download
Submissions
October 2020
Disability Royal Commission - Response to Employment issues paper
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News
October 2020
Media: Disability Royal Commission and CYDA in the media
Article
Submissions
October 2020
Disability Royal Commission - Response to Rights and Attitudes issues paper
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News
October 2020
Joint media statement: Australia is failing students with disability, evidence to the Royal Commission will show
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Media Releases
September 2020
Open letter to the Attorney-General The Hon. Christian Porter MP
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Media Releases
September 2020
Privacy concerns a stumbling block for Disability Royal Commission submissions
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Submissions
July 2020
Disability Royal Commission - Response to Criminal Justice System issues paper
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Media Releases
May 2020
More than isolated’: COVID-19 compounds inequities for children and young people with disability
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Submissions
May 2020
Disability Royal Commission - Emergency planning and response during COVID-19
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Research & reports
May 2020
More than isolated: The experience of children and young people with disability and their families during the COVID-19 pandemic
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Fact sheets
February 2020
The Disability Royal Commission and how to get involved
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Fact sheets
February 2020
How can we help keep children and young people with disability safe?
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Fact sheets
February 2020
What to do when harm occurs - or you suspect it
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Fact sheets
February 2020
What is violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation of children and young people with disability
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Media Releases
January 2020
Disability community renews our calls for Commissioners to stand aside
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Media Releases
November 2019
The right to inclusive education must not be contested by the Disability Royal Commission at the first hearing commencing in Townsville today
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Research & reports
October 2019
Towards inclusive education: A necessary process of transformation
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Submissions
October 2019
Disability Royal Commission - Education of children and young people with disability
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Submissions
September 2019
Draft accessibility strategy of the Royal Commission into Violence Abuse Neglect and Exploitation
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Submissions
July 2015
Inquiry into violence abuse and neglect against people with disability in institutional and residential settings
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Research & reports
October 2014
Strengthening participation of children and young people with disability in advocacy
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Research & reports
July 2014
Enabling and protecting: Proactive approaches to addressing the abuse an neglect of children and young people with disability
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