Our statement on the ABC Four Corners story ‘Careless’

During our school holiday period last week, we were deeply shocked and distressed by the Four Corners documentary ‘Careless: How the NDIS fails to protect our most vulnerable’ that aired on Monday 25 September. 

The sickening practices exposed in this episode would be frightening and traumatising for anybody and has no place in our society. We join other autism associations in expressing our anger and sadness in seeing deplorable services being delivered, which exploits and undermines trust in the NDIS.

As a registered provider, Abacus has always been committed to delivering ethical neuro-affirming ABA services and to upholding the rights of all people with a disability.

We wish to reassure our community that the footage shown in the documentary are not representative of best-practice ABA therapy, where individualised programs should be designed to ensure each child has fun, is safe and their learning is engaging and effective.

Both the Four Corners program and the recent release of The Royal Commission’s Report into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability highlight the need to focus on how we can protect and respect those most vulnerable in our community.

We hope the recommendations of the report will be used to provide better safeguards and create a more equitable and inclusive system.

If you have or know of someone who has had a negative experience with an NDIS funded service it is important to report this to the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.

https://www.ndiscommission.gov.au/about/making-complaint