Tasmania’s disability sector and out of home care workers, and the people they look after – need urgent support to stop them slipping through the cracks of the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia.
Acting Shadow Minister for Disability Alison Standen said the disability services industry and Tasmanians who need the industry’s support are struggling with the effects of the crisis.
“COVID-19 has brought challenges to all our lives, and hardships for many,” Ms Standen said.
“But while help is being rightly provided to many who need it, Tasmania’s disability workers and their clients, along with out of home care workers, children and carers, seem to have been forgotten.
“While other sectors have been given clear advice, disability sector workers have told us that’s not the case for them.
“Service providers want two things: urgent and clear advice on how to protect workers and clients and ensure continuity of support, as well as access to personal protective equipment (PPE) such as masks, gloves and gowns from the national stockpile.
“They are unclear about how to implement effective social distancing, particularly in day centre or group home settings, and it’s also unclear how they should respond in the event of a confirmed case of COVID-19.
“Disability support workers often deliver services in the homes of many clients each day and the potential for them to spread COVID-19 is extremely concerning.
“These are people who provide a vital service to vulnerable members of our society and they deserve the same support as other high-risk sectors, for example, workers in the aged care sector.
“We must do everything we can to keep disability workers and their clients safe, along with out of home care workers, children and carers.”
