The Disability Royal Commission is well under way now, and with that, ongoing media coverage, which may be traumatic for many people.
A colleague has drawn our attention to a FREE legal service for people with a disability who want to engage with the Disability Royal Commission. We have included information about that service below, along with other resources, that we will pin to the top of our Stories page, for easy reference.
Original information about these resources is available at the Department of Social Services website.
Legal
There is now the National Legal Advisory Service for the Disability Royal Commission. This is a FREE service for people who are interested in participating in the Disability Royal Commission – that includes people with a disability, their families, carers, supporters and advocates. If you are interested in making a submission or engaging in some way, the Advisory Service offers independent advice and information on your legal rights and the options available to you. Referrals to counselling and other support services are also available through the Advisory Service.
Legal Advisory Service:
- Helpline number: 1800 771 800
- Legal Aid NSW website information: https://www.legalaid.nsw.gov.au/what-we-do/civil-law/disability-royal-commission
Counselling
The Blue Knot Foundation offers FREE counselling support for anyone affected by the Commission. This includes people with a disability, their families and carers.
You can call the National Counselling and Referral Service on 1800 421 468.
Available 9 am to 6 pm weekdays or 9 am to 5 pm weekends AEDT.
Advocacy
If you need support to engage with the Disability Royal Commission, the Australian Government has extended the National Disability Advocacy Program (NDAP). It now includes individual support for those who may need it.
People with a disability can access the advocacy support if there may be difficulties communicating or understanding the process. This is also available to family members or carers acting on someone’s behalf.
The Department of Social Services website has Factsheets available for download in several formats including an Easy Read version, a Translated Version, and an Auslan version.
P2P participants can also contact their Support Coordinators if they have any questions or concerns.