#Irabina #NDIS #NDIA #FourCorners
#irabina #services #autism
Children with autism and mental disabilities have been unlawfully fixed by up to six workers as part of a controversial therapy funded by NDIS. 18 children participated in the "Heavy Behavior Program" at Irabina Autism Services in Melbourne. The program included spending hours with staff in small, padded, windowless rooms as part of a therapy imported from the USA. Each room had a camera and a one-way mirrored observation room that allowed others to observe treatment. The whistleblowers told Four Corners that children, who are believed to be between the ages of 10 and 14, were captured by staff when they displayed "uncontrolled behavior. They say that the workers wear helmets and sometimes other protective clothing before entering the room. Four Corners obtained a shocking video showing how a young child with autism and serious mental disabilities was treated. The video shows that child who does not speak sits on a cushion in the middle of padded room. It is believed that he exhibited the so-called "uncontrolled behavior" and therefore there were many workers around him. When he tries to move, six workers, some wearing gloves and a protective cap, are running towards him. The young is crying in trouble. Then they wrap around the child. "We have to be calm for five minutes," says one worker. "This means not harming us or yourself." "You can get some Nurofen in five minutes." He can stay still for three and a half minutes before moving. Six workers lay him down and fix it face down for just over seven minutes, while other staff come together. Irabina's Violent Behavior Program is allegedly based on a model used in the United States. Finally, the child is said to be able to go home. While leaving the room, a staff member asks him to have a high five, while someone else treats him with pains. An independent report, later obtained by Four Corners, found that practices were illegal and violated the state's human rights convention. The report stated that such a restriction would be "oppressive, frightening or daunting" for any person. The reviewers found that the teenager was exposed to this treatment 10 or more times over a 17-month period. The use of any application that restricts a disabled person is regulated by the Senior Practitioner in Victoria. After the video was shown by Four Corners, former Victoria Senior Practitioner Frank Lambrick called it "shocking. There is absolutely no case where such a restriction can be applied, "he said. He said that methods used in the video are "against law" and "abuse. "The restriction in superficial position is probably most risky among banned restrictions because it involves forcing person to lie down and thus putting pressure on internal organs." The child's family in video was not informed by the Irabina or NDIS Quality and Protection Commission that child's treatment was illegal. Four Corners asked commission if it informed all families particip
