COURSE OVERVIEW:

Welcome to the Delivering Dignified Support Under the NDIS Charter of Rights course. This program has been designed for NDIS workers, providers, and managers to ensure full understanding and practical application of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (Charter of Rights) Rules 2018. Grounded in the NDIS Act 2013, the Charter sets a legal and ethical standard for supporting people with disability with dignity, equality, and respect.

This course provides an exploration of provider obligations and participant entitlements, while offering practical guidance to integrate the Charter’s principles into everyday service delivery. At its core, this course equips professionals with the tools to create safe, inclusive, and participant-centred environments that honour each person’s rights, culture, and independence.

The NDIS Charter of Rights affirms the rights of participants to receive safe and respectful supports free from harm, discrimination, and coercion. This course begins by introducing the purpose, scope, and legislative foundation of the Charter. It explains how the NDIS Act 2013 and the Charter Rules 2018 establish binding responsibilities for providers to deliver rights-based support. This includes the duty to uphold individual freedom, safeguard participant voice, and incorporate human rights principles into every stage of service planning and delivery.

Dignity and respect are core expectations under the Charter. This section explores the rights of participants to live free from abuse, neglect, violence, and exploitation. It highlights the importance of respecting gender, cultural background, beliefs, sexuality, and personal relationships, and explains how person-first language and inclusive communication promote self-worth and equality. The section also reinforces the importance of avoiding language or practices that reinforce stigma or disempowerment.

Choice and control are at the heart of the NDIS model. This section addresses how the Charter ensures participants can make informed decisions about their supports, life goals, and providers. It covers the legal right to change providers or workers, and the obligation to deliver information in accessible formats, including Easy Read, Auslan, and translated materials. Respecting participant decision-making builds trust, autonomy, and service satisfaction.

Inclusive participation must be actively enabled, not passively assumed. This section explains how the Charter supports participants’ right to be included in education, employment, social, and community life. It describes how to tailor supports based on individual preferences and remove environmental, attitudinal, and communication barriers. The section also covers how support environments can be adapted to maximise physical access and social inclusion.

Privacy and confidentiality are protected by law and reinforced in the Charter. This section outlines how personal information must be collected, stored, and shared in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 and the NDIS Practice Standards. It covers participant rights to access their records, control who has access to their information, and ensure sensitive data is safeguarded against misuse or disclosure without consent.

Safe and quality supports are a non-negotiable right. This section examines provider responsibilities for employing trained, culturally competent staff, maintaining safe work environments, and complying with the Work Health and Safety Act 2011. It includes guidance on completing NDIS Worker Screening Checks, conducting regular supervision, and aligning practices with the NDIS Practice Standards to ensure participant wellbeing.

Embedding the Charter into service delivery requires a whole-of-organisation approach. This section details how to align service models with participant goals, identity, and rights. It explains how to embed Charter principles in intake processes, staff handbooks, and daily practices. Tailoring service agreements, codes of conduct, and policy documents to reflect rights-based commitments ensures compliance and builds a culture of respect.

Informed consent is fundamental to ethical and legal practice. This section describes how to obtain genuine consent before initiating or altering any support. It includes how to assess decision-making capacity, involve advocates when appropriate, and provide communication aids or interpreters. All consent decisions must be documented clearly, ensuring that participants understand what they are agreeing to in full.

Restrictive practices must only be used as a last resort and within lawful parameters. This section explains what constitutes a restrictive practice under NDIS legislation, including seclusion, physical restraint, and chemical restraint. It outlines the requirement for authorisation through an approved Behaviour Support Plan and the mandatory obligation to report any unauthorised use to the NDIS Commission within required timeframes.

Accessible communication enables dignity and participation. This section explores the use of Easy Read documents, large print, translation services, assistive communication devices, and Auslan interpreters to meet diverse communication needs. It also addresses how to adapt content for cognitive accessibility and ensure that participants understand information before decisions are made or consent is given.

Autonomy and self-determination are guiding principles of the Charter. This section covers how to support participant-led decision-making, encourage risk-taking within safe parameters, and promote skill-building for independent living. It outlines how support workers can reinforce participant authority in daily choices and facilitate growth in confidence, resilience, and identity.

Protecting participants from abuse, neglect, and discrimination requires proactive action. This section outlines how to recognise early warning signs of rights violations, report concerns to the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission, and implement zero-tolerance responses within services. It also includes guidance on retraining staff following breaches and creating supportive environments that reduce vulnerability and promote transparency.

Participants must have safe and responsive pathways to lodge complaints. This section explains how to establish accessible, well-publicised complaints processes, acknowledge concerns promptly, and provide regular updates. It reinforces the need to offer escalation pathways, including access to independent advocacy and external complaints bodies, ensuring participants never feel silenced or ignored.

The Charter must be made visible and accessible to all participants. This section outlines how to display the Charter prominently in reception areas, service sites, and program spaces, and how to ensure all materials are available in multiple languages and accessible formats. It also reinforces the importance of incorporating rights-based content into enrolment documents, intake discussions, and service agreements.

Staff must be trained, supported, and supervised to uphold the Charter. This section explores how to deliver regular training on rights, respectful behaviour, communication skills, and ethical conduct. It includes supervision strategies to monitor compliance, identify gaps, and promote continuous improvement in staff capability. Reinforcing rights-based practice in daily routines ensures that participant dignity is consistently protected.

Monitoring, evaluation, and quality assurance are essential to sustaining rights-based practice. This section describes how to use audits, incident reports, and participant feedback to assess Charter compliance and identify systemic issues. It outlines how to analyse findings, update procedures, and implement corrective actions to ensure services remain safe, accountable, and aligned with legislative requirements.

Non-compliance with the Charter carries serious consequences. This section explains the NDIS Commission’s enforcement powers—including improvement notices, regulatory audits, and penalties of up to $550,000 for corporations and $111,000 for individuals. It also addresses the risks of suspension or de-registration in cases of serious breaches, reinforcing the importance of proactive compliance and documentation.

Cooperation with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission is mandatory. This section outlines how to respond to investigations, provide timely access to records and data, and demonstrate corrective actions when issues are identified. It also highlights the importance of reporting progress on improvements and engaging transparently with Commission officers to maintain service approval and safeguard participants.

By the end of this course, you will be equipped to deliver supports that reflect the rights, values, and dignity of every NDIS participant. Upholding the NDIS Charter of Rights is more than a regulatory requirement—it is a commitment to fostering respect, equality, safety, and inclusion in every interaction and at every level of service provision.

Each section is complemented with examples to illustrate the concepts and techniques discussed.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

By the end of this course, you will be able to understand the following topics:

1. Introduction to the NDIS Charter of Rights

·       Understanding the purpose and scope of the Charter

·       Legislative framework: NDIS Act 2013 and Charter Rules 2018

·       Implications for providers and participants

2. Understanding Participant Dignity and Respect

·       Principle of freedom from abuse, neglect, violence and exploitation

·       Respecting cultural identity, gender, beliefs and relationships

·       Using person-first language and respectful communication

3. Choice and Control under the Charter

·       Authority to make decisions about support and life goals

·       Options to choose or change providers or workers

·       Informing participants in accessible formats (Easy Read, Auslan)

4. Participation and Inclusion

·       Supporting access to education, employment, community and social life

·       Enabling participants to express preferences in supports

·       Adapting environments and communication to eliminate barriers

5. Privacy and Confidentiality

·       Protection of personal information under the Privacy Act 1988

·       Providing participants access to their own records

·       Safeguarding who can view or share personal data

6. Safe and Quality Supports

·       Employing competent, evidence-based and culturally safe workers

·       Ensuring staff undergo NDIS Worker Screening Checks

·       Compliance with NDIS Practice Standards and WHS Act 2011

7. Embedding Rights in Service Delivery

·       Designing supports aligned with participant goals and identity

·       Integrating Charter principles at all service points

·       Tailoring service policies and agreements to the Charter

8. Informed Consent Processes

·       Obtaining consent before starting or changing supports

·       Assessing capacity and providing communication aids if needed

·       Documenting all consent discussions and decisions

9. Avoiding Restrictive Practices

·       Understanding what constitutes restrictive practices

·       Ensuring use only within authorised Behaviour Support Plans

·       Reporting unauthorised use as per Commission requirements

10. Accessible Communication Strategies

·       Providing information using Easy Read, large print and translation

·       Engaging Auslan interpreters and assistive communication tools

·       Ensuring meaningful access for participants with diverse needs

11. Promoting Autonomy and Self‑Determination

·       Encouraging participant-led decision-making

·       Supporting skill development for independent choice

·       Respecting and reinforcing participant control in daily life

12. Preventing and Responding to Abuse, Neglect and Discrimination

·       Identifying and confronting rights breaches promptly

·       Reporting concerns to the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission

·       Implementing zero‑tolerance policies and staff retraining

13. Reporting Rights Breaches and Complaints

·       Clear processes for participants to lodge concerns

·       Acknowledging complaints quickly and transparently

·       Ensuring escalation pathways and external advocacy access

14. Public Display and Communication of the Charter

·       Displaying the Charter in accessible locations and formats

·       Including rights-based statements in service agreements

·       Providing participants with rights info during intake and enrolment

15. Staff Training and Capacity Building

·       Annual training on participant rights and ethical behaviour

·       Ensuring staff can embed the Charter in daily practice

·       Supervision and development to sustain rights-based culture

16. Monitoring, Review and Quality Assurance

·       Using audits, feedback and incident reports to check compliance

·       Analysing data to identify systemic issues

·       Updating policies and practices based on findings

17. Compliance, Enforcement and Penalties

·       Understanding Commission powers: improvement notices, audits

·       Penalties for non-compliance

·       Potential suspension or de-registration for serious breaches

18. Cooperation with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission

·       Engaging with investigations and compliance requests

·       Providing documentation and data when required

·       Implementing improvement actions and reporting progress

COURSE DURATION:

The typical duration of this course is approximately 2-3 hours to complete. Your enrolment is Valid for 12 Months. Start anytime and study at your own pace.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

You must have access to a computer or any mobile device with Adobe Acrobat Reader (free PDF Viewer) installed, to complete this course.

COURSE DELIVERY:

Purchase and download course content.

ASSESSMENT:

A simple 10-question true or false quiz with Unlimited Submission Attempts.

CERTIFICATION:

Upon course completion, you will receive a customised digital “Certificate of Completion”.