About In Control Australia

Reference, information and awareness

People with disability having control of their lives is not a new or radical approach to disability support. In Control Australia has reference material on the range of tools used to support and ensure people with disability have control in their lives, as well as research documents showing how this approach has made a real impact for people. We are a repository of information and collect the real life stories of people in Australia who are in control and can show that this approach works.

Critical enquiry and reflection

It is not easy for governments, service providers, or even people with disability and their families, to let go of the current systems which emphasise risk aversion, professional intervention and detailed accountability. Even the best services or policies which allow self-management for people with disability can fall back into old systems or do things better. In Control Australia is a place where people can ask critical questions of our service systems and reflect on where and why these systems may not be allowing people with disability and their families to have control of their lives.

Dialogue and exchange

There are many ways in which people with disability can be supported to self-manage and these are improving and changing. In Control Australia is a place where information can be exchanged and discussion happen on the diversity of ways people can self-manage and be supported to stay in control.

Collaboration

Systemic policy change involves many groups from different areas working together. In Control Australia believes that developing partnerships and collaboration allows for greater understanding and sharing of knowledge between diverse groups. A transition towards people with disability self-managing has a greater momentum if families, service providers, and funding bodies are included in that transition.

Leadership and influence

In Control Australia will push momentum for the discussion on self-management for people with disability and raise it on to the agenda of governments, service providers and advocacy groups. Those who are leading the way in practicing personal control now must be given the opportunity and space to tell their stories. In Control Australia is a place where these leaders can be fostered.

The development of In Control Australia

A number of individuals and organisations in Australia have been impressed by the work done in the United Kingdom by a group called in Control, and have been citing this model of support as an example of how practice and policy in disability support could look. The Julia Farr Association, the National Council on Intellectual Disability, and a number of other affiliated groups had been in contact with Simon Duffy, the CEO of in Control UK, about bringing the learning and practice of In Control into Australia. This led to a meeting being convened in Perth, early in 2008 with Caroline Tomlinson a founding member of In Control UK and a parent of a person living with disability. This first meeting involved discussion on what the role In control Australia could be, which led to the development of the five places of In Control Australia.

From this first meeting Robbi Williams, Mark Pattison and Samantha Jenkinson formed a working group to build the momentum of In Control Australia. A second meeting was held in Adelaide in September 2008, with a larger group of people. The actions from the September meeting were to hold another forum in the eastern states, and to gather information on what is currently happening on individualised funding. Further meetings and forums have taken place in Melbourne & Sydney to build the momentum of In Control Australia.

The Julia Farr M.S. McLeod Benevolent Fund has provided some resources towards the building of In Control Australia's website and some limited staff time. This initiative is also supported in-kind by the Julia Farr Association and NCID primarily, as well as all those people and organisations who assist in spreading information and awareness about self-directed funding.