Published on Tuesday 26 September, 2023

On 25 September 2023, Four Corners aired a story about the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). One of the case studies was about Ashlee, a person previously supported by us and a series of incidents that occurred in 2021.

As a not-for-profit organisation established by families and supporters of people with disability, the wellbeing of the people we support is our priority. Whilst it is not our position to comment publicly on matters regarding the people we support, we would like to share our deepest empathy with Ashlee and her mother, Adele. Ashlee has a right to feel safe and comfortable in her own home.

We are always listening as an organisation and we take away some important learnings from this matter. We continually seek to listen, understand and work with the people who we support and their families to enable them to exercise their rights.

Lifestyle Solutions is committed to upholding the privacy, dignity and safety of the people we support. We have worked tirelessly with people we support and their families to ensure they have choice and control over their supports and a safe and comfortable home. This has included facilitating and funding transitions into living arrangements better suited to their needs, as well as providing extensive support and information to assist families to obtain their preferred supports.

As a registered NDIS provider, all safety matters relating to the people we support are subject to mandatory reporting requirements administered by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission (the Commission). We work closely with the Commission to ensure complete transparency regarding the safety of the people we support.

We recognise the inherent rights of people with disability to be safe in their homes and to choose where and who they live with. We also acknowledge the complexities and constraints around how the service system is designed. We are fully supportive of the Disability Royal Commission and the NDIS Review, and we welcome the anticipated reforms that will ultimately lead to better outcomes for people with disability.