WA's Aboriginal Legal Service has called for action on the findings of the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability.
On Friday the Royal Commission handed down its final report which includes 222 recommendations on how to improve laws, policies, structures and practices to ensure a more inclusive and just society that supports the independence of people with disability and their right to live free from violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation.
Aboriginal Legal Service of WA chief executive Wayne Nannup said ALSWA gave evidence at three of the public hearings held by the Commission and assisted a number of clients in providing evidence to the Commission through the 'Your Story Disability Legal Support' service.
"In particular, our evidence centred around issues relating to guardianship and administration, out of home care, and prison conditions which focused largely on the practices of implementing extensive rolling lockdowns and poor treatment and conditions at Banksia Hill Detention Centre," Mr Nannup said.
He welcomed the Commission's "many recommendations in line with ALSWA's submissions", including that: States and territories should introduce legislation to prohibit solitary confinement and punitive isolation practices in youth detention centres, and create protections for children with a disability; State and territory governments should ensure timely screening and expert assessment are available for children with cognitive disability involved in the criminal justice system and that they receive appropriate responses, including therapeutic and other interventions; State and territory should ensure staff and officials in youth detention centres at all levels receive appropriate initial and ongoing training and support in relation to the needs and experiences of children with disability. This includes training and support on trauma-informed care and culturally appropriate and gender responsive approaches to children with disability in detention; and States and territories that have not already done so should introduce legislation to raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility to 14.