Queensland disability support services provide a range of assistance with daily living tasks and access to community, social and recreational activities. This support can help people to live more fulfilling lives and achieve their goals.

Currently, the Queensland Government is transitioning to a new students with disability - reasonable adjustments resourcing (RAR) model that supports students with disabilities with the adjustments they need to access and participate in education.

Supported Accommodation

Providing an inclusive and accessible community for people with a disability is our top priority. We do this with a mix of residential and community based services to complement our in-home supports and respite services. In the realm of supported living we have an impressively large portfolio, encompassing over 200 locations across Queensland. The St Vincent de Paul Society in Queensland has been at the forefront of this industry since 1986. We have a well-deserved reputation as an organisation that is dedicated to enhancing the lives of our clients by delivering high quality support services in a compassionate and professional manner. The most obvious of these is our exemplary residential services - where our team of professionals are on hand at all times to ensure the best possible outcomes are delivered.

Supported Living

Supported living services offer a high level of support for people who cannot live independently. They can include those with a learning disability, autistic people, older people and those who have mental health needs.

They can also provide accommodation for people who are homeless. They are owned and operated by individuals or organisations and have Australian Government approval to provide residential care.

Many people find that they have to get help with daily tasks such as preparing meals, cleaning, shopping and laundry which is time consuming and can limit their independence. Getting assistance can make a huge difference to someones quality of life and is an essential part of achieving independent living.

The support offered in a supportive living facility will include help with everyday activities, such as meal preparation, cleaning and laundry. This will save you a lot of time and make it easier to enjoy life. It will also mean that you have more time to spend with friends and family. Similarly, it will be much easier to access routine medical care as well. The communities will often have a network of specialists who know the facilities and can quickly arrange appointments.

Supported Employment

Supported employment is a great way to make money, feel like a valued member of the community and build skills that can be applied to a wide range of jobs. We offer a variety of supported employment opportunities at our OC Connections enterprise locations in Brisbane and Cairns, with a focus on providing opportunities that promote independence, health and wellbeing, while also supporting participants to work towards their personal employment goals.

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) provides funding to eligible people with permanent and significant disability who wish to improve their community participation and employment prospects. This includes supports in the workplace, such as training and assistance to find a job.

A number of state and federal government programs offer vocational education and training (VET) and other employment related services that can help you to find a job or increase your skills in a specific field. For example, the Ticket to Work (TtW) program supports young people with disability to access apprenticeships and traineeships.

Supported Education

Education is a fundamental right for everyone in Australia. Children with disability have the same right to education as children without disabilities, regardless of their disability or location (ABS 2019).

In Queensland all schools are required to comply with the disability care Brisbane Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Education 2005. If you think your child may need more help at school, you can speak to their school or local education authority for support.

Special Education Programs or SEPs are groups of specialist teachers and support staff who work alongside classroom teachers to meet the learning needs of students with disability. SEPs take many different forms in state schools, but are generally recognised as the most effective way to meet the needs of students with disability within the mainstream.

Educators across Australia use professional learning resources and tools to create inclusive classroom environments that include all students in the curriculum. For example, the NCCD e-learning package on inclusive practice for educators includes lessons on creating an inclusive class culture, supporting peer connection and including all students in the same curriculum.