5Principles

5 Principles

(1) Persons with a disability have the same rights and responsibilities as other members of the community and should be empowered to exercise those rights and responsibilities.

(2) Persons with a disability have the same right as other members of the community to—

S. 5(2)(a) amended by No. 19/2019 s. 21(1).

(a) be given respect for their human worth and dignity as individuals;

(b) live free from abuse, neglect or exploitation;

(c) realise their individual capacity for physical, social, emotional and intellectual development;

(d) exercise control over their own lives;

(e) participate actively in the decisions that affect their lives and have information and be supported where necessary, to enable this to occur;

(f) access information and communicate in a manner appropriate to their communication and cultural needs;

(g) services which support their quality of life.

S. 5(3) amended by No. 33/2017 s. 5(1)(a).

(3) Disability services and regulated disability services should—

(a) advance the inclusion and participation in the community of persons with a disability with the aim of achieving their individual aspirations;

(b) be flexible and responsive to the individual needs of persons with a disability;

(c) maximise the choice and independence of persons with a disability;

(d) be designed and provided in a manner that recognises different models of practice may be required to assist people with different types of disability and at different stages in their lives to realise their physical, social, emotional and intellectual capacities;

(e) enable persons with a disability to access services as part of their local community and foster collaboration, coordination and integration with other local services;

S. 5(3)(f) amended by No. 9/2023 s. 8(1).

(f) as far as possible be provided in a manner so that a person with a disability need not move out of the person's local community to access the disability services required;

(g) be of high quality and provided by appropriately skilled and experienced staff who have opportunities for on-going learning and development;

S. 5(3)(h) amended by No. 10/2012 s. 14(2)(a).

(h) consider and respect the role of families, carers and other persons who are significant in the life of the person with a disability;

S. 5(3)(i) amended by No. 10/2012 s. 14(2)(b).

(i) acknowledge the important role families and carers have in supporting persons with a disability;

(j) acknowledge the important role families have in assisting their family member to realise their individual physical, social, emotional and intellectual capacities;