Elder Abuse
When the media began to cover much publicised incidents of elder abuse in February 2006, ACST immediately responded to ensure that the message that any form of abuse is anathema to the philosophy of aged and community care - an affront to the values that motivate those involved in providing care – was widely communicated.
After holding an industry summit in June 2006. an industry wide Elder Abuse Working Party (EAWP) was formed in order to scope an overall policy direction of responses to elder abuse for Tasmania. At its meeting in November, the EAWP endorsed a possible response framework for Tasmania, endorsed the need for training for the sector and requested that ACST continue to advocate for the establishment of a Tasmanian advisory committee, resourced by government, comprising industry and government representation, to develop a strategy for the prevention of the abuse of older persons and the development of an elder abuse response framework for Tasmania.
ACST has since formed a partnership with the Tasmanian Council of Social Services (TasCoSS), Advocacy Tasmania and Council on the Ageing and this alliance has progressed a representation to the State Government.
