The Disability Services Act 2006 took effect on 1 July 2006.
The Act provides the strongest foundation Queenslanders have ever had for promoting the rights of people with a disability, increasing their wellbeing and encouraging their participation in the life of the community.
Under the Act, all workers and volunteers must undergo criminal history screening every three years. People working in funded non-government service providers will be issued with a positive notice card that verifies they have had a criminal history screening within the past three years.
For more information about the criminal history screening process, please visit the criminal history screening pages in Key projects.
The Department of Communities (Disability Services) is responsible for providing leadership in disability services and programs for people with a disability and their families and carers. Some services are delivered by Disability Services itself, while others are delivered by non-government organisations funded by Disability Services. In the legislation, these are referred to as 'funded non-government service providers'.
The Act has now been in place for 5 years and section 233 requires that a review be undertaken as soon as practicable after 1 July 2011. Disability Services is committed to actively minimising administrative burden and compliance costs on the Queensland disability sector, while balancing the need for robust safeguards to protect people with a disability and in late 2010 undertook to review the DSA in two stages.
The Disability Services Act 2006 is based on an expanded declaration of the rights of people with a disability.
The Disability Services Act 2006 marks a significant milestone for the Queensland Government and the state's disability sector
All publications developed to support the implementation of the Disability Services Act 2006 are available free of charge, and are available electronically below, or as part of the CD-Rom that accompanies the DVD Guide to the Act from The Queensland Government Bookshop. You can also order alternative formats (e.g. large print, CD, audiotape and Braille) of most publications.
For additional information about the new legislation, contact the Disability Information Service.
