Rights at Home: Privacy, Consent & Safe Support

Rights in plain language: privacy, consent, dignity

Your rights at home include privacy, consent and dignity. Privacy means others shouldn’t listen in, read your notes, or access your belongings unless it’s needed for your support and you agree. This includes personal care areas, your phone or email, and information about your health or disability. If you don’t want something discussed in front of others, you can say so, and your support worker should respect your wishes. If you’re unsure, ask how your provider handles privacy and who can see your information.

Consent means you choose what happens to you. You should be asked before support starts, even for routine tasks like personal care, transport, medication support, or changing your home setting. Consent should be clear and ongoing—if your needs or comfort changes, you can pause or change your support. If you use a plan manager, you can also check details about provider services and what you’re paying for through MyMoney NDIS (www.planmanager.net.au) so you can better understand what supports are funded.

Dignity means being treated with respect, not rushed, and not talked about as if you’re not there. You have the right to choose reasonable options: how you want to be addressed, the gender of staff where possible, whether a door is closed, and what clothing or personal preferences are followed. You also have the right to feel safe and not be pressured to agree. For help comparing options, My Care Finders can help you look at different providers and their practices, so you can choose support that fits you.

Key takeaway: You can say “yes”, “no”, or “not right now” at any time—your consent and dignity come first.

• Before support: Ask what’s involved, who will be present, and how privacy will be protected.
• If something feels wrong: Stop the activity and tell the provider what you need.
• Afterwards: Raise any concerns early so the support can be improved.