The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety will accept submissions in languages other than English and pay for all interpreting/translation costs. Submissions can be made in writing, by phone or by sending a recording.
FECCA (the Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia) believes that the best way for the Royal Commission to understand the issues faced by older people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds and their families in accessing and using aged care services, is to hear about the personal experiences.
We do know that many CALD people, often for cultural reasons, may:
- find it difficult to use feedback or complaints mechanisms, or
- be reluctant or fearful to engage in formal, complicated processes such as this Royal Commission.
After wide consultation FECCA has developed a tool kit to help organisations and family members have conversations with older CALD people to encourage them to tell their stories to the Royal Commission.
The toolkit includes prompts for conversations which explain:
- What the Royal Commission is and how it does its work
- Why it is important that lots of people from migrant/refugee backgrounds tell their stories
- The kinds of things people might want to tell the Royal Commission
- How to send their stories to the Royal Commission.
The toolkit is now available on line at www.fecca.org.au/acrc
Free paper copies can also be mailed. They can be requested by phone 02 6282 5755 or by email admin@fecca.org.au