About

Welcome to the Victorian Senior Practitioner’s Authorised Program Officer (APO) e-Manual.

This e-Manual is a core resource for Victorian APO practice. It was developed as part of a broader program of work initiated by the Victorian Senior Practitioner to support APOs across the state.

This broader program incudes online professional development and a community of practice. APOs are also encouraged to participate in the Victorian Senior Practitioner’s annual seminar at the end of each year.

From the Victorian Senior Practitioner

This e-Manual is a core resource for your practice as a Victorian APO. It was developed as part of a program of work initiated by the Victorian Senior Practitioner to support APOs across the state.

Led by the University of Melbourne, a team of experienced APOs from around Victoria worked closely with the Victorian Senior Practitioner and others at the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing to produce this extensive, accurate and usable resource for APOs. 

We hope this will support you in conducting this important job with the consistency and quality required.

Your job as an APO is complex.

The people with disability that your organisation supports often have Behaviour Support Practitioners working with them to improve their quality of life by developing individualised behaviour support plans that include the proposed use of restrictive practices to assist with managing behaviours of concern.

As your organisation’s APO, you are responsible for reviewing and authorising the use of any restrictive practices proposed in a behaviour support plan, for people receiving services from your organisation.

You are tasked with ensuring these people’s human rights are upheld and that any restrictive practice is used as a last resort and is the least restrictive practice possible.

You also have the responsibility of:

• understanding and navigating relevant legislation, policies and practices;
• working with other people across differing service systems and with diverse skills and expertise; and
• managing decisions that have significant impact upon an individual’s life.

This e-Manual will help you navigate the complexities of your role as an APO, implement best practice and guide you to further relevant evidence-informed resources.

Thank you for the important work you do.

The Victorian Senior Practitioner’s Office offers ongoing support for APOs around Victoria, contact us if you need further support.

Find out more about the Victorian Senior Practitioner.

Being an Authorised Program Officer

The role of the APO is established under the Disability Act 2006.

Being an APO is complex and demanding. It is a role that carries both administrative and safeguarding responsibilities. It requires collaboration with many people.

In particular, APOs work closely with Behaviour Support Practitioners.

This collaboration needs to commence at the very outset of commissioning a behaviour support plan, throughout the development of that plan, and in the review and evaluation of the plan.

APOs need to work alongside Behaviour Support Practitioners as they collaboratively improve a person with disability’s quality of life by developing personalised behaviour support plans that:

• are compliant with legislative and policy requirements,
• guide how best to support the person when needed based on evidence-based practice, and
• reduce the risks of harm to the person with disability and others.

APOs are ‘the gatekeeper’ for organisations and individuals. 

APOs oversee and, in partnership with the Victorian Senior Practitioner, authorise any restrictive practices proposed in behaviour support for the people with disability supported by their organisation.

APOs ensure the person with disability’s human rights are upheld, and that their quality of life and wellbeing are central to behaviour support practice.

APOs ensure that any restrictive practice minimises harm for the person with disability and those around them, and is:

• the least restrictive practice possible,
• used for the shortest length of time,
• appropriate to the person’s circumstance, and
• subject to monitoring, review and fade-out or elimination, where at all possible.

APOs must also:

• navigate governing laws and policies (eg: Victorian and Commonwealth, NDIS etc.),
• work with people across a complex landscape of diverse skills and expertise,
• manage decisions that have great impact on a person’s life, and
• ensure behaviour support plans include the information needed by direct support staff in their organisation so that staff can safely and effectively implement the plans.

Read more about the APO role.

Get in touch

Contact the Victorian Senior Practitioner’s Office for advice and support on:

Phone: (03) 9096 8427

Find out more about who to contact.