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Glossary

TermDefinition
Choice and controlA participant has the right to make their own decisions about what is important to them and to decide how they would like to receive their supports and who from.[52]
Dignity of riskSupporting people to take informed risks to improve the quality of their lives. This means rather than seeking to eliminate all risk – which can be highly restrictive and out of proportion to the level of risk involved – the NDIS should work with participants to define acceptable risk levels to achieve their goals.[53]
Formal safeguardsRules and the actions that are taken by organisations with formal responsibility for the safety of people with disability.
Knowledge capitalA person’s skills and ability to use knowledge for actions (e.g. access to information).[54]
Material capitalResources and material goods (e.g. income, community resources) in a person’s life.[55]
Natural safeguardsActions and features that are part of people’s day-to-day lives and support them to manage their safety (also called informal safeguards).
ParticipantA person who meets the NDIS access requirements.[56]
Person with disabilityA person who has any or all of the following: impairments, activity limitations (difficulties in carrying out usual age-appropriate activities), and participation restrictions (problems a person may have taking part in community, social and family life).[57]
Participant capitalA way of conceptualising the personal resources available to a participant to support them to advocate for their rights, adapted from Williams’ Model of Citizenhood Support.
Personal capitalA person’s personal resources, strength and resilience to represent themselves (e.g. ability to self-advocate).[58]
SafeguardsActions designed to protect the rights of people to be safe from the risk of harm, abuse and neglect, while maximising the choice and control they have over their lives.[59]
SafetySafety typically means being free from injury or danger.[60] It does not matter if the injury of danger is intentional (on purpose) or unintentional (by accident).
Social capitalA person’s relationships and connections (e.g. family, friends, community).[61]

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