Coercive Control in Disability Support

Coercive control is a form of ongoing abuse where a person uses manipulation, intimidation, isolation, threats, or controlling behaviours to limit another person's independence, choices, and freedom. Unlike physical violence, coercive control is often subtle and develops over time, making it difficult to recognise. For people with disability, the risk can be even greater because the abusive behaviour may occur within relationships where they depend on others for care, support, or daily living.

This course provides support workers and carers with the knowledge and practical skills to recognise coercive control, understand how it affects people with disability, and respond appropriately. You will learn how controlling behaviours can be disguised as care, identify warning signs, understand the impact on a person's safety and wellbeing, and recognise situations where additional support or reporting may be required.

The course also explores the legal recognition of coercive control in New South Wales, including the responsibilities of disability support workers to identify concerns, protect participants, and follow appropriate reporting processes.

Important Disclaimer

This course is provided for information and educational purposes only. It is designed to increase your understanding of the topic and provide theoretical knowledge to support your professional development.

Upon successful completion, you will receive a Certificate of Completion. This certificate confirms that you have completed the learning content and any associated assessments within this course. It is not a formal qualification, nationally recognised certification, licence, or accreditation, and it does not, on its own, demonstrate practical competency or authorise you to perform workplace tasks.

This course provides the theoretical knowledge required to support safe manual handling practices. It is not a substitute for practical workplace training, supervised competency assessments, organisation-specific policies and procedures, or workplace-specific manual handling instruction.

Where practical skills are required, learners must complete any additional hands-on training, workplace induction, competency assessments, and ongoing supervision required by their employer or applicable legislation.

It is the responsibility of each learner and their employer to ensure that all work is carried out in accordance with current workplace policies, relevant legislation, applicable Australian Standards, and industry best practice.

By undertaking this course, you acknowledge and agree that the Certificate of Completion is evidence of participation only and should not be relied upon as proof of professional competence or eligibility to perform manual handling tasks without appropriate workplace training and assessment.