Developing O&M Standards for Australasia

In 2013, members of the Orientation and Mobility Association of Australasia ratified a Quality Framework for the O&M profession, including an OMAA Code of Ethics and OMAA Standards of Practice. The OMAA Quality Framework took a six member committee four years to develop and involved extensive collaboration across Australia and New Zealand. During the process, the Committee discussed such themes as best practice, exemplary performance, minimum standards, independence, and self-determination. A community model of O&M practice was devised, demonstrating the way that power is shared in relationships between the client, the O&M specialist and other stakeholders. The OMAA Quality Framework represents exemplary O&M practice in the Australasian region and is available on the OMAA website (http://www.omaaustralasia.com/qualityframework).