FamilyCare Disability Support Services provide respite to families of children and young people aged from birth to 21 years, with a disability in the west Hume region of Victoria. There are offices in Shepparton, which covers the Greater Shepparton, Moira and Strathbogie regions: and Seymour which covers the shires of Mitchell and Murrindindi.
Disability Support Services offer a range of programs to assist with the skill development and social interaction for children and young people with a disability or developmental delay.
Our Group Coordinators and Direct Care Workers are qualified in all aspects of disability including appropriate tertiary qualifications in the Disability stream; many are also appropriately trained to deliver direct health care services when required. This includes gastrostomy/naso-nastric feeding and stoma care, rectal Valium administration, medication assistance and delivery, catheterization, oxygen therapy, and epilepsy management. A percentage of workers are trained volunteers who work under the supervision of Group Coordinators.
These programs consist of:
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School Holiday Program
School Holiday activities are offered over two weeks of the holiday period in Shepparton, and Seymour. This program is for children aged 5 - 17 years with disabilities, and aimed at giving parents/carers a break from their caring role over this period of time.
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Afternoon Recreation Program
The Afternoon Recreation Program runs three afternoons a week during school terms. This program is aimed at young people aged between 12 -17 who have working parents and cannot access mainstream childcare programs because of their age, or younger children who cannot access childcare services due to their disability. This program is aimed at introducing living skills to young people, involving them in physical activity and developing social and communication skills.
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Friendship Program
The FamilyCare Friendship Program has been designed to assist children with High Functioning Autism and Asperger Syndrome to develop social skills, establish and maintain friendships, and understand and cope with transition, change and anxiety. This program also aims to provide education, support and assistance to parents, carers and families and some parent participation is required for some sessions.
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Busy Bees Playgroup
The “Busy Bees” playgroup is a peer support program for parents caring for preschool aged children with disabilities, chronic medical conditions, and developmental delay. The playgroup aims to include parents of young children with disabilities in a playgroup setting where they may otherwise be excluded, while complimenting specialist early childhood intervention programs and the services already in place for children aged 0 to six years of age and assist families by the way of peer support, information, and referrals to other agency programs such as the FamilyCare “Hey Dad” men’s program, and other appropriate services. Busy Bees runs fortnightly in a relaxed and child friendly atmosphere, siblings of the child with the disability are also welcome to attend.
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Camp Program
The camp program is a long respite program for families of youth aged young people 12 - 17 years. Camps are run four times a year for a weekend or overnight. Camps have been held at Camp Curumbene, Nagambie Lakes, Torquay, Billabong Ranch and Melbourne Zoo.
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Young Adult Social Group
This group is for young people aged 17-21 yrs who are making the transition from youth into adult services. Links are made with other regional adult disability services and a range of entertaining activities are undertaken.
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Special Children's Christmas Party
An annual event for all local children with disabilities and their families. A day full of activities for the whole family to enjoy.
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Eligibility
Eligibility for our programs is set in accordance with the Disability Act 2006 and under the DHS Disability and HACC funding guidelines.
"Disability" in relation to a person means -
(a) A sensory, physical or neurological impairment or acquired brain injury or any combination thereof, which -
(i) is, or is likely to be, permanent; and
(ii) causes a substantially reduced capacity in at least one of the
areas of self-care, self-management, mobility or communication; and
(iii) requires significant ongoing or long term episodic support; and
(iv) is not related to ageing; or
(b) An intellectual disability; or
(c) A developmental delay;
"Developmental Delay" means a delay in the development of a child under the age of 6 years which -
(a) is attributable to a mental or physical impairment or a combination of mental and physical impairments; and
(b) is manifested before the child attains the age of 6 years; and
(c) results in substantial functional limitations in one or more of the following
areas of major life activity -
(i) self-care;
(ii) receptive and expressive language;
(iii) cognitive development;
(iv) motor development; and
(d) reflects the child's need for a combination and sequence of special interdisciplinary, or generic care, treatment or other services which are of extended duration and are individually planned and coordinated;
Referrals
Referrals can be made to our program by either medical or health care professionals, other agencies or schools, or internally from with FamilyCare. We also accept self referrals.
If you are wishing to refer to this program please follow the steps outlined below:
· Contact any of the DSS coordinators if you think that there may be a child or young person suitable for the program. This is to check eligibility of the child/young person and to see if they are already or have been linked with the program in the past.
· After discussion with the DSS coordinators and it is deemed that the child would be eligible for the program, the DSS referral form can be completed. (On Extranet) if this is not available, contact one of the DSS coordinators.
· On recept of the referral a DSS coordinator will contact the family to arrange a meeting for registration. This meeting may take place in the family’s home or at the FamilyCare office.
If more information is required regarding the Disability Support Services program or disability in general, please contact the Program Leader or a DSS Coordinator.