Saturday, June 25, 2011

All our Christmasses - a new Trampoline!!

Well the yesterday we received a very exciting phone call. But first I will explain how the phone call came about and then you will understand why the it was exciting.

After going to the monthly Asperger meeting last year, I found out about this great advocate group.

logo

Parent to Parent provides families with disability specific information and assistance to make informed decisions. I had a lovely lady come out and advise me on places to contact. I spoke to her about my concerns for Matthew. Even though both the boys had been diagnosed at the same time, Samuel with Asperger and Matthew with Autism and ADHD, because Samuel was only 4 years old he was lucky because he was entitled to Helping Children with Autism package.



The Helping Children with Autism initiative aims to address the considerable need for support and services for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families.
The initiatives in the package are delivered by the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA). They total $146 million and fall into two key categories:
  • increased access to early intervention services for children aged 0-7
  • education and support for families and carers of children with ASD.
Early intervention funding
Under the recently-revised early intervention component of the package, all eligible children up to the age of seven will have access to early intervention funding of up to $12,000 (up to $6000 per financial year), regardless of whether they have commenced school. Eligibility will be determined by an Autism Advisor on a case-by-case basis using nationally consistent criteria. Eligible children need to have been diagnosed and registered with an Autism Advisor before their sixth birthday to receive funding.
Families of eligible children can spread the funding over the course of a financial year or use it within a short period of time. Parents who had previously lost access to their early-intervention funding when their child turned six are now eligible for an additional 12 months to use these funds.

So with Samuel we have been accessing Speech Therapy and a Psychologist. We have also been able to get an Ipad and Camera. Each financial year we can can only use $2000 on resources and the rest on therapies and education workshops. This was so good but we couldn't get help for Matthew, who I think needs more help with different Therapies.

One of the places that the lady from Parent 2 Parent suggest we call  was Disabilities QLD. So at the beginning of this year I go in contact with them.


The lady who I spoke to was unsure whether or not  we would be eligible due to Matthew being in School. Evidently once children get to school they don't really help them a lot because the school system is suppose to be looking after them. Unfortunately Matthew needs help with things that he is not getting at school. He has high levels of anxiety and a few problems with socialising with his peers. Once we had the interview though we eventually received a phone call to say that we were eligible. This meant that they would come out and give us information about how they could help us and find out what areas we would like the help in.

At the first meeting their was 2 ladies come out, one who would link us up to certain things that we needed and the other was from Evolve Inter agency Services (Evolve). 
Evolve offer: Children and young people with challenging behaviour and/or significant emotional needs as a result of past trauma and abuse are at risk of, or have already experienced increased breakdown in their placement with carers, disruptions in schooling and lack of continuity in their relationships with peers, carers and other significant people in their lives. A referral to Evolve is aimed at assisting children to reduce the intensity and frequency of problem behaviours in order to:
  • improve their functioning and provide opportunities to achieve stability with their out-of-home care placements
  • increase involvement in schooling
  • improve community engagement and activities designed to facilitate their well being.
The reason I think they had become involved was because I was concerned over Matthew not wanting to go to school and having a fair bit of time off. It had been really hard to get him to go. The first part of the year was when James had had his motor bike accident so I think he was concerned that James wouldn't be here if he went to school. Meg from Evolve spoke to the school and us and has found out what things I would like help for Matthew. One of those things is to maybe get him some Drama lessons or social skill classes to help to know what is appropriate to do and say in social situations with his peers so as to not cause him to get teased or have him feel like he is being excluded.

This is where the phone call came in. We recieved a phone call to say that we were going to get a spring free trampoline. Similiar to the one below. This will make a big difference for Matthew who seems to really need to jump. We have had ones in the past but due to being quiet cheap didn't last very long with 5 kids. I just pray that this one will be able to stand the test of time. I think it will be coming on the 7th of July, so in the school holidays.











 


You can also find me today blog hopping. Check out my blog hop list to see where.

Photobucket

6 comments:

  1. I am so happy to hear that you are getting help and I hope that trampoline helps and stands up to 5 kids!
    I am a new follower from Weekend Winddown

    Michele aka MikiHope
    www.mikishope.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. Visiting back from the Alexa hop. Thanks!

    Kristen from http://wishfulthinking247.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  3. Trampolines are so much fun! I hope that it helps not just your one son, but all of your children.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Congratulations! That is good news! Stopping by from the blog hop!

    ReplyDelete
  5. That is an awesome gift. I am sure that will soothe him and help all of your kids have a good time together :D

    ReplyDelete
  6. That sounds like a great program! So happy to hear you guys were able to benefit from it! Here's hoping it stands up to the challenge. :)

    BTW... I am a new GFC follower too!
    Staci at 7 on a Shoestring

    ReplyDelete