Families Australia is the national peak not-for-profit organisation dedicated to promoting the needs and interests of families. It seeks to do this at the national level by acting as a conduit for information and views between, on one hand, the Federal Government and its agencies, and, on the other, individuals, families and community-based organisations. From time-to-time, Families Australia conducts focus groups and other forms of consultation to explore understandings about contemporary family issues.

Work to date on siblings issues

Since 2009, Families Australia has worked with Siblings Australia to advocate for and raise the profile of siblings as a cohort, for whom the public policy debate about their wellbeing and potential, is largely silent.

During this period of collaboration, Families Australia has worked together with Siblings Australia to develop a position paper prior to the last Federal election, contributed to the development of the Royal Australian & New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) position paper on siblings, promoted Siblings Australia web resources, as well as regularly included siblings issues in advocacy papers to the Federal Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA).

Families Australia welcomes the recent undertaking by the RANZCP, in advancing the interests of siblings living in complex environments. Their Position Paper 69: Addressing the needs of siblings of children with disability or chronic illness, (http://www.ranzcp.org/images/stories/ranzcp-attachments/Resources/College_Statements/Position_Statements/ps69.pdf) is supported by a more comprehensive report, (http://www.ranzcp.org/images/stories/ranzcp-attachments/Resources/siblings_report.pdf) in which the lack of data and information about sibling needs and supports is articulated. Strategically, the lack of evidence on siblings and their needs creates a ‘greenfield’ or under-developed public policy area, which presents as an opportunity for policy and program development.

Families Australia is particularly interested to understand the implications of mental health and wellbeing issues facing siblings. Siblings are defined as those who have brothers and/or sisters with a chronic condition; whether that condition is disability or chronic illness and includes mental illness.

Purpose of sibling consultation

The purpose of this focus group is to explore the recommendations made by the RANZCP. The aim is to identify practical strategies to underpin the RANZCP recommendations and which Families Australia will utilise in its on-going support for siblings in the national policy arena.

Focus group arrangements

The focus group will consist of approximately 10 people, the majority being siblings, and may include teachers or other workers with a specific interest in sibling support and potentially one or two parents. This diverse mix will create opportunities for multiple interests to be taken into consideration, for example young siblings or teachers who support young siblings within the education system.

The duration of each session will be 1 ½ hours.

The two alternate dates are Friday, 10th February, 5 – 6.30 pm OR Saturday, 11th February, 10 – 11.30.

The venue: UnitingCare Wesley, Adelaide, 2nd Floor, 10 Pitt Street, Adelaide.

Your hosts: Kate Strohm, Siblings Australia and Stella Conroy, Families Australia. Light refreshments will be available.

The discussion and feedback will contribute to future advocacy for siblings.

The Hosts

Kate is the founder and Director of Siblings Australia, and has a sister with cerebral palsy. Stella has a long history in the human services sector, working across diverse family settings and is currently the senior policy manager with Families Australia. Stella is a sibling of an adult brother, who has an enduring mental illness.

RSVP

If you are interested in attending one of the sessions please send your details (name, phone, email) and preferred session via email to kate@siblingsaustralia.org.au or phone 0408720558 by 30 January.

The topic for the forum will be Families and Mental Health. The forum will be presented by Cindy Eggington BAppSc (Dis) (Hons).

Every day 330 Australians with serious mental illnesses are turned away from Emergency Departments, 1,200 Australians are refused admission to a public or private psychiatric unit. Every day more than 7 people die as a result of a suicide, and more than a third of those have been discharged too early or without care from hospitals.

Bookings are required.

Full details can be found here.

Suitable for all ages, this spectacular family entertainment is in Adelaide for three shows only on Sunday 21 August 2011 at the Thebarton Theatre.

A limited number of free tickets to the 90 minute show are available by ringing the Autism SA Infoline on 1300 288 476 before Monday 8 August 2011.

More information is available here www.sa.gov.au/disability/2010conference.

Hi all,

Our group, Empowering Families in Inclusive Education, meets on the third Tuesday of the month, which is Tuesday the 20th April this month at Mama Carmella’s on 169 Unley Road, Unley at 7pm.

The group is for parents and carers whose children with disabilities are in regular classes at regular schools, or who would like that to be the case, or who just want to explore their options. We are NOT politically aligned anywhere, despite my personal involvement (see below). We meet to share stories and resources about our school aged children in an informal gathering.

I apologize for not meeting earlier this year, but plan to have our regular meetings for the rest of the year.

Please RSVP as Mama Carmela’s need to know our numbers. You can RSVP via email sam@skuut.com.au or text me at 0410-513-013 with your name and phone number (in case plans change).

Cheers,

Sam Paior

A link for your interest: http://www.disabilityisnatural.com/images/PDF/incledprin.pdf (this interview with a primary school principal is USA based, so some elements are not relevant, but much of it is)

FYI – As you might know, I am heavily involved with the Dignity for Disability political party and am very excited that our candidate in the Upper House, Kelly Vincent is likely to be announced as Member of the Legislative Council in a week or so (we’re still waiting for all the “below the line” votes to be data-entried so the Electoral Commission can declare the results). The manta for Dignity for Disability is “Dignity through Choice” and that extends to education and more, so if you’d like to know more about d4d, check us out on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/DignityforDisability. We do have a regular website, but will be launching a new one *very* soon, so I’ll forward the details then.

Expressions of interest are invited from parents, families and carers interested in exercising a leadership role on the National Council of the National Federation of Parents Families and Carers.

This National Council is the key policy-making body for the Federation. The Federation has an ambitious agenda for 2010 in creating a national voice for families in public life, with campaigns in health, education, social support and privacy legislation reform. Additional members of the Council are sought to help drive this agenda.

The Federation’s interests cover many areas which are usually treated as segmented fields. Expressions of interest are invited from people who have strong interests in at least some of the following areas:

• Early years
  ·         Child care
  ·         Education and school
  ·         Work and family
  ·         Stay-at-home supports
  ·      Disability
  ·      Mental illness
  ·      Learning difficulties
  ·      Behavioural issues
  ·      Youth support
  ·      Alcohol and drug issues
  ·      Sole and separated parents
  ·         Blended and step families
  ·         Chronic and acute illness
  ·         Senior years

Expressions of interest should include:

Personal and professional history (please attach a CV).
Previous and current involvements in advocacy on family and family member issues.
Evidence of skills in advocacy, initiative-taking, public speaking, community organisation or policy work.
Names and contact details for two referees.

Applicants should be capable in using online communications, since membership of this Council is dispersed around Australia.

Register your Expression of Interest at www.civilsociety.org.au/NationalCouncilEOI.htm

Please forward expressions of interest to:

Vern Hughes
Secretary
0425 722 890
vern@civilsociety.org.au

PO Box 159 Yarraville Vic 3013

Go to our website at www.civilsociety.org.au/NFPFC_membership.htm to join the National Federation of Parents, Families and Carers. There is no cost.

SANE Australia today launches a new website – itsallright.org – to support the half a million Australian teenagers affected by mental illness in their family.

Executive Director of SANE Australia Barbara Hocking says, ‘this is often the untold story of mental illness – the impact on teenagers who have a brother, sister or parent with a mental illness such as depression, schizophrenia, bipolar or an anxiety disorder.

‘These teenagers are a high risk group – they’re not only managing the confusion and powerlessness of a family member’s mental illness but, without support, are also more likely to experience mental illness themselves. This can be a vicious circle that can be difficult to escape. Many may feel they are the only ones this is happening to and that they cannot ask for help.’

itsallright.org aims break this cycle by giving control back to teenagers through information and reassurance. The website centres on the stories of four teenagers, told through online diary entries, who have a family member with a mental illness. The website also provides factsheets and podcasts about mental illness and treatment as well as an online helpline for teenagers to ask their own questions or seek support.

Ms Hocking says, ‘itsallright.org aims to help these teenagers regain control and feel less isolated. The website was built specifically for teenagers and has been designed to help them access the information they want, in a format they want.’

A recent study* by the Australian Bureau of Statistics found that one in five Australians had a mental disorder within a one-year period, leading SANE to estimate that half a million teenagers are managing the impact of the mental illness of a brother, sister or parent every year.

The impact on teenagers with mental illness in the family can be profound: often leaving them feeling distressed and isolated. They often experience confusion, loneliness, shame, embarrassment, or guilt. Their home life may be impacted by poverty, periods of homelessness or the hospitalisation for their relative.

Features of itsallright.org:

• A key feature of the service is the stories of four teenagers with a family member affected by mental illness: Sarah, Rani, Jenna and Brett. The characters are based on the real-life experience of teenagers who helped create the site.
• An online helpline for teenagers to ask questions about mental illness and related topics
• Factsheets on everything from antidepressants to suicide prevention, cannabis and psychosis; family support to treatment and recovery
• Podcasts which provide information about the full range of mental health problems and treatment.

* National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing: Summary of Results, 2007 (Australian Bureau of Statistics)

The focus of the conference will be on creating connections to ensure quality sibling support now and into the future, and is for anyone interested in families of children / adults with special needs – providers, researchers, policy makers and families themselves.

For submission details for presentations and to register your interest in attending go to www.sapmea.asn.au/siblings09