The Disability Information and Resource Centre

For the first time Disability SA are inviting clients, families and carers of people with disabilities to their bi-annual conference. The day for people with disability, families and carers is Wednesday 13 October 2010.

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

MyTime groups provide facilitated peer support for mums, dads, grandparents and anyone caring for children with a disability, developmental delay or chronic medical condition. Socialise and share ideas and information with others who understand the rewards and intensity of caring for a child with special needs.

Joining MyTime

Mothers, fathers and other family carers of children who are eligible to receive the Carer Allowance (Child) can join MyTime. For more information about eligibility for the Carer Allowance, visit www.centrelink.gov.au.

To find out about a MyTime peer support group in your local area

Visit the MyTime Group page. Click on your state and find a group close to you. Contact the facilitator listed to discuss group details.

To register your interest in a group

• Complete the expression of interest form
• phone 1800 889 997
• email mytime@parentingrc.org.au

We would like to draw your attention to this story from The Australian newspaper: Help plea as carers take on needs of loved ones. The story outlines the plight of family carers and the push for a National Disability Insurance Scheme.

For more information on the National Disability Insurance Scheme go to http://www.ndis.org.au/.

The Productivity Commission’s Disability Care and Support Public Enquiry can be found here http://www.pc.gov.au/projects/inquiry/disability-support.

The Disability Care and Support Issues paper can be found here http://www.pc.gov.au/projects/inquiry/disability-support/issues.

A guided journey toward a desirable future for people with a disability and their families.

During Pathways to Possibilities, a small group of families and people with a disability work together to encourage each other.  Families have an ally or professional whose role is to support them and to work between sessions to action goals set during the sessions.

This program consisting of six sessions during May and June is being conducted by Parent to Parent Qld, and held at:

Disability Information and Resource Centre, 195 Gilles St, Adelaide.  Dates and all other details are in the:

booklet,  flier and enrolment form

Carer Support & Respite Centre are auspicing this program, so carers need to live within their catchment area, metro south and east -  see the  CSRC boundaries list.

All participants have the opportunity to learn new skills or develop and share the ones they already have.  The essence of the workshops is collaboration, where individuals, families, allies and professionals work together towards challenging the assumptions usually made about individuals who have a disability.  A booklet is provided which is adapted from the Frameworks for Accomplishment Personal Profile, developed by John O’Brien and Connie Lyle O’Brien, and based on person centred thinking.

Family members of a person with a disability very rarely get this kind of opportunity to sit down with others and plan for the future in a structured and guided manner.  Families have told us that planning gives them:

*  goals, direction and logical steps to follow,
*  confidence to ask for what they need and to say when things aren’t right and
*  they feel more informed, articulate and empowered.

For more information or to enrol, contact Bev Corner

Phone:  0413 144 698

pathwaysproject@iprimus.com.au