Support Dapto Respite for Families with Special Needs children

Dapto Respite Centre ( Bong Bong Rd Dapto) is an overnight respite service for families that have children affected by special needs ( both intellectual and physical). This service is suported by the state government and is currently under review for either privatisation or closure to come in line with the National Disability Incentive Scheme (NDIS) infrastructure. It also employs 10 disability workers and operates 24/7 and as an emergency service for families in crisis.

Most families in the illawarra region have access of approximately 16 days of respite over a three month period and this has become an invaluable service for these families. Caring for children with special needs is a parental mine field and can be quite stressfull at times when trying to raise a family with unaffected children. This service allows parents , husband and wives and sibblings the much needed break that can recharge their batteries.

Most families with children with special needs have very little or inadequate supports (be it family or other). Families in this situation cannot rely on babysitters - because most donnot cater for special needs children that need extra attention and/ or supervision.

Under the NDIS it seems centres like this will either be privatised or closed. We as parents with children that have special needs are worried that the level of service or level of access afforded by the new scheme will suffer. This deregulation of respite services that offer this type of support allows people without specialised qualification , insight and knowledge into caring for children or adults with special needs the oportunity to take advantage of the most vulnerable in our society. This creates an uncertainty for the Dapto Respite centre clients - which is scary for all concerned.

Decisions made about the future of this service or services alike should not be considered until the NDIS is fully implemented in this region and certainly when it has not been discussed with the people being affected the most (carers).

Mr John Ajaka states that the "purpsose of this review was to provide a range of flexible respite options in conjunction with other non-government organizations".

We as carers actually have no idea how this scheme will work and there has been little discussion or direction on how families will access this scheme, who will be eligible and how the families are meant to manage and what restrictions will put into place!!!

All we know as families that have children with special needs is that a break from the constant mental and physical and sociological stress placed on us is welcomed. We carry not only the physical cost but also in most cases the major burden of added socioeconomic costs that the government is not aware off!

So please support us and help us keep our sanity and also keep jobs and services where they are needed.

Thank you for your support.