Do you need Support Coordination?

Do you need Support Coordination?

Support Coordinator helping NDIS participant

Not every NDIS participant is funded for Support Coordination but everyone can ask for it.

You may qualify for Support Coordination if you:

  • Have circumstances that make it difficult to participate as much as you would like in meetings, and in making sense of information
  • Are lacking confidence at this stage in your life and need support to connect you with your community
  • Need support to make informed decisions, especially in a crisis.

What is Support Coordination?

According to the NDIS, Support Coordination is “a capacity building support to implement all supports in a participant’s plan, including informal, mainstream, community and funded supports”.

The NDIA will make a decision if you need Support Coordination. They will also decide what level of Support Coordination you might need.

This means that Support Coordination can help you to implement your plan, and find services and supports in your region.

There are four different types of Support Coordination:

  • Support Connection
  • Coordination of Supports
  • Specialist Support Coordination
  • SDA Support Coordination

The primary role of a Support Coordinator

The primary role of a Support Coordinator is to:

  • Support implementation of all supports in the NDIA plan, including informal, mainstream and community, as well as funded supports
  • Strengthen and enhance the participant’s and their families abilities to coordinate supports and participate in the community
  • Ensure mainstream services meet their obligations (i.e. housing, education, justice, health)
  • Build the capacity of the participant to achieve greater independence to self-direct services and supports in the longer term
  • Provide the NDIA with reports on outcomes and success indicators within the agreed reporting frequency
  • Assist the participant with the scheduled NDIS plan review

Aspire Support Coordination Services

Aspire offers Coordination of Supports and Specialist Support Coordination. Our Support Coordinators will work with you to assist you to understand and get the best out of your NDIA package and plan. We do this by providing you with information, support, and advice when you need to make decisions.

If you are eligible for Support Coordination, you can also access a range of assistance from our Support Coordinators. Click here for further detail including things Support Coordinators can’t do.

How do I access Support Coordination?

If you want Support Coordination in your plan, you need to mention it in your planning meeting.

Alternatively, talk to your Aspire Customer Service Team about your options if your plan is already in place without Support Coordination. T 02 6058 4000, E customerservice@aspiress.com.au

For further information or get in contact with our Support Coordination Team, supportco@aspiress.com.au.

 

New Early Childhood Partners

New Early Childhood Partners

The NDIA has recently announced the appointment of the new Early Childhood Partners in NSW.

Six organisations have been appointed to deliver the NDIA’s ECEI approach across NSW, with five of the successful Early Childhood Partners being current NSW ECEI transition providers and two already experienced in the delivery of the national ECEI model.

In NSW, the new Partners delivering ECEI services are:

These appointments will enable the new Early Childhood Partners to leverage their existing relationships with the current NSW ECEI transition providers, and/or experience in ECEI to ensure a smooth transition for children and their families to the full scheme ECEI approach.

The selected Early Childhood Partners have experience providing high-quality early intervention services to children with developmental delay or disability. The NDIA will work closely with the new Early Childhood Partners and NSW ECEI Transition Providers to support a smooth transition for children who are currently accessing ECEI services and their families and carers.

What is happening at Aspire?

Our role as a NSW ECEI Transition Provider will finish on 30 June 2018 and from 1 July 2018 the Early Childhood Partners will provide ECEI services for children with developmental delay and/or disability aged 0-6 years.

The new local Early Childhood Partner is Intereach Limited. Information about your nearest Intereach Limited office can be found on the NDIS and Intereach websites.

https://www.ndis.gov.au/ecei.html

http://www.intereach.com.au/support/disability/

What does this mean for children and new referrals?

As part of the handover process to Intereach, all children who are waiting for NDIS planning will be passed onto Intereach. So any new referrals from 4 June 2018 can either be sent directly to Intereach. Alternatively, if they come to Aspire, we will pass all the referral information onto Intereach. As of 1 July 2018, all new referrals for NDIS plans must be directed to Intereach. 

Where can I get more information?

More information about Early Childhood Partners and the NDIA Early Childhood Early Intervention approach can be found on the NDIS website.

Aspire’s NDIS role

Aspire is a registered NDIS provider and the Early Childhood Intervention team will continue to provide high-quality Early Childhood Intervention and therapy services to the community. Aspire also offers Clinical Services (including Speech Pathology, Behaviour Support and Psychology) to children from 12 years and adults.

If you have any questions please contact your Aspire Customer Service Team

New NDIS Code of Conduct Rules

New NDIS Code of Conduct Rules

The Quality & Safeguarding Commission recently released the National Disability Insurance Scheme (Code of Conduct) Rules 2018. NSW and SA are the first two states to come under the new NDIS Code of Conduct from 1 July 2018.

What are the Code of Conduct rules?

The NDIS Code of Conduct Rules are a National Code of Conduct for NDIS service and support providers. The rules are aimed at supporting NDIS participants to make informed decisions when choosing NDIS supports and services. And, importantly, to live free from abuse, neglect, violence, and exploitation.

Who is covered by the Code of Conduct?

All providers of NDIS supports, regardless of whether they are registered or not, must adhere to the NDIS Code of Conduct. This can include workers who are paid or unpaid. It also includes people who are self-employed, employees, contractors, consultants and/or volunteers.

There are seven minimum standards that NDIS providers and workers must meet:

(a)      act with respect for individual rights to freedom of expression, self-determination, and decision-making in accordance with applicable laws and conventions; and

(b)     respect the privacy of people with disability; and

(c)      provide supports and services in a safe and competent manner, with care and skill; and

(d)     act with integrity, honesty, and transparency; and

(e)      promptly take steps to raise and act on concerns about matters that may impact the quality and safety of supports and services provided to people with disability; and

(f)      take all reasonable steps to prevent and respond to all forms of violence against, and exploitation, neglect and abuse of, people with disability; and

(g)      take all reasonable steps to prevent and respond to sexual misconduct

What does this mean for you?

The NDIS Code of Conduct means the rights of people with disability are upheld. And, this means the services and supports provided through the NDIS are safe.

It means you can be confident that you have access to safe and ethical supports. Therefore, if you don’t feel you have this access, then you can raise a complaint about potential breaches of the NDIS Code of Conduct. Then the Quality and Safeguarding Commissioner can investigate the complaints.

We always welcome feedback on how we are doing. It helps us to improve our services and focus on continuing doing what we do well. If you ever wish to provide feedback, you can do so here. Or to make a complaint about our services, you can do so here.

Employment opportunities with the NDIS

Employment opportunities with the NDIS

Did you know that it is estimated that the NDIS will generate 88,400 employment opportunities by 2020*?

What does this mean for our community?

The national unemployment rate is currently sitting at 5.5%, which equates to approximately 716,000 unemployed persons in Australia. Unemployment amongst the younger population is far higher at 11.2% nationally**.

A reduction in unemployment means an increase in economic activity. And that means everyone benefits and more employment opportunities are created. Additionally, there is strong evidence that reducing unemployment reduces inequality, and that it also improves social effects on our communities.

What type of employment is available in the disability sector?

The Disability sector is going through exciting change. From direct support to behind the scenes roles, people in the disability sector work together to ensure that customers and clients can achieve their goals and aspirations.

We are one of the fastest growing sectors which means more job opportunities than ever before!

There are many roles available from entry level to professional and corporate, with plenty of opportunities to train and grow in your career.

If you’re looking for a role that is purpose driven, offers more flexibility and is better aligned to your personal and professional values, then the Disability sector is for you.

The sector is diverse, but the common entry points if you’re just starting out are:

More specifically, some examples of different roles within these entry points include:

Frontline support

  • Direct Support Workers
  • Direct Support Team Leaders
  • Program Assistants
  • Support Coordinators
  • Residential Care Workers

Frontline professional

  • Speech Pathologists
  • Occupational Therapists
  • Physiotherapists
  • Teachers
  • Psychologists
  • Behaviour Practitioners

Administration, Corporate and Management

  • Human Resources
  • Quality Assurance
  • Marketing and Communications
  • Finance
  • Customer Service
  • Administration

What is Aspire doing?

At Aspire, we recruit on people’s attitude.

One of the most rewarding aspects of being part of the Aspire team is the potential to use your skills and passions to build meaningful relationships with people who contribute as much to your life as you do to theirs.

Whatever your role with Aspire, your work has an impact and there are many rewards and benefits to supporting people with disability, some of which you may never have considered.

If you want to work in the disability sector

The disability sector offers not just paid employment, but a range of different employment options depending on your interests.

As a purpose-driven, diverse and often flexible industry, the disability sector has the potential to tick all these boxes for job seekers.

If you:

  • have a great attitude
  • are fun to be around
  • have a great personality
  • you really want to support people with a disability

then working in the disability sector may be for you.

And if you’re not sure if a career in the support sector is right for you, or what type of support sector career you are suited to, you can find out some career options by completing the Carer Careers Quiz.

If you’re looking for a role where you do something different, very meaningful and worthwhile, then get in touch, E human.resource@aspiress.com.au.

 

* Source: NDIS Integrated Market, Sector and Workforce Strategy
** Source: Labour Force Australia, ABS, Sept 2017

Team Story – Critical Thinking

Team Story – Critical Thinking

As part of our Vision and Mission, we introduce our Team Stories. Team Stories aims to share real-life situations where our team has lived and breathed our Vision, Mission, and Values.

Lucy Dallywaters-Lee, who recently won our quarterly Customer Service Award shares her team story.

One of the comments provided by the person who nominated Lucy Dallywaters-Lee for the Customer Service Award was:

“Lucy is always positive with customers co-workers and supervisors. She goes above and beyond for her customers, which she demonstrated this week especially helping a customer whose husband was in hospital and the customer needed more support and an advocate.”

Lucy has kindly shared some more detail on how this story transpired.

Critical Thinking

In the distance, you can see a car traveling towards you in your lane!

A few thoughts will begin to fill your mind, “What are they doing?” Are they asleep?” Are they distracted on their phone?” Then some rationalising will start, “They will move when they see me…..surely??”

It’s at this stage you realise you will have to act critically, strategically and fast!!

You could be faced with this type of decision making in your everyday work day as I was. However, you may react differently or similarly to my story.

We make decisions every day especially when we are driving. We are more than capable. This is how we avoid numerous collisions. We don’t realise how many times we make those quick life-changing decisions. We just do it and keep driving.

Arriving for my shift as usual on a Monday morning, as I had done for over five years, thinking how can I make a difference in this customer’s life today without realising I would be literally changing her life forever.

On arrival to the customer’s home, I found her totally alone. And she had been since her husband (her primary carer) was taken into hospital the previous Thursday. Assessing the environment, I found empty electric hot plates on full, the front door wide open and unable to securely lock, and food scraps in the sink!

The customer also had fresh cotton wool band aids on her inner elbows indicating to me she had been into hospital recently. She was known to wander, which had happened the night before. She had searched to find more bread from a local IGA shop, quickly getting disorientated. Staff became concerned and had called an ambulance. This resulted in the customer being transported to the same hospital as her husband. Tests were performed, a taxi was called and the customer returned home alone.

Just like the car scenario…

I assessed the situation with the mindset of this customer is someone’s wife, mother, grandmother.

I stayed with her asking her to please make me a cup of tea to enable me to observe her managing skills. It quickly became apparent she was at risk.

Using a calm, constant dialogue with encouraging smiles and arm squeezes we closed the front door to drive to the hospital.

On arrival to the hospital, it became apparent the husband’s prognosis was terminal with a life expectancy of just a few weeks. With that assessment, I realised neither of them would be returning to live in their home they had resided for close to 46 years of their 51year marriage.

This car is still in your lane heading directly for you!!!

Now let’s get to that critical, strategic and fast thinking!!

Prioritise needs of urgency/crisis keeping all involved calm.

Small talk and a pack of cards can work wonders!

Realising we would need to find urgent respite/permanent care home I informed our Aspire team of management and nursing staff of the situation at hand.

An emergency aged care team was then organised to gather as much information as possible and start the process of finding an immediate respite accommodation. Assessments took place and lots of telephone conversations began. Informed family expressed they did not have the capacity to assist.

Delegation at this point, focussing on strengths and abilities of other professionals, is essential to get your desired outcome. Opportunities for critical thinking under pressure allows our strengths and abilities to shine through, amazing ideas of, ‘What if’ appear.

This car is getting closer and closer!!!

Amazingly, emergency 48-hour respite funding was found. This provided the customer a bed in our Adult respite home for the following 48 hours – hoping at which point a permanent bed would become available in the care home. Could this actually happen?

Returning to the customer’s residence to collect personal clothing and essential belongings for both herself and her husband. This required some extra care and reassurance to enable a very confused state to calmly comply reassuringly.

Belongings delivered to the hospital and the customer driven to the adult respite home. On arrival she noticed the large room with a bed, her eyes are glazed.

“My house is the size of this bedroom, she said!”

The smells of a comforting dinner wafted through the home as she sniffed and smiled.

Decision time! Move out of the car’s way, I can now see the drivers face, they are looking down, move left!!

More decisions to make.

No funding to secure care home. An urgent application is made to Public Guardianship. There are multiple written reports and a large amount of supporting documentation from all involved.

Still no bed!

Our customer is admitted to the same hospital as her husband as a public patient. This is for a maximum of five days to allow time for the care home to secure funding.

Only a few meters away now! I start to move left. I realise they look up!

A hearing tribunal is set for day six. Fingers crossed that all applied guardianship applications will be successful.

Finally, a permanent bed is secured at the care home.

The other driver’s eyes and mouth are open wide! Using split decision-making processing skills, we both move to the left, avoiding a head on collision.

All guardianship applications are granted.

The family are happy and return their mum to her new residence. Ongoing family visits and assistance are given to enable the customer to continue to visit her husband during his final weeks of life.

Before I realise I arrive at work, find a park and prepare for another day.

 

Author: Lucy Dallywaters-Lee, Support Worker, Aspire Support Services

Board Update – April 2018

Board Update – April 2018

Hello to all our readers.

2018 is already getting away from us with Easter already gone, but the Board has been hard at work.

We have added two new members to our Board and I take great pleasure in introducing them to you. At the same time, I also must acknowledge the wonderful work done by our outgoing members – Andrew Cottrill, Noel Sargent, and Sue Slater.

Their time and input into a variety of areas and Board matters, including Clinical Governance, Community Engagement and Finance, their individual strengths and skills as well as their camaraderie will be missed by us all.

Thank you all for being part of Aspire’s history and growth.

We welcome Emma Reid and John Duck.

They each bring a wealth of experience to specifically sought-after skill areas required as part of our ongoing Strategic and Succession Planning.

Both have worked in a variety of large organisations, within allied health, medical and disability fields in positions of significant responsibility, enabling them to have a perspective of our role as Board Directors, as well as from a Management viewpoint. We take great pleasure in welcoming Emma and John to the Aspire Board and look forward to putting those talents to good use.

Board Performance

The Board has just undertaken one of our regular, in-depth surveys, in conjunction with lengthy phone interviews, looking at our own performance, that of the CEO  and the Board’s relationships within the organisation’s structure and management. This process allowed us to be honest in our self-appraisal and to identify areas of our practice that we would like to address.

It was terrific that both new Board members were able to attend the last meeting where we had a professional facilitator spend three hours working her way through those compiled results and working with us to map out and prioritise our next steps in planning and focus. It was time very well spent, beginning with revisiting various scenarios of several corporate boards where cases had arisen around practices that had occurred over the years.

It was an excellent way for us to focus on exactly what our duties are, and from there to re-set our course.

We plan to restructure some of our Subcommittees, with a view to greater feedback, to seek more efficiencies in areas such as Reporting Frameworks and to working on multi-levels with our Management Team, in the running of the organisation.

We very much value and look forward to supporting our customers and staff. We will continue to all work together to facilitate a smooth transition for our customers to the NDIS.

Warm regards

Aspire-headshots-black-024

Lizzie Pogson
Board Director, on behalf of the Aspire Board.

What is Early Childhood Intervention?

What is Early Childhood Intervention?

Early Childhood Intervention

Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) is the process of providing specialised support and services for infants and young children with developmental delays or disabilities, and their families. This support helps to promote development, well-being and community participation.

Aspire Early Childhood Intervention provides high-quality education and therapy services to your young child with a developmental delay or disability, and to your family.

How we will work with you

Each family has a main contact person called a Key Worker. Your Key Worker is a part of a transdisciplinary team and may be an educator, a physiotherapist, a speech pathologist or an occupational therapist. You will work with your Key Worker on the goals you set as a family.

A Key Worker has specialist knowledge of child development and has experience in working with young children with developmental delays and disabilities. With support from other team members, your Key Worker works in partnership with you and other caregivers. They will provide advice, education, and therapy to promote your child’s learning, development, and participation in everyday activities.

Your child may also access specialist play and learning groups. These groups aim to help your child develop all the skills they need to be included in other education and care environments, like preschool or child care.

How we will make decisions with you

Your family is the most important people in your child’s life. You have the greatest influence on making changes in your child’s development. You are the “Expert” on your child.

Your family will be involved in all the decisions about what you want to achieve for your child and how you want to achieve it.

ECI Key Worker Model

Where will my key worker and I meet?

Children learn best in the places where they spend most of their time. The best way for a child to learn is through play and everyday activities. A Key Worker will support you and your child in all the different places they go.

If you have any questions regarding Aspire Early Childhood Intervention services please contact your Aspire Customer Service Team, T 02 6058 4000, E customerservice@aspiress.com.au.

Announcing Aspire and Bandits Partnership

Announcing Aspire and Bandits Partnership

As part of our community engagement we have recently committed to a Community Partnership with the Bandits basketball club.

Why has Aspire partnered with the Bandits?

Aspire has partnered with the Bandits to demonstrate our commitment to our local community, through working with organisations with similar values.

The Bandits and Aspire have worked together for a number of years, with players becoming employees of Aspire.

The time is right to turn this successful relationship into a partnership.

The Bandits and Lady Bandits are committed to our local region. One way they demonstrate this commitment is through their players working alongside people with disabilities and their families to achieve their goals and aspirations. Like Aspire, they believe that everyone should be able to achieve their goals and live the life they choose. That is why Aspire is partnering with the Bandits.

What is involved?

Along with employment opportunities offered by Aspire, we have sponsored the player jackets of both the Bandits and the Lady Bandits. The Aspire logo is displayed with the additional tagline of Working with the Bandits, Hand in Hand. This is to reflect the synergy of our two organisations.

The Aspire and the Bandits partnership will be promoted through other avenues, such as:

  • advertising
  • signage
  • a video of the two organisations working together
  • attending games.

We look forward to continuing our partnership with the Bandits and working together to support our community.

Your NDIS pre-planning meeting

How to get ready for your NDIS pre-planning meeting

Preparing for your first NDIS planning meeting

One of the most common queries we get at Aspire is about your first NDIS pre-planning meeting – understanding what happens at the meeting and what you need to do to prepare for it.

The NDIS pre-planning meeting can cause a mixture of happiness, fear, excitement, and nervousness. Your experience of NDIS planning can really vary depending on the pre-planning support you receive.

The NDIS requires you and your families to think about disability supports in a whole new way. Good pre-planning is crucial to getting you the best possible outcome. Without appropriate support, the NDIS can be overwhelming and confusing.

How can you pre-plan to get the most out of your NDIS experience?

The questionnaire used in NDIS Planning meetings asks you a series of questions about how your disability affects your life.

The NDIS provides a checklist to help you get ready for your planning conversation.

In a nutshell, this checklist covers:

  • What support you currently receive
  • How you manage everyday activities
  • Areas of your life where you may feel unsafe
  • Your goals – for the next twelve months and your long-term goals
  • How you want to manage your plan

So, you will need to consider your whole life.

Think about things like:

  • What types of support do you need in your daily life?
    • At home
    • In the community
    • At work
  • Do you need any equipment or aids, for example, mobility, communication or continence aids?
  • Do you need assistance with transport or vehicle modifications?
  • Do you need any housing or housing modifications?
  • Do you need any allied health services, for example, an occupational health therapist or speech therapist?

Think about any informal supports you may have. Who are the important people are in your life and how do they support you? This is where you might highlight any safety concerns.

Your Goals

The really important thing to think about is your goals.

Think about:

  • Who you want to provide Support Coordination for your plan?
  • What do you want to do with your life?
  • What are your dreams, interests or things you love doing?
  • What currently works well with your supports? And what doesn’t?

These booklets are designed to help you gather all the information you need in one spot.

FOR CHILDREN & YOUNG PEOPLE

NDIS Planning workbook - children and young people

FOR ADULTS

NDIS Planning workbook - adult
NDIS Planning Workbook – Children & Young People NDIS Planning Workbook – Adult

Attending the meeting

If you feel you need assistance at your pre-planning meeting, a Customer Service Team member will be available to attend your meeting with you.

At the meeting, the NDIA Pre-Planner or Local Area Coordinator (LAC) will ask you a series of questions to understand how much support you may need over the life of your plan.

This means you need to have the information with you, be able to discuss it, and have evidence.

When you attend your pre-planning meeting you will need.

  • your completed booklet (refer above)
  • evidence of additional support, for example, speech therapist reports, physiotherapy reports
  • supporting letters from health professionals, for example, psychologists or behaviour specialists
  • how you want your funds managed. This could be:
    • self-managing your plan finances
    • using a Plan Manager
    • have the NDIA manage your plan finances

We recommend that you understand and decide your options prior to the pre-planning meeting.

How Aspire helps

Understanding the NDIS for your family member can be a challenging process. Across the country families, organisations, the government, and the community are taking this journey and all learning the new processes involved.

At Aspire we are aiming to support our customers to take this journey as informed and supported as possible. We know that not all NDIS outcomes are suitable at the beginning and that for some customers it takes time to get this right and meeting family members needs.

We have been able to bring a range of speakers on the NDIS to Albury/Wodonga over the past two years and have an increasing amount of support material available to assist you in your journey.

For some families, we are seeing difficulty having family members accepted into the scheme and have information available to assist health professionals who are writing supporting reports and letters to better understand what is required.

The Customer Service Team staff members are available to meet with you and assist you in preparing for your NDIS pre-planning meeting and are also available to support you in your meeting if required.

Contact your Customer Service Team, T 02 6058 4000 E customerservice@aspiress.com.au

After your pre-planning meeting

After the meeting, the Planner will take the information supplied and forward to the NDIS to develop the plan based on what you discussed in the meeting.

That’s why it important to make sure you provide as much written evidence as possible. It is just as important that this evidence is easy to understand and clearly shows what supports you need.

Generally, you will receive a paper copy of your plan in the mail. You should also an activation code to link your myGov to the NDIS Portal.

It is important that you check that your plan has the things discussed in your meeting.

If you are unhappy with your plan, you can request a review within 3 months. Refer here for our previous article for more information on what to do if you are unhappy with your NDIS Plan.

Customer Service Team

Our Customer Service Team
To improve the way we answer your questions and communicate with you, we have developed a new Customer Service Team. The key role of the team is to be your main contact at Aspire.Everyone in the team will be able to help you with questions about your services, experiences and anything at all about Aspire. You can call and talk to anyone on the team during our opening hours.

Some of the team will be familiar to you and you might see some new faces—all are here to help you have the best experience possible with Aspire.

You can contact the Customer Service Team by emailing customerservice@aspiress.com.au, calling 02 6058 4000 or dropping in to see us at 220 Borella Road, Albury.

For more information about the NDIS click here