.

History
The Mentally Retarded Children’s Society of SA Inc. was established in 1950 by a group of parents, who wanted education, employment and accommodation opportunities for their children within the local community at a time when institutionalised care in Adelaide was their only alternative.

The society’s aims were:
1. To seek education or training facilities for people with intellectual disabilities
2. To establish “sheltered workshops”
3. To establish residential hostels

With the setting up of a number of workshops over the next few years we found ourselves in business and hunting for customers. In 1980 the name was changed to Orana, which is an Aboriginal word for “Welcome”. This new name better reflected the now outward looking organization.

Today, after more than 50 years, the multi-faceted manufacturing and packaging operation continues to grow because everybody wins: by satisfying the needs of our employees who love what they do, they also satisfy the needs of our customers who love what they get.

How Orana works for our employees
In 2007 over 400 people with disability are discovering new abilities by learning a range of skills in the safe and supportive environment of our 11 Business Services across South Australia. Apart from the skills, they also gain the stimulation, self-esteem, social contact, a sense of independence and that all-important pride in a job well done.

How Orana works for our residents
Orana provides the opportunity for people with disabilities to live independently in a homely environment with individualised support. Our professional carers encourage and support our residents to take part in a wide range of leisure and social activities.

Alternatively, in Whyalla and on South Australia’s West Coast we provide a respite service that gives carers a rest or assistance in an emergency situation.

How Orana works for our customers
Orana was one of the first disability service organisations to achieve Quality Accreditation and we pride ourselves on having a ready and willing workforce producing a wide range of quality services and products:

• Timber and metal manufacturing
• Commercial furniture production
• Industrial sewing
• Worm-farming
• Packaging & filling
• Assembly
• Wrapping
• Collating
• Mailing
• Retail furniture, pets & accessories and plants

Strategic Plan for the organisation
Orana’s objective for many years was to blend in with the local community. As a result we have traditionally had a very low profile. However, in 2004 we developed a Strategic Plan for the organisation, incorporating a new Vision and Mission.

Our Vision is to be acclaimed for excellence in services to people with disability.

Our Mission is to be a caring, capable and viable organisation, providing a range of services to meet the needs of people with disability in our community.

In line with this, we have developed strategic operational plans in the areas of Marketing and Business Development, Human Resources, Business Operations, Client Services and Finance & Administration.

Our need to promote our services to ensure that we are a viable and capable organisation into the future, will see us marketing ourselves much more than in the past, not only as a professional supplier of Business Services, but also as an Employer of Choice both within and outside of the disability sector.

By Trevor Goldstone (CEO)

I see daily examples of personal achievement, both large and small, which demonstrate to me again and again that Bedford is a wonderful organisation; I feel very privileged to be its Chief Executive. Such events as our TAFE Graduation Ceremonies, our Annual Achievement Awards and the openings of our new residential services reinforce, to me, the value of Bedford to South Australia.

I appreciate the support we receive from the community, through donations, sponsorships and the purchase of lottery tickets; this is critical to our success.

I am always thankful for the positive and professional approach of all our support staff and the energy and enthusiasm of our employees, residents and members with a disability, all of whom I am in awe.

We are inclusive, supportive and recognise the contribution of all individuals. The assistance and help Bedford offers is ongoing; we recognise the support needs of people with a disability or disadvantage, whether in the areas of life skills development, training, personal matters, accommodation or employment.

When you join Bedford, you become part of our family.

Max Dyason (CEO)

Bedford – An Overview
Bedford is a South Australian not-for-profit organisation dedicated to providing a brighter future for people with a disability.

It is the State’s largest and most diverse provider of employment, training, residential services and life skills for people with a disability.

Bedford currently supports over 1,650 people with a disability or disadvantage across its in-house business services, day options centres, residential services, community based open employment and other labour market and support programmes. Bedford employs 240 support staff.

Bedford’s employment, training and other labour programmes operate on and from 15 main sites across the state, its grounds maintenance teams maintain 5,000 locations and the organisation provides a range of accommodation options across metropolitan Adelaide.

A Little History
Bedford was originally created as the Civilian Tubercular and Cancer Comforts Fund back in 1920, before changing its direction in 1943 to become the South Australian Tuberculosis Association Incorporated (SATAI).

In 1945 Bedford Industries was born and the focus became one of creating a brighter future for people with a disability through providing work, training and other life opportunities. To this day, empowering people with a disability remains the key goal for Bedford.

Bedford was originally located in Glenelg, moving in 1949 to the location of its present headquarters and largest site, on Goodwood Road at Panorama. Since this time, Panorama has grown and the employment and training opportunities have become more varied. These opportunities now encompass onsite and open employment options, as well as tertiary education through TAFE and other training providers.

In addition, with its southern APG (Adelaide Property & Gardens) depot at Lonsdale and the Pooraka site, which houses our northern APG depot and packaging division, Bedford offers opportunities right across the metropolitan area for people with a disability. These sites are purposely located so as to be easily accessible by public and private transport by employees.

Supported Employment and Training
Bedford offers employment and training through one of its business services. It now operates five business services – Bedford Packaging, Bedford Hospitality, Bedford Furniture, APG (Adelaide Property & Gardens) and Living Skills.

The five business services win work on the strength of the quality, service and competitive pricing offered to customers. In doing so, they provide on-job training, employment opportunities and skills development to almost 700 people with a disability; a number that keeps growing.

New Open Employment Opportunities through CareerSystems
Better opportunities and more jobs for people with a disability or disadvantage in South Australia are resulting from the merger of CareerSystems Inc. with Bedford. The merger sees the two organisations share resources, systems and skills across their seven sites, significantly increasing the presence and outcomes of both organisations in the community.

It is clear that the demand for quality disability services has never been greater; this merger helps address this need. The ‘new’ CareerSystems supports over 800 people with a disability or disadvantage in community based labour market programmes.

CareerSystems moves forward as a separate division of Bedford, continuing to provide a leading range of vocational and support services for South Australians in need.

Leadership in Training
Bedford takes its responsibilities very seriously and is proud to have provided the model for Australia’s first state-wide programme to provide accredited workplace training for people with a disability right here in South Australia.

Entitled ‘Abilities for All’, the programme has the backing of the South Australian Government’s Department of Further Education, Employment, Science and Technology (DFEEST).

The programme sees TAFE SA and Bedford delivering nationally accredited training to 225 employees of other disability services throughout South Australia.

In Bedford alone, 347 employees have achieved an accredited TAFE qualification.

Day Options

In a little over a year, Bedford’s Day Options Service, BCA (Bedford Community Access), has more than doubled in size. The creation of this new service in 2006 and its subsequent success is aligned with Bedford’s resolve to continue to innovate and explore new ways of supporting and developing options and choices for people with a disability. In addition, through Living Skills, Bedford now operates Day Options services in Port Pirie and Wallaroo.

Homes

In addition to training and employment, Bedford also provides accommodation options for people with a disability – either through community based housing or through Bedford’s Balyana residential service. At present 84 people have homes at Balyana and another 54 people are supported through community-based housing options.

However, even this current provision it is not enough; with unmet need in the form of waiting lists for both Balyana and housing in the community.

The ‘Homes for 100’ programme, supported by a $5 million grant from the state government and matched by $5 million being raised by the Bedford Foundation, will see significant growth in Bedford’s housing activities, with more community based living options for people with a disability.

With community backing and the ongoing encouragement and support of the state government, Bedford aims to take this project well beyond homes for 100 people.

Celebrating Success

For the past 40 years, Bedford has been celebrating the personal achievement and success of people with a disability. The Annual Awards Day celebration recognises the achievements of people in Bedford’s training, employment and day option programmes.

This pinnacle event in the Bedford calendar attracts 2,000 people from all parts of the community, including representatives from state, federal and local government, business and community leaders, family and friends to celebrate the achievements of people with a disability. It is held in May or June of each year.

New Regional Presence
Living Skills, which employs people with a disability in Port Pirie. Wallaroo and Kadina, joins the Bedford Group as its newest business service from August 2007.

The Living Skills Board recently decided to seek a merge partner to help it in its next stage of development and, after in-depth research, chose Bedford.

Living Skills was established in 1986 by parents seeking opportunities for their children with a disability. The organisation has grown to become one of the largest regional disability services in South Australia, offering a broad range of services.

Its head office is in Port Pirie and it has branches in Kadina and Wallaroo. Its services in Port Pirie include supported employment, day options and open employment; in Kadina there is a supported employment operation and a day options centre in Wallaroo (Wallaroo Community Gardens).

Where to in the Future?
One thing is certain; demand for services will continue to grow.

Many pressing challenges will see Bedford, with assistance from, state, federal and local governments and from the public, providing more community based housing, more and different employment and training outcomes, more community based vocational programmes, improved access to our services and more sector leadership.

Bedford’s challenge is to meet that demand and adapt to the growing and changing needs of people with a disability as well as community expectations.

Since 1945, Bedford has grown and adapted to changing expectations and needs with great enthusiasm and success; its challenge is to continue to grow and lead the way in services for people with a disability.

To find out more about Bedford, please visit www.bedfordgroup.com.au.

***

WE CAN DO IT!

We can say this because we see it, each and every day. We see it in the smiles of the individuals we support, who are able to live in their own home, go on holidays, have a job…

We see it in the dedication of our staff members and their families who support the work they do.  And we see it in the generosity of the public, our corporate sponsors, and our volunteers.

Too right – We Can Do It

OUR HISTORY

Established in 1898, Minda has a rich history as one of South Australia’s oldest and most respected disability service providers, providing the highest quality of care and support to people with intellectual disability.

Originally located at Fullarton, ‘Minda’, an Aboriginal word meaning place of shelter and protection, began with approximately 30 residents and staff. On opening, the object of Minda Home (as it was known) was “the maintenance, care, education and special training” of those with intellectual disability, and for 70 years, Minda would be the only residential facility in South Australia providing care and education exclusively for people living with intellectual disability.

Needing greater space to accommodate an increasing number of individuals, the property of William Hodgkiss, in the beachside suburb of Brighton was purchased in 1909.

With time, many of the children admitted when the home was initially opened had grown into adults. As such, the constitution was altered to permit these individuals to remain, with the new objective ‘to provide care, education and training to those with intellectual disability’.

Additional land adjoining the existing property at Brighton was purchased and planted with fruit trees and vines and ‘Craigburn’, Minda’s farm at Blackwood, consisting of approximately 1,400 acres, was purchased in 1923.

Officially changing its name to “Minda Incorporated” in 1976, the organisation maintained the strong emphasis on residential accommodation, but also expanded its scope. Employment and other services were established, both in the community and on campus, which recognised the needs and aspirations of individuals to participate in work and other options.

Minda was pleased to open a new state-of-the-art training facility, the South Australian Learning Centre (SALC) at Brighton in 2008. The SALC will further progress training and education opportunities for both staff and for South Australians with an intellectual disability, with many courses for supported employees being offered from the centre.

In 2009, Minda became the first disability organisation in Australia to adopt the guiding principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, following the Australian Government’s ratification in 2008, further positioning itself as a leader in the disability sector.

Subsequently, Minda has adopted a contemporary service model, Person Centred Thinking, which takes into account an individual’s aspirations and wishes and is designed to support people to reach a level of self determination that previous models of service did not always promote.

Today, Minda remains at the forefront of the disability sector in South Australia and is one of the state’s largest disability organisations, providing support to over 1,500 South Australians with an intellectual disability. The organisation currently employs 900 staff and over 300 supported employees.

Minda accommodates over 250 adults on the Brighton site, with another 250 individuals in community based living. The remaining number of individuals are supported through other services, including respite care, day options programs, aged care, employment opportunities and sport, leisure and arts activities.

OUR VISION

To maximise choice and inclusion for people living with an intellectual disability to achieve their aspirations.

OUR MISSION

To create the environment for individuals to pursue opportunities to lead valued and meaningful lives in supportive communities.

OUR VALUES

•    Respect
•    Inclusion
•    Choice

OUR PRINCIPLES

•    Empowering people with intellectual disability to exercise their rights and meet their social responsibility
•    Providing services within a culture of continuous improvement and learning
•    Maximising independence, ensuring informed choice and improving quality of life for  all
•    Individuals while fully meeting the obligations of duty of care
•    Maintaining ethical standards to ensure social responsibility
•    Promoting the interests of people with intellectual disability by working together with individuals, their families, carers, advocates, government and other organisations and the community
•    Minda Incorporated is one of South Australia’s largest not-for-profit disability organisations and for over 110 years has provided the highest quality of  professional care and support to individuals

OUR CARE AND SUPPORT ENABLES INDIVIDUALS TO:
•    Live in their own house or flat
•    Live in a group house in the community
•    Live with support at home with their families
•    Attain a regular job in open employment
•    Work in supported employment
•    Develop new skills and abilities
•    Engage in recreational pursuits of their choice
•    Go on great holidays
•    Take control of their personal lives
•    Develop friendships and relationships

MINDA DISABILITY ENTERPRISES

At Minda, we maximise supported employment opportunities for people with a disability through viable business outlets, providing supported employment to over 300 people.

Supported employment at Minda offers people the opportunity to contribute their skills and abilities as part of the workforce. Employees not only receive a wage, but are also able to learn new skills and build their confidence and self-esteem in a supportive and positive environment.

Minda Disability Enterprises consists of diverse areas including commercial and support services incorporating the following:

•    Envirocare
•    Trak Furniture
•    Craigburn Nursery
•    Minda Packaging Services (MPS)
•    Laundry
•    Catering

MINDA DAY OPTIONS

Minda offers a variety of high quality, engaging Day Options programs for people with intellectual disability. The programs aim to enhance individuals’ social and life skills, develop and build interests, abilities and support community participation.

VOLUNTEERS

Minda’s Volunteer Services is a channel through which members of the community who desire to help can contribute their resources, energy and ideas for the benefit of Minda and the community. Minda’s Volunteer Services is benchmarked against national volunteer standards.

If you are interested in volunteering with Minda, please contact the Volunteer Coordinator on 8422 6244.

CONTACT US

Website: www.mindainc.com.au
Email:     minda@minda.asn.au

Phone:    8422 6200

Address:

King George Ave
PO Box 5
Brighton, SA 5048

We have two very distinct consumer groups:
• Individuals with severe and multiple disabilities. Most of who have severe cerebral palsy. This group make up approximately 70% of the client group,
• The remaining 30% of clients are individuals with an intellectual disability and support needs related to behaviour.

Leveda’s main mode of support is group homes with 2-5 people sharing a home together with staff support and with a smaller component of the service being intensive in-home support and respite support.

How did Leveda Begin?
Leveda was formed as part of the closure of Ru Rua Nursing Home; an institution for almost 100 children and young people with severe and multiple disabilities. Ru Rua was quoted in a Government report as being the shame of SA and housed the most disadvantaged and disabled in our community.

Ru Rua was overcrowded; individuals slept in cots all lined up and if you have ever seen the movie “Annie’s Coming Out” it has startling similarities to Ru Rua. As people moved from Ru Rua to group homes in the north and northeastern suburbs of Adelaide, families became very involved in both the establishment of the services and their overall development. This resulted in a break away from Government and the formation of Leveda. Leveda has more than doubled in size since those early days 17 years ago and now supports 70 individuals.

Over the years some of the people supported by Leveda have become increasingly medically fragile and we have adapted our services to the changing needs of clients. Rebecca’s story is an example of one of the ways that we have changed our services to meet the needs of clients.

By Denice Wharldall (CEO)

Rebecca’s story as told by her mum
Rebecca has very severe disabilities, which have threatened her life, and involved decision making that was difficult and came with risks.

Rebecca is above all a social person who enjoys company and being involved in all that is happening. She loves soap operas and in particular “Home and Away” and “The Bold and the Beautiful” and you can only engage her in conversation during ad breaks when these shows are on!

Rebecca is able to communicate by rolling her eyes up for yes and blinking for no. She likes to look good, have her nails done and dress in the latest fashion. She likes to have young support workers because they know the fashions and the right music to listen to.

She likes discos and enjoys watching the tennis and Australian Rules Football team the Crows. Her father is trying to convince Rebecca to follow Port Power but this has not been successful.

Rebecca attends a day service called the Community Access Service, which she gets great pleasure from as she has the opportunity for a wider circle of friends and activities.

One thing that gives Rebecca greatest pleasure is being an aunty and she has a particular bond with her nephews Jackson and Nathan. When Jackson was a baby he would have an afternoon nap on Rebecca’s lap and we would place the two of them in front of the mirror so Rebecca could see him properly and they would snuggle up together.

Please do not think of Rebecca as someone to be pitied but a strong vibrant person.

Rebecca is the middle of our 3 daughters and acquired her disability aged 2 when her older sister was 5 and her younger sister was 6 weeks old. At the time we were living in Alice Springs and had no network or supports. There were no services in Alice Springs and respite was at the local hospital, which we never used. Another mum and I established a playgroup and we met once a fortnight with about ten mums attending.

At one time we went to Adelaide for 6 weeks for Rebecca to be assessed at the Spastic Centre and she was given a buggy and I was taught how to exercise her and assist her with her meals.

When Rebecca was four we moved to Adelaide for services and Rebecca started to attend Nursery at Spastic Centre one or two days a week.

From the word go Rebecca had trouble swallowing and it was a constant battle to feed her and drinks were a particular problem. I followed all the professional advice to no avail and by the time you finished one meal it was time to start again with the next.

We had some respite at the Nursing Home at Spastic Centres and the Matron, Maureen, was so very kind ringing us to offer us respite and a kind word when she could. I do not know how we would have survived.

Life was tough but it was about to get a lot tougher when I was called into the Spastic Centre’s Doctor’s office and told that basically Rebecca had no potential, would not be able to go school as she could not be educated and that she would be much better off at Ru Rua Nursing Home and he would arrange an assessment. If we did not accept Ru Rua we would be left with no support. I know things have changed but to this day I find it difficult to forgive the Spastic Centre for abandoning Rebecca. Rebecca was assessed at Ru Rua and we were offered a spot and told that if we did not take it another one was unlikely to come. Rebecca left home aged 9 and we thought that she would have better care and attention than we could possibly provide. I was struggling with the meals, the postural drainage and felt like a failure.

Ru Rua was not a good place and visiting was difficult. It was heart wrenching to walk away and leave Rebecca. We visited weekly as a family and I visited midweek. Rebecca’s eating and drinking continued to deteriorate and we avoided visiting at meal times. Staff, told me on the quiet, that Rebecca was vomiting blood. I demanded she be taken to hospital and see a specialist and it was found that Rebecca had a badly ulcerated oesophagus and required urgent surgery and had a gastrostomy. There were some tense times with such invasive surgery but Rebecca pulled through and her health picked up and she put on weight. It is hard to believe now but at that time gastrostomies were rare and everyone was tentative about managing Rebecca’s nutrition.

All of this happened just as Rebecca was about to move out of Ru Rua into a group home with 3 other people. She moved close to our family home and started attending school, she was aged 14. It was wonderful to be able see a lot more of Rebecca and have her part of our family again. Rebecca shared a ward with over 25 people nearly all in cots; to finally have her own room was a joy. Having her own belongings and having a choice to listening to TV or music when she wants to. We must never forget the damage that institutions do to people with disabilities, they drive away their families and dehumanise people.

Life went along and had the usual ups and downs but Rebecca was gradually becoming quiet, lacking energy and needing more rests. In 2003 she deteriorated to a point where she needed to be hospitalised on several occasions as she was having trouble breathing and we had noticed she had a bluish tinge. I remember the difference the oxygen made to Rebecca’s comfort and she kept looking at us as if to indicate that she needed it all the time. The hospital told us it was part of her disability and refused to discharge Rebecca with oxygen. I was beside myself and needed to find a specialist who could give us a clear picture of why this was happening. I was given the name of a specialist that another Leveda client was seeing and a referral was arranged.

Things started to happen then and Rebecca got the much needed oxygen and alarmingly an arterial blood test showed oxygen levels of 49%. Tests showed that due to all her spasms her jawbone had straightened.

We were given 3 options:
• Do nothing and this was likely to result in an emergency tracheotomy with Rebecca continuing to waste away with her body shutting down
• Have major surgery to reconstruct the jaw
• Have a planned tracheotomy, with this option being the advised one by specialist

We had many family meetings. Discussed the pros and cons and talked to Rebecca endlessly. In fact when I asked her if she wanted to stop talking about it she indicated yes. We met another family whose son had a tracheostomy and this was most helpful and assisted Rebecca to understand what was happening as she could see what we had been talking to her about. We took the specialist’s advice and a new journey began.

In hospital I promised Rebecca I would not leave her side and would be there when she went to sleep and when she was in recovery. This was not to be and I was not allowed to be with Rebecca in recovery and I knew Rebecca would be frightened and distressed if she woke and I was not there. I did get summoned into recovery where I found her bed was surrounded by people with panicked looks on their faces. Rebecca was very distressed; she was being bagged as she was having difficulty breathing. I spoke to Rebecca and reminded her to breath slowly through her chest and try and relax as we had discussed as she did this she started to breathe for herself and we all breathed a sigh of relieve.

Rebecca recovered well and returned home. One big down side is that Rebecca developed epilepsy after the surgery, a condition she did not have previously. It was a big learning experience for everyone and there was much fear and anxiety from staff. They were frightened of hurting Rebecca and she was treated with kid gloves and for this to work appropriate systems needed to be in place. Having a Registered experienced nurse to support and train staff is critical. Our District Nurse Joe has been invaluable and very supportive.

What have we learned from this experience?
• Always insist on having access to the best specialist. Rebecca has severe disabilities and needs the best. Time and time again she has been offered nothing. The number of times you hear “it’s her disability you have to accept this”. When we finally had access to the best they presented us with all the options and did not limit them due to her disability. Although there are many good health professionals there still remains considerable prejudice in our health system. My other two children would not have left hospital that day without oxygen and a referral to a specialist.
• I very much regret not standing my ground regarding being there when Rebecca was in recovery. I believe she may well have died without me being called in. There needs to be special provision for special circumstances.
• Having staff with the skills to support Rebecca’s special needs is important and also staff that Rebecca feels comfortable with and can trust. Leveda sometimes struggles to find consistent staff. It is important for families to work collaboratively with service providers it is a partnership.
• When making decisions about such very invasive surgery think about the outcome you want to achieve and if this is going to achieve it. We wanted Rebecca to start enjoying life again and doing the things she enjoyed; it wasn’t about keeping her alive at all costs. Weigh up the advantages and disadvantages and talk to people. We found meeting another person who had a tracheostomy and their family extremely valuable and I thank them for sharing their time and answering our many questions.

We have the old Rebecca back and in fact her general health is better than it has been in years.

By Wendy Cogan

The service provider’s view
Support staff at Leveda also had many concerns about Rebecca’s welfare and like Rebecca’s family felt that the health system was letting Rebecca down. Support Workers are often listened to less than families and easily dismissed. At least Leveda knew the name of a good specialist that other clients see.

Everyone was very nervous about Rebecca having a tracheotomy and concerned that we may not be able to manage, however watching Rebecca deteriorate to the point that she was spending most of her time in bed and not interested in anything was distressing for everyone.

The first thing that needed to happen was that the whole area of tracheotomies needed to be demystified and the fears allayed. This was done by the Registered Nurse who supports Leveda clients and trains staff running many sessions on tracheotomies even for staff that would not be supporting Rebecca directly. For example every Leveda team leader did the training. The training involved what is a tracheotomy, what do they look like and feeling and touching the equipment. This was very valuable. The staff that supported Rebecca and five additional Leveda staff went on to have more intense training.

After Rebecca had a tracheotomy staff visited the hospital daily and were introduced to the new procedure. Rebecca’s mum was a wealth of information as she had not left Rebecca’s side since surgery and had learnt from the health professionals and Wendy remains the expert to this day. It is important to acknowledge the skills of others.

When Rebecca returned home the Registered Nurse spent a great deal of time at the service supporting and training staff and this is critical. Rebecca and staff need support and guidance. Wendy also makes herself available for support and we are all part of a team with Wendy being part of that team. In the beginning staff treated Rebecca with kid gloves and were terrified. Of course over time this has changed and the management is all part of the routine and not perceived as so special. The ongoing availability of a Health Professional for support is crucial for Rebecca’s safety and comfort and for Leveda to maintain their workforce. We do not need nurses to support Rebecca 24 hours a day but the support staff need a skilled and experienced Nurse for advice and guidance.

There have been times when Leveda has struggled to provide a consistent workforce but the reasons for this have not been related to Rebecca’s needs but other organisational issues. Rebecca’s needs have dictated that staff who support her need to have good attention to detail and not cut corners and be very focused and some staff needed to shift locations because they struggled with this. In many instances they were very good staff but there skills were better used elsewhere.

There have been staffing implications for Leveda, Rebecca does not get one to one support whilst at home but always needs someone available instantly. One to one support is provided outside of the home setting. The support time to meet Rebecca’s physical needs has not changed as her chest care now takes significantly less time. If Leveda was unable to provide a skilled staff member to meet Rebecca’s needs we would need to employ a Registered Nurse to fill a shift and this has not occurred so far.

Supporting only one person with a tracheostomy has implications for maintaining a skilled workforce, as you need to have many staff skilled to cover all the contingencies. Having a lot of people that need to work at the service to keep their skills maintained has its down side. We support many people who have nutrition via a gastrostomy so keeping a flexible workforce to meet this need is not an issue.

I have never heard anyone say we should not be doing this or this is not my job, everyone believes that our role is to support individuals to live and be part of the community. When you know how unwell Rebecca was and she did not have the energy to smile to now see her back having fun and participating in life it has been a road worth travelling.

By Denice Wharldall (CEO)

Since its formation in 2003, D4D as it is commonly known, has been widely recognized and accepted as approaching disability advocacy with a modern and fresh approach designed to maximize impact in the media and focus governments, both state and federal, on the extraordinary waiting lists and chronic under funding of the disability sector in South Australia.

In 2005, Disability Minister the Hon. Jay Weatherill described the Dignity for the Disabled campaign as “the best disability advocacy campaign seen in twenty years.”

Dignity for the Disabled has worked hard on a cohesive approach to uniting the disability sector, establishing positive links with established disability organizations and groups to ensure a common approach for maximum impact in raising the profile of the sector. This includes focusing on bridging the traditional philosophical divide between people with disabilities and carer groups that governments have exploited to their advantage and has restricted the political impact of the sector in the past. The old saying that “united we stand and divided we fall” has resulted in massive attendances at Dignity for the Disabled events, including numerous disability forums, marches and meeetings, the 2005 Picnic in the Park, and the 2005 SA disability achievement awards, reflecting the broad acceptance by the disability sector of the need of a united voice.

While a few minority groups within sector have been unable to put their selfish and personal interests aside for the sector common cause, Dignity for the Disabled’s ability to field 14 candidates at the 2006 South Australian state elections, including seven great candidates with disabilities, reflected the philosophy and balanced, cohesive approach that D4D believes is needed for the disability sector to be able to engage the Government, the media and the broader community for the long term benefits of the disability sector.

The SA registered political party “Dignity for the Disabled Inc.” achieved 2.1% of first preference in the ten lower house seats contested, outpolling established parties like the Australian Democrats in five of these ten seats. This was an impressive first election performance.

More importantly, with $126 million of additional disability funding announced by the Government between 2004 and 2006, Dignity for the Disabled had a major impact in lifting community awareness that delivered results.

Dignity for the Disabled is currently working strongly on a number of projects in relation to the 2007 federal, state CSTDA agreement. The media releases the Dignity for the Disabled releases on a regular basis to the over 2000 organizations and people on its database, are estimated to be read by some 20,000 people supporting the disability sector. This includes key federal and state parliamentarians, Disability Ministers and their advisors and other key national disability organizations.

Dignity for the Disabled, as an evolving organization, is determined to see the establishment of a genuine, independent disability council for South Australia. Previous Ministerial advisory councils were unable to comment publicly, beholden to the minister and with the members chosen often for their compliance and agreement with the current government whilst working on projects selected by the minister, have failed to deliver the credibility, public profile and raise public debate that the disabled community in South Australia so desperately needs.
A strong, independent disability council like other public lobby groups including the AMA, the unions, retail and hotel associations, the mining lobby and teacher federations is what the disability sector so desperately needs.

The necessity of the sector to demand and insist on a peak body where members are elected by the disability community and represent all stakeholders in the sector including people with disabilities and carers and not agree to another “Ministerial Advisory Committee” will be a key factor in whether disability issues retain a high public profile and key focus on government agendas or once again become just a talking point amongst people with a disability their families and carers.

Dignity for Disabled would like to thank the thousands of people within and outside the disability sector who have supported D4D over the last four years.

By David Holst (President)

Dignity for Disabled (D4D)  was disbanded in 2007.

Changes over time
• The Disability Services Office was established in 1986 in order to provide a more co-ordinated policy and planning capacity within the state government in response to statutory reform at the federal level (through the introduction of the Disability Services Act 1986).
• The office was initially established within the SA Health Commission. The formation of the Department for Human Services in the mid 90’s provided the opportunity to re-cast the office away from a health framework into a community services framework. The introduction of the first CSTDA in 1991 with its increased reporting and monitoring requirements expanded the scope and responsibility of the office, and this, along with increased probity requirements in relation to the management of funding contracts with agencies, has seen the office grow substantially.
• In 2005 the office was reconfigured as the Client Services Office to recognise a broader role in finding ways to support all clients who need personal support to maintain an independent lifestyle in the community.
• In 2006 the office was renamed the Office for Disability and Client Services (ODACS), reflecting its role in promoting inclusion for all people with disabilities. As part of the disability reforms in 2006 the functions of the office were expanded to include policy and planning for people in Supported Residential Facilities, and service development and planning functions previously undertaken by IDSC. The amalgamation of government services into the one agency Disability SA has again influenced the role of ODACS as the manager of a service level agreement with Disability SA, as well as leading government disability policy across all sectors of disability.

Challenges of becoming the Office for Disability and Client Services
There have been many challenges over the life of what is now the Office for Disability and Client Services. More recently, the expansion of the office’s client group beyond the ‘traditional’ disability agency boundaries to a wider range of people is about attempting the very thing that government agencies find very difficult – that is, working across the ‘silos’, providing joined-up services and stretching resources further. Services for people with a psychiatric disability is an example of an area where we are funding some new, although limited, services. It is great to see that reform in this area has really been given prominence through the work of the Social Inclusion Board, and that government is looking hard at making significant improvements to the community based supports that people with a psychiatric disability need to manage their lives effectively.

ODACS today
ODACS has a number of ‘arms’ to its business. There is the funding and service development arm, which manages contracts with the non-government sector and which comprises roughly half of the government funds directed towards disability services. There is the access and inclusion arm which drives policy development across state government, with the aim of ensuring people with disabilities have access to mainstream government services. The policy arm, combined with information services, exists to generate information, research, and policy work that ultimately supports the Minister give substance to his policy directions and aspirations for disability services.

Right now, one of the major activities ODACS is engaged in is assisting the Minister in securing a more sustainable budget position for disability services through the negotiations for the next Commonwealth State Territory Disability Agreement (CSTDA).

Future directions
Nationally all jurisdictions are struggling with the level of unmet need being experienced, and we all need a more robust evidence base about what is needed and what outcomes are being achieved with our current resources. Improving our data and information processes will be a critical area of focus for South Australia in the next few years.

The reforms to disability services in this state are really about making sure we can do our very best with the resources we have. The coming year will be exciting as we see the reform measures take shape, particularly as Disability SA becomes fully operational. For ODACS, our future is firmly focussed on, amongst other things, achieving the South Australian Strategic Plan objectives in relation to supported accommodation, day options for young people leaving school, and the employment of people with disabilities in the public service. Supported accommodation will remain a major priority for us. There will be a strong focus on increasing supply and options, looking at partnership approaches with non-government agencies and mixed funding models, and continuing the de-institutionalisation processes currently underway.

Perspective of the sector
There is a much greater emphasis on community living and in-home support and we are steadily whittling away at our institutions to give all residents the opportunity to live in a community setting.

The disability sector has always been characterised by strong agencies ready to robustly defend the rights of their clients. The sector is now travelling to a place where there is much greater integration across agencies and services. Certainly the integration of government services into the one agency provides enormous opportunities to develop more coherency and apply resources more effectively.

By Dr David Caudrey

Cara is committed to helping people with severe and multiple disabilities and their families live full and rewarding lives. We support over 500 children and adults, operating across 34 metropolitan and regional sites in South Australia.

Our mission is to provide a range of quality community based accommodation and respite services to children and adults with severe and multiple disabilities and their families.

Services include supported accommodation in community houses, children and adult respite houses, mobile respite, Camps for Kids, in-home attendant care support services, Families for Families, vacation respite for teens and independent living skills training.

Cara’s services are designed to suit the individual needs and abilities of people with a disability. We place a strong emphasis on inclusion; assisting people to identify and develop their interest and to participate and contribute to the wider community.

History

Cara’s origins began with the establishment of the South Australia Paralysis Welfare Association in the 1950’s which provided care for children with a disability. In 1951 our current day site at 98 Woodville Road was purchased and a home was opened on the site providing a day play school and respite families. This was later called the Woodville Spastic Centre.

With proceeds from the Miss Australia Quest which was launched in 1954, the centre was expanded over the years to include a Nursing Home, Kindergarten and Primary School.

However, in the early eighties, greater emphasis on disability rights and community inclusion resulted in the decentralisation of the Woodville Spastic Centre and its services. Over a 10 year period the Woodville Spastic Centre, which was renamed the Spastic Centre of South Australia (SCOSA), moved away from institutionalised care and provided its services on a regionalised basis by supporting people with a disability to live and participate in the community.

During this time SCOSA and the Crippled Children’s Association, now Novita Children’s Services, worked together to eliminate the duplication of services and the Nursing Home was closed down at Woodville.

As a result in the early 1990’s SCOSA established two organisations, the Community Accommodation and Respite Agency (Cara) and Community Access Services (CAS). All therapy and equipment services were transferred to Novita and all accommodation and respite services were transferred to Cara.

In 1993 the SCOSA Foundation was established to fundraise for both Cara and CAS. In 2003 this Foundation was dissolved, however both Cara and CAS continued to market themselves under the name of the SCOSA.

In 2006 Cara’s Board decided to relinquish its ties with the Spastic Centre of South Australia and operate and market under its own name Cara. The following year, the new Cara brand was launched and the organisation entered a new era.

Today, Cara continues to provide quality accommodation and respite services to people with a disability and their families.

Our services

Accommodation

People with a disability have the opportunity to live independently in the community with Cara’s accommodation services.

Our long-term accommodation services are scattered through Adelaide’s suburbs, where people with disabilities can live with dignity, independence and have access to social networks. Trained staff provide various levels of support as required by the individual.

Accommodation options include:

Share homes – up to four people live together in a suburban house, with support from staff as needed.

Cluster sites – a group of units or courtyard homes where people can live with independence, knowing help is always on-call.

Co-tenancy – a great social environment where a person without a disability pays minimal rent to share a house with a person with disabilities, and provide agreed help e.g. shopping, being home certain hours. Cara is the pioneer of this type of accommodation in South Australia.

Respite

Families and individuals who care for people with disabilities appreciate the opportunity to take a regular break from the demands of full-time caring. And people with disabilities, like all of us, deserve the opportunity to make new friendships, learn new skills and experience new environments.

Cara has a range of respite opportunities to suit children and adults, these include:

Child and adult respite houses – overnight accommodation for four adults or children in a suburban house. Most often used on weekends and school holidays.

Intensive home support – for people over 13 years old who require more intensive support in their own homes.

‘Outcomes’ program – flexible support in a family’s own home. An individualised package of care hours that families can use to suit their needs.

Mobile respite – short holidays for over 16 year-olds held in various locations across South Australia.

Camps for Kids – holiday camps for children with a disability.

Families for Families – a host family provides overnight care for a child with a disability in their own home, usually for one weekend a month, or as part of the school holidays.

Vacation Respite for Teens – school holiday program for teens, caters for those families who are unable to access regular or alternative respite services during school holidays.

Cara also has a Skills Enhancement Service which consists of Skills Trainers who can assist people with a disability to learn or maintain a skill that will increase their independence and participation at home or in the community.

Directions for the future

Cara’s vision is to be a place for opportunity. Our mission is to provide a range of quality community based accommodation and respite services to children and adults with severe and multiple disabilities.

With a growing demand for our services we will seek to further engage the support of government and the community to respond to the urgent and unmet need for services for people with disabilities and their families.

In the next three years, we plan to expand our accommodation services, initiate new respite programs for weekends and school holidays, introduce day recreation respite, increase the Camps for Kids program and develop more community
and holiday based respite options for adults.

As a leader in the disability sector, Cara will continue to raise the awareness of the community and advocate for the real inclusion of people with disabilities to ensure that their communities are too, a place for opportunity.

In 2006 the Expo was expanded to include all of South Australia and moved to Allan Scott Park (Morphettville Race Course). Over 4,500 people attended the Expo, making it the largest attendance for a Disability Expo in Australia.

Disability Expo 2007 was held on Friday 28th September and the Post School Options Expo was amalgamated with the Disability Expo to make the day even bigger. Students with a disability, their parents, carers and teachers were able to learn about further education, employment and community participation options that are available after leaving school.

Disability Expo 2007 had over 120 disability organisations and stalls full of information, including:
• Day Options, leisure, art and lifestyle activities
• Further education and employment assistance
• Community recreation, support & social activities
• Free entertainment, workshops, sporting clinics
• Large range of disability products and aids

The Disability Expo is for people of all ages; those with a disability, parents, carers and the general community.It is dedicated to improving the lives of those with disabilities, their families and professionals who work with them.

Here is a cross section of organisations that had stalls at the Expo.

Adelaide Independent Taxis (AIT)
It commenced its operation on the 24 October 1991 with a fleet size of 28 vehicles and since that time has grown to become South Australia’s largest taxi company with a fleet of over 360 taxis.

Calvary Silver Circle
It was established in 1991 and is a leading home support service, providing services for people needing help to live independently at home.

Carers SA
Is a peak association for carers in SA involved in information sharing, lobbying for improved support services and raising community awareness of carer issues.

Epilepsy Centre
It provides up-to-date comprehensive and reliable information on a myriad of medical and lifestyle issues regarding epilepsy.

Families SA
Is the agency of the Department for Families and Communities with responsibilities in a number of key areas including child protection, youth justice, and adoptions. Their primary area of concern is the protection of children – keeping them safe.

Home Health Equipment
The largest supplier of Rehabilitation, Nursing Home and Hospital equipment in South Australia.

Inclusive Directions
Facilitates the access and inclusion of children with a disability / additional needs into child care services.

Independent Living Centre (ILC)
Is funded by the Department for Families and Communities and provides equipment, home modifications and adult therapy services for people with disabilities who are eligible under the Options Coordination Program, as well as information for the general community.

NovitaTech
Assists people with a disability to lead fuller and more satisfying lives, with the help of aids and equipment. NovitaTech is a division of Novita Children’s Services Inc.

Riding for the Disabled Association SA Inc
Provides recreational and therapeutic horse riding programs.

Scooter World
The mobility people who have the experience and expertise to help people make the right choice on their mobility needs.

Skill Teaching and Resources Inc (STAR)
Teaches adults with an intellectual disability, on a one-to-one basis in their own homes, the skills required to live independently in the community.

South Australian Sport and Recreation Association for People with Integration Difficulties Inc (SASRAPID)
Provides assistance and enables participation in community sport, recreation and leisure activities at local, State, national and international levels.

Support 4 Living
An online support program for people with a disability.

UnitingCare Wesley
Formerly the Adelaide Central Mission, it has served South Australia since 1901. It provides comprehensive community support services in the areas of accommodation, aged care, community services and employment.

Workskil Inc
A Job Network agency that has been serving South Australians for 17 years. Workskil prides itself on its commitment to jobseekers and provides a complete range of services to both jobseekers and employers.

The ABS reported that a further 4,149,000 or 21% of the population had a long-term health condition that did not limit their everyday activities. The remaining 11,703,800 or 59% of the Australian population had neither a disability or a long-term health condition.

It was estimated that 1,238,600 people or 6.3% of the Australian population experienced disabilities with a ‘profound or severe core activity limitation’ i.e. they either always, or sometimes need assistance with self-care, mobility or communication. This total was made up of 677,700 people under 65 years of age and 560,900 aged 65 and over.

Main disability groups

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare used the ABS data to create estimates of the main disability groups in Australia, 2003.

• Physical/diverse disabilities was the biggest group with 2,043,400 people under 65 and 1,307,200 people over 65 reporting one or more physical/diverse disabilities. Of these, 512,600 people under 65 and 538,500 people over 65 had a profound or severe core activity limitation.

• It was estimated that 728,300 people under 65 and 768,000 people over 65 had one or more sensory/speech disabilities. Of these, 254,700 people under 65 and 325,100 people over 65 had a profound or severe core activity limitation.

• A psychiatric disability was reported by approximately 722,100 people under 65 and 295,800 people over 65. It was estimated that 277,700 people under 65 and 215,100 people over 65 had a profound or severe core activity limitation.

• An intellectual disability was reported by 436,200 people under 65 and 152,500 people over 65. Of these, 215,100 people under 65 and 135,900 people over 65 had a profound or severe core activity limitation.

• Acquired brain injury was reported by 317,400 people under 65 and 120,900 people over 65. Of these, 99,900 people under 65 and 57,500 people over 65 had a profound or severe core activity limitation.

South Australia

The Australian Association for Families of Children with Disability (AAFCD), using ABS data, estimated that 154,231 or 11.8% of South Australians aged 0–64 had a disability ranging from moderate or mild to profound or severe. They also estimated that 57,877 or 4.4% of South Australians aged 0–64 had a profound or severe disability i.e. one in every 25 people.

Disability among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

In the past it has been difficult to obtain adequate data on disability among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. However, in 2002 the ABS ran a multi-dimensional social survey, the National Aboriginal and Torres Islander Social Survey.

The ABS found that 102,900, or 37% of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people aged 15 years and over had a disability or long-term health condition. It was estimated that 21,800, or 8% of these people had a ‘profound or severe core activity limitation’ i.e. they either always, or sometimes needed assistance with self-care, mobility or communication.

References

Australian Bureau of Statistics. 2004. Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia: Summary of Findings, 2003 [online].
[Accessed 3rd April 2008]. Available from World Wide Web:
http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/4430.0Main+Features12003?OpenDocument

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. 2006. Disability and disability services in Australia: based on an extract of Australia’s Welfare 2005. Canberra, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare

Australian Association for Families of Children with Disability (AAFCD). 2005. Disability counts 2005. National Noticeboard, Edition 17