Inside - Novita Children's Services

4Understanding how children withdisabilities connect with theirworlds has been a focus ofresearch by Novita’s Manager of Researchand Innovation, Dr Pammi Raghavendra.We need to understand how childrencan better participate at home, schooland in the community.We want them to be able to takepart in leisure and recreationalactivities, especially using newtechnologies such as the internet.Pammi’s work has contributed tothat understanding in her 12 years withNovita, but the time has come for herto take on new challenges with heracceptance of a position as a SeniorLecturer with the Department ofDisability Studies at Flinders University.Her passion for augmentative andalternative communications (AAC) ledto a commitment to research thatsupports the participation and qualityof life of children with disabilities.Pammi’s work is highly respected andhas contributed to Novita’s reputationwithin Australia and throughout the world.Novita will continue to be involved inher research. We could also benefitfrom the stronger links with FlindersNovita ResearchResearchinga child’scommunicationwith their worldUniversity that might form with Pammion site.Asked about the highlights of hertime at Novita, Pammi spoke about herinvolvement in projects that had, or willhave, important outcomes for Novitaclients and families including:• The “Hopes and Dreams” project inwhich adults with cerebral palsywere asked about their pastexperiences as Novita clients. Theirrecommendations influenced theNovita strategic plan;• A recent completed project whichinvestigated how children withphysical disabilities, with and withoutcomplex communication needs,participated at school and in socialand recreational activities. Resultsshowed the critical importance ofgood communication abilities forall interactions;• Pammi’s current project ‘ConnectiveSolutions’ (see more in this issue ofNexus) is a world first and willexplore how the internet can helpchildren with disabilities to increasetheir friendships and social groups.“What motivated me to work at Novitawas its unique support of appliedresearch that reflects the issues andconcerns of clients, families andtherapy staff,” Pammi told Nexus.Before coming to Novita, Pammi hada long and varied career as a speechpathologist and researcher in India,Singapore, USA and Sweden.Time tocall yourmumNext time you go to call yourMum, think about those whocan’t, but wish they could.For some people, living with adisability just picking up the phone tocall home is impossible.That’s all about to change. Novitastaff in the Research and InnovationDivision have launched a website forpeople with complex communicationneeds and their supporters that willguide them to sources of help inusing the telephone.Known as the Newell Network(www.newell.org.au) this innovativewebsite is a one-stop shop that sharesinformation with people who havelimited or no speech and their supportersby helping them find solutions tocommunicating on the phone.It’s especially useful for those whofind it hard to speak or who find it hardto understand what others are sayingand those who talk with gestures,signs, pictures, words or spelling.They may even be using a speechgenerating device or computer.The website is easy to access andyou can contribute ideas, solutionsand comments.People can interact with others whohave communication needs and their5supporters. They can share informationabout tools and services that makeusing the phone easier and they canask questions or seek information onwhat is available to help them use thephone successfully.Rob Garrett and Toan Nguyen, ofNovita’s Research and InnovationOne stopshop for sharinginformationDivision have been funded by theAustralian Communication ConsumerAction Network (ACCAN) with supportfrom the Australian CommunicationExchange (ACE), Telstra and Novita,to develop the website.If you would like more information,or if you have complex communicationneeds or you are a supporter of such aperson and would like to share yourexperiences, contact Rob Garrett byemailing rob.garrett@novita.org.au orgo to www.newell.org.auMore money for children in needEligible children will be ableto access up $12,000 ingovernment funding andrebates from July.Extra money is to becomeavailable for eligible childrendiagnosed with Cerebral Palsy,a moderate or greater sight orhearing impairment, DownSyndrome, or Fragile X Syndrome.From 1 July 2011, they will haveaccess to funding and Medicarerebates under the AustralianGovernment’s Better Start forChildren with Disability initiative.Novita Children’s Serviceswelcomes this initiative, which willprovide needed support to manyof its clients. Highlights include:• Funding for additional earlyintervention services andtreatments for eligible childrenunder the age of six• Medicare items for thedevelopment of a treatment andmanagement plan for eligiblechildren under the age of 13• Medicare items for up to four alliedhealth diagnostic services and for20 relevant allied health services(in total) for eligible children up tothe age of 15 (provided thetreatment and management planis in place before the age of 13).Families living in outer regional orremote areas may also be eligible fora $2000 one-off support payment.The payment recognises thedifficulties that families living inremote and outer regional areas facein accessing services and will helpwith expenses such as travel andhome visits.From 1 July 2011, parents andcarers will be able to contact theirlocal Carers Association to registertheir child for the initiative via freecall1800 242 636. Further information onthe program will be available at www.carersaustralia.com.auChildren aged under six on 1 July2011 and who have been diagnosedwith Cerebral Palsy, moderate orgreater sight or hearing impairment,Down Syndrome, or Fragile XSyndrome can be registered toaccess early intervention funding ofup to $12,000 (to a maximum of$6000 per financial year). The fundingcan be used to pay for services suchas: occupational therapy,physiotherapy, speech pathology,psychology and audiology.As part of the Better Start initiative, apanel of allied health service providerswill be established. Parents and carersof eligible children will be able to seekthe early intervention services fromservice providers on the panel. Novitahas applied to be on this panel andhopes to offer additional servicesthrough Better Start.Families will have until their childturns seven to use the earlyintervention funding. This targetedearly intervention in the pre-schoolyears is intended to complementexisting Commonwealth and Stateand Territory services and help thesechildren to have the best possiblepreparation for transition to school.If you would like to speak to aNovita representative about thisexciting initiative please contactNovita’s Central Intake Team on1800 337 443.Further information is available viahttp://www.fahcsia.gov.au/about/news/2011/Pages/better_start_310012011.aspx