Novita Annual Report 2006 (PDF - Large file - 2Mb)

29For the third successive year, children withacquired brain injury (ABI) made up thegreatest proportion of new referrals, with29 ABI children referred compared with 27children with cerebral palsy.There appears to be a changing trend inthe age of new referrals to Family SupportServices, with the older (13-18) age groupincreasing from around a steady 25% ofreferrals from 1995-2002 to about 40% forthe past three years. The ABI clients partiallyaccount for this change in demographic.Referrals for rural clients have continued ata steady rate over the 10 years that Novita’sFamily Support Services have been inoperation, with each of the four countryregions providing about five or six newreferrals each year.Service DeliveryThis year has seen an increase in thetotal number of clients assisted by FamilySupport Services from 736 to 920, with319 clients accessing assistance from thecontinence aid scheme for children. Whilethere is limited funding for this scheme atthe present time, Family Support Servicescontinues to work with the South AustralianGovernment Office for Disability andClient Services to grow the permanentrecurrent funding available for this highlyvalued service. While the total numberof clients assisted by Family SupportServices continues to increase, the costof service delivery is also increasing at arate greater than indexed funding streams.Therefore, Family Support Services hashad to prioritise the needs of existingclients, resulting in a growing number beingreferred to ‘cost-free’ community-basedservices in favour of purchased services.Ongoing case management has beenprovided to most clients as well as groupactivities for parents, siblings (sometimeswith Novita Psychology staff) and childrenwith tracheostomies.Information forums for parents, clients andthe community have been held across thestate. Skills development programs forteenagers, and a training course for supportworkers have also been conducted.Disability Sector ReformIn May 2006, the Government of SouthAustralia announced significant reformsto the South Australian Departmentfor Families and Communities. A keycomponent of the reforms involved theformation of Disability Services SA bythe dissolution of three Governmentincorporated agencies – the IntellectualKey funded services 2000 - 2006550450350250150RespitePersonal careHost familyHousekeepingContinence aidsTotal clients funded50000/01 01/02 02/03 03/04 04/05 05/06