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

31The young people themselves, who are ourclients, also receive invitations to participatein various information forums and trainingsessions. Feedback from teenage clientswho recently attended two independentliving/social skills courses has been verypositive and planning is underway toarrange similar groups in the future.Children with fragile, complex healthand tracheostomies$300,000 was allocated to Family SupportServices to assist three high-dependencychildren all with fragile, complex health to bedischarged from hospital to the community.This project was informed by the outcomesof an inter-agency health support projectthat included Novita, the CommunityAccommodation and Respite Agency(CARA), the Office for Disability and ClientServices (ODACS), and the Children’s Youthand Women’s Health Service (CYWHS).These three clients have now commencedtheir transition from living in hospital to livingin the community with their families.Over recent years ODACS has conducteddiscussions with Family Support Servicesstaff regarding the needs of children whohave tracheostomies but no other physicaldisabilities. It is recognised that this is avery small group of children, however theirsupport needs can be high, with supportbeing difficult to access.ODACS, which provides Novita with fundingfor children with disabilities and sets policyon the scope of clients who are eligible toaccess this funding, has now determinedthat these children will be included in thefuture target group for Disability Services.Novita Children’s Services is acknowledgedas the agency most experienced to workwith these families and, with the Children’sYouth and Women’s Health Service, isnow developing service options for thesechildren and their families that did not existpreviously.Children with Acquired Brain Injury(ABI)Family Support Services convened thefirst national paediatric ABI conferenceentitled New Beginnings: Growing up withan Acquired Brain Injury at Regency ParkCentre on 13 - 14 September 2005. TheConference featured overseas, interstateand local presenters and was attendedby more than 150 people. It was a greatopportunity for Novita Children’s Servicesto demonstrate its willingness to embraceservice provision for this group of children.Feedback from the conference suggeststhat we met all of our key objectivesincluding:• raising public awareness of acquiredbrain injury (ABI) in children• raising the profile of Novita Children’sServices and awareness of the servicesprovided by the organisation.The conference made an immediate impactfor one child with ABI, who now receivesSchool Support Officer hours at school afterhis teacher attended the conference and^Parent Support ProjectFront row:Ivan Lawton (DirectorFSS), Jewels Smith (ParentRepresentative) Pam Donnelly(Regional Manager NWRO)Back row:Greg Daw (ParentRepresentative), Tim Connell(Manager PsychologyServices), ElizabethBald (Project Officer),Donna Crowden (ParentRepresentative), Sue Gibson(Senior Physiotherapist),Tracey Kneebone (ParentRepresentative).