AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT'S IDEA OF SUPPORTING FAMILIES WITH AUTISM..... BETTER START..... HARDLY - BETTER THEY TRY AGAIN!

AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT'S IDEA 

OF SUPPORTING FAMILIES WITH AUTISM.....

BETTER START..... HARDLY - BETTER THEY TRY AGAIN!

To be eligible for Better Start, children must be under six and have a confirmed diagnosis of Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, Fragile X syndrome and moderate or greater vision or hearing impairments, including deafblindness.


Although your son is not eligible for the early intervention funding because of his age, you may be interested in the following support payments and services (you may be aware of some of them already):


Under the HCWA/Better Start Packages, children with ASD or Cerebral Palsy (including those over the age of six) may also be eligible for Medicare items.  A Medicare item for the development of a treatment and management plan is available for children under the age of 13.  Medicare items are also available for up to four allied health diagnostic services and 20 allied health services (in total) for every eligible child.
Specifically, Medicare items are available for:
• paediatricians and psychiatrists to diagnose and develop a treatment and management plan for a child aged under 13 years on referral from a general practitioner;
• audiologists, occupational therapists, optometrists, orthoptists, physiotherapists, psychologists and speech pathologists to provide up to four services in total per child per lifetime, to collaborate with the paediatrician or psychiatrist on the diagnosis, where required.  These services must be provided before the child’s 13th birthday; and
• audiologists, occupational therapists, optometrists, orthoptists, physiotherapists, psychologists and speech pathologists to provide up to 20 early intervention treatment services in total per child per lifetime following a diagnosis of autism/PDD for the child, and consistent with the treatment and management plan prepared by the referring practitioner.  These services must be provided before the child’s 15th birthday, provided an autism/PDD treatment and management plan was in place before the child’s 13th birthday.
For information about the Medicare items refer to the Department of Health and Ageing website at www.mbsonline.gov.au  and www.health.gov.au/mbsprimarycareitems 


NOTE:  This information isn't exactly correct. Psychologist who provide Cognitive Behaviour Therapy are only allowed to offer families (too bad if you have more than 1 ASD child)  6 services per calendar year that you can claim. Also there is the issue od yes... you can claim these Physio.... however it is extremely difficult to find a Paediatric Physiotherapist who specialises in Autism. Those that are, unfortunately are not covered by Medicare Rebates.  Of course then you are also subjected to waiting lists and the limitation of 1x 30 min session per week.  ASD kids need at least exposure to, or therapy, EVERY DAY. Their Autism doesn't occur on specific days of the week. It's for a LIFE TIME !


Chronic Disease Medicare Items
Your son may be eligible for Medicare schemes, such as the Chronic Disease Management items, which include access to a range of allied health services. For further information about Medicare entitlements you should talk to your son’s medical practitioner.
NOTE: Again some important information has been omitted.  5 claimable sessions PER CALENDAR YEAR. If parents use this for Occupational Therapy.... they cannot use it for Physiotherapy or Psychologists and Speech Pathologists. 


Positive Partnerships
The Government is further supporting students with ASD through the HCWA package (under 6 years of age.). Specifically, the Department of Education, Employment, and Workplace Relations is delivering two initiatives under the package which aim to foster positive partnerships between schools and families to improve the educational outcomes of children with an ASD.


The initiatives, which have been named Positive Partnerships: supporting students on the autism spectrum, provide:


• professional development for teachers, school leaders and other school staff to build their understanding, skills and expertise in working with children with an ASD; and


• workshops and information sessions for parents and carers to assist them to work with their child’s teachers, school leaders and other staff.


For details on the teacher, parent and carer workshops (including dates and locations), as well as other online resources, please visit the Positive Partnerships website at www.autismtraining.com.au.
NOTE:  Yes this is very valid and extremely important.... but it is the same old information regurgitated. This is WHAT YOU NEED TO DO AS PARENTS...wearing them down. There is NO MENTION of ...THIS IS WHAT WE CAN DO TO HELP YOU.


Carer Allowance and Carer Payment
You may be eligible for Commonwealth financial assistance through Carer Payment and Carer Allowance, both of which are available to carers of people with disability or severe medical conditions. Carer Payment is an income and assets-tested income support payment paid at the same rate as other social security pensions to people who, because of the demands of their caring role, are unable to support themselves through substantial paid employment. Carer Allowance is a non-income and assets-tested income supplement available to people who provide daily care and attention in a private home.

NOTE: CARER ALLOWANCE is $114.00 per fortnight.  CARER PAYMENT: similar to Sole Parenting Pension around $500-$600 per fortnight. The Aged Pension in Australia is around $700 per fortnight.  These are basic pay rates. Not enough to live on alone and provide your family with therapy. If you try to work or work part time, you risk loosing your pension.  The NEWSTART allowance looking for work rate is : $529.80 per fortnight.
Further information on these payments is available from Centrelink by calling 13 27 17 or via their website at www.centrelink.gov.au. Further information about support services is also available from Carers Australia on 1800 242 636 or via their website at www.carersaustralia.com.au


MyTime Peer Support Groups
Another service which you may be able to access is the MyTime Peer Support Groups for Parents of Young Children with Disability Program. This program provides peer support groups for parents and carers of children with disability or a chronic medical condition. MyTime Peer Support Groups recognise the importance of focusing on carer needs and giving parents the chance to socialise and share ideas with others who understand the rewards and challenges of the caring role. The groups also provide an opportunity for parents to find out about available community support services and research-based parenting information.


NOTE: Again this is just information.... you still have to source the therapy, go on waiting lists and then PAY for the therapy.


MyTime Peer Support Groups are provided in the community by local organisations. The program is coordinated nationally by the Parenting Research Centre. For more information please visit the MyTime Peer Support Group website www.mytime.net.au or phone 1800 889 997.


Raising Children Network Website
The Raising Children Network (RCN) is an Australian Government funded website providing information, online resources and interactive functions to support parents, families, carers and professionals. The Children with a Disability section of the RCN can be found at http://raisingchildren.net.au/children_with_disabilities/raising_children_with_disabilities.html


NOTE: Just a website that offers you information on how to contract the extremely overpriced, unaffordable, unavailable therapy sources.


State and Territory Services
Please note that Better Start is not intended to replace or reduce disability support services that are provided in each jurisdiction. State and Territory governments are the main providers of specialist disability services, including early intervention services for children with disability. We would encourage you to continue to liaise with Disability and Community Care Services (Queensland Government) on 1800 177 120 about the types of assistance to which your son and your family may be entitled.
I hope this information has been helpful.
Better Start team


Well no.... None of this information has been helpful.... I already knew all of this. Here is a copy of the email I sent to them.....

Good afternoon,

I have an 8 yr old son who is autistic. He received the tail end of the HCWA package funding due to his age.

He now….even though has been deemed eligible from Disability Qld, receives absolutely no help towards therapy or resources.

I have in the past resourced almost all his therapy, early intervention and therapy resources through my Superannuation, as I am on a Carers Disability Pension and I am also a sole parent.  However this is now not an option for me.

I am facing a future of operations for my son due to his toe walking and calcified calf muscles, his is also non verbal. We are currently on the waiting list through the Cerebral Palsy Clinic at the Royal Children’s Hospital as well as recently discovering

that he was eligible for Physiotherapy and Occupational, dated 7 months ago through Disability Qld. However he still has not received any therapy and we were not even told he had been approved, until last Friday when I called to complain.

I have in the past 5 years provided my son with round trampolines, therapy mats and hanging equipment, setting up my garage as a refuge for him to help alleviate some of his Sensory and Autistic Traits. However now that he is older and much bigger

He cannot use any of this equipment. I need to purchase him a swing set and monkey bar attachment from Peppercorn house,

As well as another trampoline: Springfree for safety issues. Do you possible know of any avenues I could try and access funding or Grants to do this?   I need to keep his legs and muscles pliable as he is in pain if I don’t!  It makes me rather bitter to think of

the difference those 7mths of therapy could have made towards his condition.

Do you think they answered any of my questions or provided me with any assistance? 
Even though none of this has helped me..... it may help anyone else who struggles rasing an Autistic child in Australia.  It makes me rather frustrated that our Prime Minster can go on National T.V and "toot her horn" about all the fantastic things her Government is doing for Autism.  I my opinion.... THIS IS NO CLAIM TO ADULATION.... IN FACT IT IS ABSOLUTELY DISGRACEFUL. THEY SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THEMSELVES. The centre that she visited today would be operating mostly on private fundraising much like that of AEIOU... because the GOVERNMENT cannot even support these centres.


Raeblogs.