The Commissioner has been created to work with people with a disability and disability service providers to resolve complaints.
Australian Web Sites
Association of Children with a Disability. A statewide parent support organisation providing information, support and advocacy to all parents and carers who have a child with a disability. ‘Through The Maze’ – the essential guide to benefits & services for families of children with a disability – can be downloaded from this site.
Autism Victoria Aim to improve the quality of life for people affected by Autism Spectrum Disorders and provide a range of services to individuals and agencies with an interest in ASD.
Autism Info Australia Provides clear information for parents on what ASD means and outlines some of the services and treatments available today in Australia. We also work towards promoting services on a local, state and national level including support groups, state bodies, local projects and more.
Autism Spectrum Australia Builds partnerships with people with Autism Spectrum Disorders, their families and the community to provide information, services, learning and research.
Early Childhood Australia Advocates to ensure quality, social justice and equity in all issues relating to the education and care of children from birth to eight years.
Raising Children Network – Children with a Disability A new online resource for the parents of children with a disability. This new section on children with a disability provides information on Family Life, Services & supports, Play health & fitness, Working with professionals and Disability rights and the law. It also explores topics such as your feelings. Others’ reactions and working with disability professionals. There is a handy A-Z Disability Reference containing a brief explanation of disability terms as well as definitions of the disability professionals you may encounter.
Medical Resources
The Centre for Developmental Disability Heath Victoria This site is a joint initiative between the Departments of General Practice at Monash University and the University of Melbourne. It aims to improve the quality of health care available to people with developmental disabilities throughout Victoria and to promote awareness of health care issues of adults with developmental disabilities amongst medical and other students, medical and other professionals and service providers throughout Victoria. The CDDHV is comprised of three main areas: Clinical services< Educational programs and training resources, and Research initiatives.
Other Resources for Parents
ABA Materials – Early Learning Resources. They are a small company that produce CD-ROMs with colour images that parents print as flash cards to reach children with Down syndrome, learning disabilities and developmental delays. This product is now used by parents and special schools across the USA, UK, Europe and Australia and has proven to be enormously useful to parents in need of resources. Among others, it is used by the Autism Partnership in their USA, Canada and Australia centres.
Companion Card The Victorian Government has supported the Companion Card Scheme where a person needing a carer to attend a venue or outing pays for a ticket while the companion enters at no charge. More and more venues are joining the scheme and the card can also be used on many forms of public transport.
Family Fun & Special Needs Resources This site aims to foster an online special needs community where families & people with disabilities share stories, questions, concerns and ideas. All free. IDEAS – Equipment Access Services IDEAS – Information on Disability Equipment Access Services – is a non-profit organisation managed by a committee of people with a disability and their supporters. It provides contact & support to resolve information queries, referral and other services where appropriate, Contact them for info about: accessible holidays, daily living aids, leisure and sports programs, transport, communication aids, etc.
Interchange North West Interchange provides a variety of respite & support programs for families who have a child with a disability.
Interchange Victoria There are 16 Interchange programs based in 26 Victorian metropolitan & rural locations. They provide a variety of respite & support programs for families who have a child with a disability.
Online Parent to Parent Book You can download the whole book or one chapter at a time. Well set out, comprehensive and easy to read.
SIBLINGS Australia Inc. Services for siblings of children with special needs. Kate Strohm, author of ‘Siblings’, was instrumental in the foundation of this site. Siblings Australia has created 4 new discussion groups – three for siblings of different ages (children, teens & adults) and one for professionals who provide family and sibling support. SibChat and SibServices can all be accessed via the main website.
Your Shout – for Adolescents This is a web site made by and for adolescents who have a brother or sister with a disability or chronic illness as part of the Siblings Project at the Association for Children with a Disability, Siblings are encouraged to write about their own unique experience in a range of formats. Including reviewing media and services that are related to them, the web site also provides links and pathways to information and support for both recreation and issues related to disability in the family.
KidsMatter KidsMatter is the first national mental health promotion, prevention and early intervention initiative specifically developed for primary schools. Currently being trialled in 101 schools across Australia, KidsMatter involves the people who have a significant influence on children’s lives – parents, families, care-givers, teachers and community groups – in making a positive difference for children’s mental health during this important developmental period.
Early Childhood Connections Every two minutes a baby is born in Australia. What happens – or doesn’t happen – to this child in their earliest years of life will affect not only their immediate health and wellbeing but will also lay the foundations for their future. The Centre for Community Child Health (CCCH) has been at the forefront of Australian research into early childhood development and behaviour for over two decades.
CCCH conducts research into the many conditions and common problems faced by children, such as obesity, language and literacy delay, and behavioural concerns, that are either preventable or can be improved if recognised and managed early.
A particular focus of CCCH’s work is supporting and strengthening community-based professionals and organisations in their work with families to bring about the best outcomes for children.
EPIC Journey DVD
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