Alternative Family Care respite

OzChild's respite programs provide families with children with a disability an opportunity to have a break when caring for a child with a disability becomes stressful. Our program is designed to meet the needs of both the child and the child's family.

Children aged 6 - 18 years are matched with a volunteer who offers social and recreational opportunities that meet the child and their carer's needs. The emphasis of the program is a friendship between the volunteer, the child and child's family.

Carers and volunteers are essential for providing OzChild's Disability Services.

Carers are also needed to provide care in their home for children with a disability through OzChild's Family Options program and Interim Placement Program.

For more information about Alternative Family Care, or the rewards of becoming a special carer or volunteer, please contact Disability Services at our Mornington office.

Young Adults Flexible Respite program

This program aims to help young people aged 16 and over make lasting friendships, have fun with a great bunch of people, get involved in the community, develop independence skills and celebrate different experiences.

Activities are planned by participants and supported by OzChild staff.

Outings may include going out for lunch or dinner, listening to a band, singing up a storm at karaoke, cheering on a football team, heading to a movie, staying in and working on some craft projects, or other activities members of the group would like to do.

Family Options program

This program provides long term, full time, permanent alternative family care for children with a severe disability who can no longer remain with their families.  The child's birth family is encouraged to maintain an ongoing role in the child's life.  Find out more .....

Contact OzChild Disability Services at our Mornington Office to find out about becoming a carer with our Family Options or other Disability Programs.

Interim Placement program

This program provides care for children with disabilities whilst long term care options are being assessed.  Interim Placement Program carers provide emergency or short term care for children with high support needs for up to six months while the children's birth family are unable to care for them.  Full training, ongoing support and generous carer reimbursements are provided for these carers.

Recreation program

This program is for 6-18 year old boys and girls living in the Southern Region of Melbourne (Casey, Cardinia, Dandenong, Frankston, Mornington Peninsula).

Group activities such as swimming, visits to animal farms, the zoo, or local attractions, are arranged, generally on a weekend day.  Children taking part in the program are supported by staff and volunteers.  Volunteeers are always needed.  Please contact Disability Services.

Joining In program

This community program is open to children aged 10 - 18 years.  A young person is matched with a volunteer to assist with integration into a local community group for a limited period of time (approximately 12 weeks).

The aim is to integrate a  young person into a group so that additional support is no longer needed and the community group is able to support the young person independently.  It suits young people who require emotional support or minimal physical support.  Groups could include, the scouting movement, swimming, karate etc.

Once a family identifies a group their young person would like to join, OzChild provides the necessary support.  OzChild provides ongoing support to the community group and volunteers matched.  Places are limited and volunteers are always needed.  Please contact us.

Family Friends in-home support

Through volunteers we provide support to familes in their own home. In-home support helps people living with a disability to maintain their independence by enabling them to live in their own home.  Support is tailored to an individual's needs and goals, and targets areas that will maximise opportunity, independence, growth and personal outcomes.

The support they give may be, for example, playing with the child, or assisting with homework.  Volunteers are supervised by the family and help the family on a weekly or a fortnightly visit of one to two hours.

Services available include:

• Domestic support - supporting people with disabilities to develop and practise the skills they need to actively participate in maintaining an independent lifestyle at home.
• Personal care - depending upon individual circumstances, support will be provided to meet identified personal needs and goals.
• Community network support - supporting people to live in their local community and to develop their personal networks and friendships.

In-home support is offered on a fee for service basis. In some cases support services can be provided through Individual Support Package funding. To find out more about this support service, please contact Disability Services.

Without volunteers and carers these programs cannot run.  Please contact us to find out more about our programs and volunteering.