Families Supporting Families Inc

News & The Family Voice

Our 2007 focus 'Operation Adaption' is launched

This 40 page guide has been compiled by parents of children with additional needs to share information on adaption across all areas of equipment, lifestyle, health and technology. FSF asked members for their ideas on adapting everyday items to make them more accessible. Any idea, big or small, has been gladly accepted and lovingly produced here in our booklet.

Families Supporting Families began with parents bumping into each other in doctor's surgeries and early intervention centres - where all parents who have a child with disability congregate. We decided to band together to help one another find information and share experiences. This wealth of knowledge and understanding was the foundation for 'Operation Adaption' … we hope you will find some snippet of information you can use or perhaps you can share the information with another family that may be going through a similar situation.

The Operation Adaption Guide (doc 2MB) has been produced without copyright as a gift from FSF to all families with children with special needs, their service providers and schools to use. Please make sure to credit Families Supporting Families when you use it as this will help us develop the guide further in the future.

The Family Voice newsletter

Each member receives a bi-monthly addition of this great local publication. We love to publish your stories and articles so feel free to email your news and stories to mick.kay@bigpond.com.

Here is a copy of our recent newsletter in a choice of MS Word or PDF format.

We also have very reasonable advertising rates either by donation of money or stamps, so The Family Voice is a great way for other service providers and equipment companies to get their information directly to a large number of families with children with special needs in the Hunter area. Email mick.kay@bigpond.com to find out how to get your message out there.

If you would like to re-print or use any of the information in The Family Voice please email the editor at mick.kay@bigpond.com. We take copyright and reproduction infringement seriously and we are happy to share information once correct applications have been made.

FSF Hospital Support Program 'Mates' launching 2007 at The John Hunter Hospital

The FSF Hospital Support Program's primary objective is to ease the stress and anxiety for children with disabilities, and their immediate family, during both routine and emergency hospital admissions. Children with physical and intellectual problems endure multiple surgeries, therapies, invasive tests and interventions through their growing and formative years. Usually these episodes are planned, sometimes becoming routine so parents and carers can be reasonably organised. One parent is generally required to be with the child during the admission. The Program provides a volunteer to sit with a child while Mum or Dad has a shower, grabs a cuppa (hot drinks are not permitted in children's wards) or phones home to check on the rest of the family.

Often our kids are admitted under emergency circumstances. Once stabilised and transferred to the hospital ward you realise you are standing in the same clothes you went to work in the day before, except you've added fluffy slippers and you forgot your handbag in the rush to get in the ambulance. The Program volunteers can bring in a change of clothes if needed and they will also provide the "Survival Kit". The Survival Kit contains emergency toiletries, a phone card, a newsagency voucher, pen, paper and information on services available in the hospital, like the Ronald MacDonald family room that has tea and coffee making facilities not to mention great hot showers!

In many cases of single parent families and rural families, the Hospital Support Program aims to reduce some of the added strain by connecting families to established services that can ease the burden.

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