Western Australia is open, what next?
For all our families in WA,
Well, it’s time…
Up till this point, we have remained quite sheltered from the global pandemic - but now it has infiltrated our community and our borders have officially opened to the world. And while so many of our community will be celebrating, it is important to remember that there are thousands of families who will be deeply worried. I know that many of you have genuine concerns about what to do to best protect your family, your child(ren) and particularly your child with different abilities. I understand that this has weighed heavy on my mind and heart over the last few months particularly. It certainly has for me. Like everything else, the decision is completely your own and only you can decide what is in the best interest of your family. I wanted to share some practical insights and important updates from the NDIS about the coming times.
Firstly, here are 4 practical options that might help inform this decision, or put your mind at ease:
Regarding the vaccine: call the immunisation clinic at Perth Children’s Hospital (08 6456 3721) to ask any questions you might have about the current vaccines on the market and which ones might be best for your child. We’re lucky enough to have 4 unique vaccinations to choose from in WA and they all have a plethora of safety data behind them. But it is important you get this information from the specialists.
Ask your child’s paediatrician, GP, clinical nurse, relevant specialists, and medical professionals for their educated advice on what to do about: the vaccine and other risk-mitigation methods, isolation options, or processes to put into effect - if any are required for your child(ren). They can help you put a plan into place.
Look after yourself, your wellbeing, and your mental health: This is a strange time to be alive, and it is OK to not feel OK. Talk to your GP if you feel like you need some support to lift the weight you’re carrying. If you need additional help easing the burden of navigating the NDIS, we’re always a phone call (or email) away.
Set clear boundaries with your support networks (both formal and informal): it can be intimidating to do this, especially when it’s with family and friends. But it’s important that, for example, if you don’t feel comfortable with people coming into your house without a mask (or just in general), you are well within your right to stop people at the door. This goes for any boundary you feel is appropriate to keep your child safe. You are, and always will be, your child(ren)’s greatest, and most powerful, advocate.
Additionally, the NDIS has made a few very practical changes in preparation for this massive shift in our everyday lives, some of which might be very relevant to your family circumstances. These changes will affect:
on remote meal-prep options
assistive technology (AT) concessions
vaccination support
staffing cost increases.
A new price guide came out this week, with some wonderful news. For all those NDIS participants who usually have a support worker to help them with grocery shopping/meal preparation, you can now use your NDIS funding to pay for ready-made meals/delivery options in certain circumstances.
Here's the link to information about the changes: https://www.ndis.gov.au/providers/pricing-arrangements/pricing-update. You can also find the NDIS guidelines about nutrition support and meal preparation under the same link.
Here is a link to the changes that are making AT more accessible, less cumbersome to get across the line and providing therapists with more options to request much needed AT: https://www.ndis.gov.au/providers/housing-and-living-supports-and-services/providing-assistive-technology?
In the COVID Addendum, effective 1 March 2022, there is a list of temporary measures introduced in direct response to the coronavirus pandemic, to assist families during this unprecedented time - a link can be found here: https://www.ndis.gov.au/providers/pricing-arrangements#addendum
And here's the link to the new NDIS price guide: https://www.ndis.gov.au/providers/pricing-arrangements
Be safe, much love xx
