Family Service Coordinators
Family support at Novita Children's Services is provided by Family Service Coordinators. They are committed to ensuring that the wider needs of families and clients are met, and all services are shaped by their commitment to family-centred practice, with the recognition that families are central to the wellbeing of their children. The family support services provided by Novita Family Service Coordinators play a vital part in ensuring that the wider needs of families are met. Family service coordinators have completed tertiary studies in the area of human services, primarily social work and/or disability studies.
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Family Service Coordinators provide many services, which may include:
- informing families and/or clients of local community services
- assisting families and/or clients in determining their most important needs
- seeking out and coordinating support services to meet these needs
- assisting families and/or clients to choose the supports that best suit themselves and their child
- assisting by organising the important people who are well known to the child or young person
- helping the child or young person with a disability to become more involved in their local community
- purchasing services when the families and/or client’s needs cannot be met by the community
- providing the family and/or client general support if and when it is needed
- supporting the family through a crisis
- contacting and liasing with other professionals to best meet the needs of the family and/or client.
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Below is an example of how a family service coordinator can assist families.
Sarah is an 18 month old with cerebral palsy. She lives at home with her parents and baby sister. Sarah’s mum, Karen has reported that she is finding it difficult to manage all of Sarah’s care needs and take care of her baby. Karen has also reported feeling isolated and does not know any other parents of children with special needs.
Sarah’s Family Service Coordinator can assist by discussing options for respite to provide Karen with a break from Sarah’s care needs and provide her with some time to herself (Options include: child care – centre-based and Family Day Care, in-home respite, occasional or emergency respite).
The Family Service Coordinator also provides information about the options available and assists Karen to make a choice about care for Sarah. She decides to look into using her local childcare centre as this will provide Sarah with social interaction and stimulation as well as giving Karen a break. The Family Service Coordinator can:
- visit the centre with Karen
- arrange referral to Inclusive Directions for support to the centre
- advocate for Sarah’s needs
- coordinate the Novita team to provide the centre with necessary training and support for Sarah’s needs.
The Family Service Coordinator also provided Karen with information about the Commonwealth Carer Respite Centre for emergency or one-off respite to enable her to spend time with her husband and information about carer support groups in her area. The Family Service Coordinator also encouraged Karen to bring Sarah and her sister to the Novita playgroup to meet with other parents in similar situations.
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