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 The Right Start

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Aristocat
kspeer78
Aden's mummy
Kris
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Kris
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Kris


Number of posts : 82
Age : 42
Location : Sydney
Registration date : 2010-08-05

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PostSubject: The Right Start   The Right Start Icon_minitimeThu 5 Aug 2010 - 20:13

Hiya peeps The Right Start Icon_biggrin
If you aren't on facebook or haven't already seen, here is the link to the charity a few of us local mums started. ----> The Right Start

Our major goal is to open Australia's very first Down syndrome specific center (like they have in the UK, USA, Ireland and just about everywhere else!)
We're always doing stuff to raise money to go toward this goal. We run a support group/playgroup/morning tea once a month. We're always out and about in the community raising awareness, breaking down those barriers, & smashing those stereotypes! If you haven't already joined out facebook page, please do so.

Cheers,
Kris.
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Aden's mummy
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Aden's mummy


Number of posts : 1941
Age : 52
Location : Middlemount
Registration date : 2008-01-25

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PostSubject: Re: The Right Start   The Right Start Icon_minitimeFri 6 Aug 2010 - 7:27

loke great your doing a wonderful job!
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http://4ever-blessed.blogspot.com/
kspeer78
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kspeer78


Number of posts : 761
Age : 45
Location : Brisbane QLD
Registration date : 2008-06-03

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PostSubject: Re: The Right Start   The Right Start Icon_minitimeFri 6 Aug 2010 - 21:18

Going to join right now - great work Kris!!
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Aristocat
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Aristocat


Number of posts : 1263
Age : 58
Location : Geelong
Registration date : 2008-01-30

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PostSubject: Re: The Right Start   The Right Start Icon_minitimeSat 7 Aug 2010 - 9:59

Yes great work Kris . I hope your dream of opening a Centre comes true!
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Kris
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Kris


Number of posts : 82
Age : 42
Location : Sydney
Registration date : 2010-08-05

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PostSubject: Re: The Right Start   The Right Start Icon_minitimeSun 8 Aug 2010 - 9:11

Thanks Nazz, we hope so too.
Got a lot more funds to raise, and hoping to get some support from the government once we raise enough to build. Hopefully in the next few years Smile
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caspearson
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caspearson


Number of posts : 3298
Age : 52
Location : Little Big Smoke (Perth)
Registration date : 2008-01-25

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PostSubject: Re: The Right Start   The Right Start Icon_minitimeTue 10 Aug 2010 - 0:12

Good for you Kris! How much support do you get from the DS Associations? Do you have any links to DS centres overseas that you're talking about? I'm not sure still what you're trying to achieve The Right Start Icon_redface Sounds like you've put a lot of work into it and I hope you reach your goal The Right Start 956797

Cas
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Tigger
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Tigger


Number of posts : 1095
Age : 62
Location : NSW
Registration date : 2008-02-04

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PostSubject: Re: The Right Start   The Right Start Icon_minitimeTue 10 Aug 2010 - 8:53

Sounds like a great thing to do. Will support as I can The Right Start Icon_biggrin

It would be nice to have somewhere to go where they understand about DS and have expertise in all areas. Even though my paed is a professor and the head of paediatrics at the Canberra Hospital, he still doesn't have a huge amount of experience with DS and still has some limited thinking.
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Kris
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Kris


Number of posts : 82
Age : 42
Location : Sydney
Registration date : 2010-08-05

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PostSubject: Re: The Right Start   The Right Start Icon_minitimeTue 10 Aug 2010 - 17:08

Cas, it will be a center for our kids to get ALL the therapies they need. Somewhere for other parents to meet for playgroups for the younger ones, somewhere for counselling either individual-couples-families etc. Basically a one stop shop for kids and families.

As it is, early interventions in our local area are pretty good, but they are full! And with all the wodnerful funding the gov gives to Autism it has pushed many many children down the waiting lists as these kids get priority. It also means that private therapies have risen their prices because they can get more money from the gov and simply because they can! This puts private therapies for families such as ours, even further out of reach, making it impossible for us.

DADHC (Dept of Ageing Disability and Home Care) who manages children from school age right through to adults and the elderly are stretched very thin.
We were on the waiting list for 3 years before we were offered ANY therapies.
THAT alone is ridiculous! And still then they only offered us 8 sessions each of OT and speech, then we are to apply again and be put back on the bottom of the list to wait what...? Another 3 years? Well probably more because of all the children with ASD entering school and being placed on the list also.
It's a joke! And our kids deserve so much better! Mothers of babies and toddlers I know are being shoved out of programs to make way for ASD kids. I'm not angry about what ASD get, they deserve it, but why should our kids keep missing out because of ASD and it's the 'flavour of the year' in the mouth of the govt. ....?
So we banded together and created the charity. The Right Start Icon_cheers

As for DS assoc. They didn't want to help us. We approached them and they said they couldn't help. Basically the gov give DSNSW about $66k per year. They fundraise a lot but all that covers is wages basically. So they said they couldn't help. They are more of an information center and an over the phone parent to parent counselling, library etc What we want is so much more.

So that's the basic rundown. The Right Start Icon_wink
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angelgood1
Chin Wagger
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Number of posts : 340
Age : 52
Registration date : 2008-06-28

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PostSubject: Re: The Right Start   The Right Start Icon_minitimeTue 10 Aug 2010 - 19:41

Kris, Our situation with DADHC was similiar to what you describe- except we only got 5 sessions of speech therapy, not 8. We received this in 2008, and have been on the waiting list again ever since.

The only positive was that DADHC have recently paid for Abi's speech Ax for school to be done privately- most likely because we still have a long wait to go before we get to the top of the list and get another 5 sessions of speech.

Good luck with The Right Start- I like reading about what you are up to with this, on facebook.
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Kat
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Kat


Number of posts : 1472
Age : 51
Location : Sydney
Registration date : 2008-01-27

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PostSubject: Re: The Right Start   The Right Start Icon_minitimeWed 1 Sep 2010 - 18:43

We had the same situation with DADHC- listed as a High priority and still waited years and then it's only for 6mths at a time when a review is done and if needed you are back on the waiting list... to wait a few more years Neutral

Kris- I have already told you how great I think you girls are Smile I still stand by my offer to help if you ever need extra hands Smile I think a centre like that would be amazing- I just wish it would be closer to my area Razz
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http://www.dsdownunder.com
Kris
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Kris


Number of posts : 82
Age : 42
Location : Sydney
Registration date : 2010-08-05

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PostSubject: Re: The Right Start   The Right Start Icon_minitimeWed 1 Sep 2010 - 19:28

Kat, if my memory serves me, you're in Parramatta aren't you?
Not really that far from us. Only about 40 mins I reckon. I'd travel that far for the centre we are planning Wink AND what's even better, when our centre opens we have already had other states show their interest and asking if we would franchise... well we won't 'franchise' as it's not a business, its a charity. So I think the cogs are already turning for other centres like we are planning Wink which is AWESOME!!! Very Happy
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Kat
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Kat


Number of posts : 1472
Age : 51
Location : Sydney
Registration date : 2008-01-27

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PostSubject: Re: The Right Start   The Right Start Icon_minitimeWed 1 Sep 2010 - 19:47

Yep Smile I know I am not THAT far away- I come down your way a few times a year for footy matches (go the Tiges! Razz ) so it's not a huge deal for me to travel down there ROFL

That is great about other states!

Do let me know if you are planning any more events- I was going to come down for the last one but already had something on Sad
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Tigger
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Tigger


Number of posts : 1095
Age : 62
Location : NSW
Registration date : 2008-02-04

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PostSubject: Re: The Right Start   The Right Start Icon_minitimeWed 1 Sep 2010 - 23:10

It would be a bit of a drive for me but I would still come there. I spent and hour and a half with a registrar at the hospital today because some idiot changed our appointment with our paediatrician to an appointment with a registrar and he had to keep running off to ask a real doctor the answers to what I was asking him. I was really peeved. I gave up after they started to close the unit and they are making an appointment with our paediatrician tomorrow. If they don't I will be calling them - every day - until they do. Evil or Very Mad
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Kris
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Kris


Number of posts : 82
Age : 42
Location : Sydney
Registration date : 2010-08-05

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PostSubject: Re: The Right Start   The Right Start Icon_minitimeThu 2 Sep 2010 - 8:06

Will let you know when the next big thing is in the works Very Happy

That's aweful Cathy about the app Sad Hope you get in asap. xx
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