Publication:Sea Talk Summer 2007/Home and Away cast attend picnic with families
By WO Mark Donlan (OIC DSCM FBE)
Defence families and dependants with special needs have enjoyed a fun teddy bears’ picnic family day at Rosehill Gardens in aid of the Sydney Children’s Hospital at Westmead.
The event was for all ages, including parents with a wide range of activities such as face painting, jumping castles, stage performances, show bags, rides, sports clinics, a giant sandpit and much more with all proceeds going to the Children's Hospital at Westmead. The hospital is the largest, highly respected paediatric centre in NSW, providing excellent care for children from NSW, Australia and across the Pacific Rim.
Some ADF members who have dependants with special needs (DWSN) may experience particular disadvantages on relocating when posted.
This is due in part to the disruption of provision of specialist services used by dependants with special needs.
However, the ADF acknowledges a member with DWSN may require particular help as a direct result of the member’s mobility and relocation and consequently it has tried to support the member and family where possible.
The Dependant with Special Needs Determination 2007/36 provides assistance measures such as: a special needs pre-posting visit; access to specialised equipment, therapy, respite services, appropriate housing and transit accommodation in the new locality.
Determination 2007/36 provides assistance measures to a dependant who has been:
1. Assessed by a person with relevant qualifications, i.e. a specialist medical practitioner, paramedical or clinical psychologist or counsellor as having physical, intellectual, sensory, social/emotional/behavioural or multiple impairments;
2. Assessed as academically gifted or talented by a psychologist with qualifications and experience in assessing children. The child must achieve at the 95th % on: a) any individual or group IQ test or b) on a subscale of an individual IQ test;
3. Recognised for respite care, personal care, therapy or equipment hire through a scheme, provided by the government in which the dependant is a resident; or
4. Assessed by a specialist medical practitioner as having a medical condition/illness or disability.
Application forms can be obtained from WEBFORMS on the Defence Intranet, through your local base shopfront or local DCO Office.
The Defence Community Organisation also works very closely with the Defence Special Needs Support Group (DSNSG) which provides a national network of peer support to Defence families who have a special needs dependant.
For more information about the group visit http://www.dsnsg.org.au/ or telephone 1800 037 674.
A special thanks to staff members from the Children’s Hospital Westmead, and in particular Channel 7’s Casey Gould and Home and Away cast members and sponsors for organising and supporting such a great cause.
