Outstanding support for a young girl with complex needs

We also used this time to build rapport with Tia and find her a place to live. After 6 months we found a home, but it needed significant work so our support team worked around the clock to transform it into a safe, purpose-built space to meet Tia’s complex needs.

Tia has a history of various complex disabilities. Although we won't share all the details publicly, it's important to know she faces significant challenges. She always has 3 staff members with her and needs a number of restrictive practices to keep her safe.

We worked with our Learning and Development team to create a thorough training program for the staff supporting Tia. This training covered safety intervention and trauma-informed support. We also underwent extensive training with an external agency. 

To ensure Tia’s safety from self-harm, we worked with complex home modification experts and health professionals. Tia’s house was fitted with carpeted walls, durable glass as part of efforts to ensure there were no areas where she could hurt herself. All furniture has been specially designed to be strong and safe.

We held fortnightly meetings with hospital support coordinators, public guardians, and allied health professionals. These meetings ensured everyone was on the same page leading up to Tia’s transition. After Tia moved in, we have continued to meet weekly to connect her with local health services. Managing her medication has been a big challenge, and we're working on finding the right balance and training staff on safer and more efficient procedures.

We've made strides in ensuring Tia’s safety and improving her quality of life. Our work isn’t easy and there are ups and downs but helping Tia live the life she deserves is well worth it the effort.