Alex, 23, lives with intellectual disability, dyspraxia, cerebral palsy and epilepsy. He lives at home with his mother, father and sister, where his behaviour often causes conflict. Alex is keen to get a job, and eventually to move out of home with some friends. He really enjoys going for trips on the bus, going to the library and going to the local café – all of which he can do independently. Once a week he goes, with a support worker, to the country music night at the community radio station.
Alex’s family has been providing care and support for him in most areas of his life, including personal care, planning and decision-making, domestic assistance, transport and supporting interpersonal relationships. The caring role has become one of increasing stress and burden and has significantly affected the health and well-being of all the family, particularly his mother, who also has a caring role for her 96-year-old father.
Through the planning process, Alex identified his primary goal as having a job. The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) has been able to assist him to increase his work-readiness skills, individually tailored to build on his strengths and interests and to link him with potential employers. With the provision of supports to transition to more independent living, the NDIA has also been able to assist in supporting the informal care that the family provides, enabling them to have a break and to feel able to continue in this role until such a time that Alex moves out to live independently.
Building on Alex’s skills in accessing his community, the option and flexibility is now there for him to choose to attend an increased range of activities and events and to further his interests and social circle. When presented with this plan, Alex said: “This will be good for me”.