Q. Can I say 'no' to a placement?
A. We respect your right to accept a child who best matches you, your family and the environment you live in.
Q. How do I become a carer?
Q. How do we support our carers?
A. Life Without Barriers is committed to providing 24-hour support for carers. At any time, any day, you will have someone to talk to and support you. Our Carer Advancement & Training Team (CATT) is dedicated to supporting and developing our carers and care practices.
Q. How long do children stay in a foster home?
A. It depends on the individual child and the parent’s situation. Each child’s situation is unique and we provide carers with as much information as possible when placing a child in their care.
Q. How long does it take to be approved?
A. It can take as little as 6 weeks to become an approved Life Without Barriers foster carer. Prospective carers participate in a compulsory assessment process and police check. They must also attend a 2-day training program and have a current first aid certificate before commencing.
Q. Is financial assistance available?
A. Yes, our carers receive a set fortnightly reimbursement based on the needs of the child.
Q. What do I need to become a carer?
A. Whether you are an older adult or a younger adult, single or married, a working or a stay-at-home parent, a homeowner or renter, there may be a place for you in our caring community. Enquire now
Q. Where can I get more information?
Q. Who are carers?
A. Life Without Barriers carers look after those who come into our care, including children and young people and people living with a disability. We don’t use carers for those living with a mental health issue who are placed in our care. Our carers are of all ages, aged 18 and over, and from a wide range of backgrounds, but the starting point for almost all carers is the realisation that they could make a positive difference. There are two options at Life Without Barriers: contracted or professional carer, for those who want to make foster caring their career, and vocational carer.
Q. Why do people need carers?
A. People of all ages come into our care and there are too many reasons to list. They may, for example:
-Be living in an unsafe environment and at risk physically or emotionally.
-Need short term care while their permanent carer is in hospital or requiring respite.
-Have nobody to care for them.
-Be isolated by their disability or mental health issue and require assistance reconnecting with their community.
Q. What services does Life Without Barriers do?
A. We’re an organisation that’s committed to providing a supportive and safe environment for children and young people, people living with a disability and people living with a mental health issue. We provide services and programs throughout Australia and New Zealand. In Australia we’re one of the largest non-government providers of out of home care for children and young people, and renowned for our range of innovative support services to people living with a disability and our holistic approach to recovery for those living with a mental health issue.
Q. What are the criteria for accessing the Individual Psychosocial Rehabilitation Support Services (IPRSS)?
A. To access IPRSS you have to be a consumer of government Mental Health Services and be diagnosed with a mental illness.
Q. What are the criteria for accessing the Returning Home service?
A. Individuals who have experienced long-stay inpatient care at Glenside Hospital for a number of years are eligible to be considered for a Returning Home support package.
Q. What is the referral process for IPRSS?
A. The IPRSS program receives all referral from government mental health key workers.
Q. What is the referral process in the Returning Home service?
A. The Returning Home program receives all referrals through Glenside Hospital Rehabilitation Services.
Q. What Mental Health services do you provide in South Australia?
A. Returning Home: Individualised program that supports people during their transition from lengthy hospital based care at Glenside Hospital. We service the Eastern and Western metropolitan regions of Adelaide.
Individual Psychosocial Rehabilitation Support Services: Intensive Psychosocial Rehabilitation Support Services to consumers with a mental illness living in the community. We service the Eastern, Southern, and Western regions of metropolitan Adelaide. In the country we service the Northern region (including Port Pirie and Port Lincoln), the Hills Mallee Southern region (including Murray Bridge, Victor Harbour, and Kangaroo Island), and Central Country (including the Riverland).
Mental Health Respite: Provision of flexible respite options for carers and families who are caring for people with a severe mental illness/psychiatric disability and caring for people with an intellectual disability. We service the Adelaide Hills (Southern and Eastern including Mount Barker), the Southern Fleurieu Penninsula, (including Kangaroo Island), the Murray Mallee and the Riverland.
Q. What type of support do you provide in IPRSS?
A. This program provides individualised psychosocial rehabilitation support services for people living with a mental health issue in the community. Support is:
-One on one
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Flexible and individualised
-At a level tailored to individual need
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The individual decides on their personal goals of recovery
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Provided in partnership with government mental health services.
Some of the key areas of support provided are focused on forming social and recreational connections, sourcing appropriate and sustainable accommodation options, managing and sustaining a household and tenancy, managing finances and budgeting, and pursuing educational and vocational interests.
IPRSS fact sheet for South Australia (PDF, 644KB).
Q. What type of support do you provide in the Returning Home service?
A. Individualised support based on need delivered in partnership with the individual’s family, inpatient Clinical Services, and the community Clinical Team. The length of support is based upon individual need and can be long term with a view toward independence and setting up sustainable living arrangements.
A Community Support Worker will begin working with an individual while still an inpatient of clinical services at Glenside Hospital. Some of the key areas of support focus on forming social and recreational connections, sourcing appropriate and sustainable accommodation options, managing and sustaining a household and tenancy, socialisation, managing finances and budgeting, and pursuing educational and vocational interests.
What does the service cost? There is no cost to the consumer. The program is funded by the Department of Health.
Q. Who do I contact for more information about mental health support and services?
A. In South Australia:
Mental Health Metropolitan (08) 8342 4099
Mental Health Country (08) 8399 0100
Mental Health Respite (08) 81215499 or 1800 119 881.
Q. How much does respite cost?
A. The Healthy Minds Mental Health Respite Program is available at no cost to eligible carers. It’s funded through Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centres.
Q. What is the criterion for accessing your Respite Care service?
A. The criterion for accessing the service is that carers must be parents aged 55 years and over or indigenous parent carers aged 40 years and over and live with and care for children (including adult children) with a severe mental illness/psychiatric disability or intellectual disability.
Or, other non-residential elderly parent carers, 65 years of age and older, indigenous carers 50 years of age and older who are the primary carers of children (including adult children) with a severe mental illness psychiatric disability or intellectual disability.
And, emergency respite care for carers of any age who care for people with a severe mental illness/psychiatric disability or intellectual disability.
Q. What is your referral process for respite support?
A. Anyone can make a referral. For assessment of eligibility call 1800 119 881.
Q. What type of respite support do you provide?
A. The Respite Program offers a range of flexible respite options including:
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Client’s home
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LWB respite house
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Planned and emergency options
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Recreational/educational activities
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Home/family options
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Holidays.
We aim to provide the carer and care recipient flexible options that will meet their needs through planned and emergency respite options.
Life Without Barriers is aware of the need to provide services that will not only support the carer, but also ensure that the care provided is enjoyable and meets the developmental, educational and personal goals of the individual.
Respite Program fact sheet - South Australia Healthy Minds version (PDF, 632KB).
Q. How do I become a volunteer?
A. Contact your nearest Life Without Barriers office for initial enquiries and to identify where and how you’d like to volunteer. Where we are
Then submit your completed Volunteer Application (PDF, 212KB).
Q. Is there financial remuneration?
A. The role of ‘volunteer’ is unpaid; you’re not entitled to any remuneration or benefits that would normally apply to an employee or contractor. However, you may be reimbursed for expenses you incur while carrying out your volunteer duties.
Q. What do I need to become a volunteer?
A. Regardless of your education or experience, whether you’re working or not, we believe that everybody has something to offer. There are plenty of volunteering opportunities within Life Without Barriers, such as dropping by to chat with service users in a day centre or maintaining gardens for a group home. Whatever your skills, experience and availability, there may be a place for you in our caring volunteer community. Register your interest in becoming a volunteer.
Q. What happens when I’m approved?
A. You’ll receive an information pack, induction training and site orientation. As a volunteer you’re required to understand and accept the guidance and supervision of Life Without Barriers supervisors and agree to follow the rules of the centre, program or office in which you volunteer. You’ll work the hours as mutually agreed with your supervisor.
Q. What is a volunteer?
A. A volunteer is someone who:
-Freely and willingly chooses to undertake an activity.
-Gives their time and skills without receiving a monetary reward.
-Provides a service that benefits and adds value to the community.
Q. What’s involved in the approval process?
A. Due to the nature of our work (working with vulnerable members of the community), engagement depends upon Life Without Barriers’ satisfaction that you meet appropriate probity/suitability requirements as prescribed by our funding and regulatory bodies in each state. When working with children and young people, prospective volunteers participate in a compulsory police check.
Q. Where can I get more information?
A. Talk to your local Life Without Barriers office in the first instance to identify volunteering opportunities and where you’d like to help out. Where we are
Q. Who are LWB volunteers?
A. Life Without Barriers volunteers are of all ages, 18 and over, and from a wide range of backgrounds, but the starting point for almost all volunteers is the realisation that they could make a difference.
Q. Why does LWB need volunteers?
A. People of all ages and needs come into our care and we recognise that it’s important for our clients and service users to form meaningful relationships in their community as part of their recovery journey. Our volunteers offer the social reintegration that’s such an important part of that process.
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