How we’re supporting children, young people and carers during COVID-19

Message for our carers in Victoria: 7 July 2020

Some Victorian postcodes are now in Stage 3 lock-down until at least 29 July 2020. Click here to see the list of postcodes and suburbs.

• Maintain physical distance from others ;

• Avoid crowds ;

• Wash your hands regularly ;

• Cough and sneeze into a tissue or your elbow .

If you or a child in your care are sick make sure you get tested for COVID-19 test and stay home. For questions please contact your Life Without Barriers Key Worker or call: 1800 313 117.

Visitor restrictions in our residential homes for children and young people

We are taking all the necessary precautions to protect every child and young person we support in residential homes.

To ensure people remain safe, we are seeking the support of the communities and partners we work with. Please do not visit our Life Without Barriers properties unless it is essential to service delivery or the wellbeing of people we support.

If you believe your visit is essential, please contact your Life Without Barriers representative first to ask if it is safe to visit. Remember to follow the Australian Government’s advice, such as staying 1.5m away from other people where possible, practising good hand hygiene, using hand sanitiser, and avoiding handshakes. If you feel unwell, please stay home.

Thank you for your cooperation and helping us look after the people we support, across Australia.

Bringing carers together online during COVID-19

We have invited all Life Without Barriers foster and kinship carers to join our Community of Kindness on Workplace by Facebook. This online community allows carers from across Australia to join a social network that is only open to Life Without Barriers carers and staff. It also helps carers to meet other people in their local area that they can connect with once COVID-19 restrictions have ended. If you are a Life Without Barriers carer, check your email for the invite or email communityofkindness@lwb.org.au for access.

Concerned about your health? If you need health advice, call the Australian Government’s 24/7 Coronavirus Health Information Line on 1800 020 080.

Struggling with your mental health? If you want to talk to someone about your mental health, you can call Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 for 24/7 phone counselling. They also have an online chat open 3pm to 12am (AEDT).

If you have any questions about how we are responding to the virus, please call the Life Without Barriers National COVID-19 Response Call Centre 1800 313 117.

Resources

We have collected relevant and informative resources from other organisations and developed our own which you can use to help children understand COVID-19 and what it means for them:

• NEW - COVID-19 hot zones - information for families in Victoria

• Gus Talks COVID-19 with Kids, for Kids!

• How to talk to children about Coronavirus (UNICEF)

• Tips for parents and teachers when talking about Coronavirus with children (CDC)

• COVID-19 storybook for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander kids