It's exciting to be able to share feedback from the families of some of our clients.
Jodie, mother of six children from remote NSW, visited us with Charnai.
Her first visit was eight years ago with Klayton, and while the buildings have changed, other aspects have stayed the same: “Every time I look for Jo!”.
Jodie was enthusiastic about the help she receives from RFWS. Charnai has been with RFWS for six months and has been assisted by the multi-disciplinary team of paediatrician, speech pathologist, occupational therapist, nurse and social worker.
“This service is so great. Where we are, there are so many years waiting for paediatricians. Charnai is a different girl now with all the support here. She’s wanting to learn more. She wants to have a go. It’s amazing! She has her confidence back.”
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Hilary’s story
A mother of four living in the west of NSW, Hilary found her eldest son James was struggling at school with emotional regulation. He was able to be diagnosed locally, but the treatment was medication focused. One day a parent at school told her about Royal Far West and she was able to get a referral for a residential stay from the family GP.
During their first visit to Royal Far West, Hilary found that having all the different specialists together (psychologist, speech pathologist, occupational therapist, paediatrician and teacher) observe James, each noticed different aspects and when they confirmed his diagnosis, they were able to give specific and tailored direction for both James and his family. “It also helped me to understand how my energy feeds their behaviour”, Hilary said.
“They light up whenever they come into the classroom,” Hilary continued. “Having a smaller group and such beautiful spaces, there is a sense of calm – it’s set up for kids with sensory needs. The teachers are really in tune with their students and know how to connect with them. There’s a sense that it’s a safe space for the children, there’s no pressure to conform”.
Hilary’s youngest daughter, Amelia, has discovered not only a deep love of books with the Book Bug program, but it’s also helped her creativity and given her a way to cope when she feels overwhelmed.
“Spending a week with a book instead of just flipping the pages, we’ve been able to be absorbed in the story and find connections. Amelia has been able to explore her feelings and it’s given her confidence in her drawing. Now we prioritise reading together and not only does Amelia happily engage with each story, reading has become a go-to tool for emotional regulation.”
“As a bonus, the Book Bugs program has helped me to reconnect with my love of reading!”
