A NEW RESPITE SERVICE PROVIDES VITAL RELIEF
FOR FAMILIES OF CHILDREN LIVING WITH A DISABILITY
A new respite service to launch in Brisbane today will provide much-needed support for families of children living with a disability.
BestLife Sleepovers will offer children living with a disability the opportunity to have an ordinary Saturday night sleepover while giving their families a break from caring.
Brisbane mothers, Kath Coory and Tina Graham have made their dream of establishing BestLife a reality after winning the 2012 Wesley Mission Brisbane Campaign for Change initiative.
BestLife President Kath Coory said many families connected to their service are at breaking point and the service will provide vital relief.
“With 40 per cent of Australian carers identifying as severely depressed and as having the lowest level of wellbeing of any group in Australian society, this service will serve a very real and unmet need in the community,” Mrs Coory said.
“Families are desperate to care for their own children, but what they need is support and a quality experience for their child who they love and a break now and then so they can recharge and not reach breaking point.
“This service has been designed by families living with this reality and gives them choice and control over who and how the care of their child is provided and that is a very new approach which we can see starting to take place with the introduction of DisabilityCare Australia.”
Campaign for Change was designed to enrich the South East Queensland community by providing five individuals or groups the opportunity to share in $50,000 worth of cash and expert mentoring to establish their very own community support program.
Kath and Tina received a $30,000 cash injection, from campaign partners PBS Building, and have spend the last five months working with the Wesley Mission Brisbane community services team to establish BestLife.
Wesley Mission Brisbane’s Executive Director, Geoff Batkin said Campaign for Change has confirmed that ordinary Queenslanders can make a lasting difference in their communities.
“Like many of us, Kath and Tina had an idea about how to make their community better, and Campaign for Change has allowed them to make that idea happen,” Mr Batkin said.
“We pride ourselves on working with individuals and industry partners to establish services in response Page | 2
to ever changing needs within the community and with the introduction of DisabilityCare Australia we need more services like BestLife which allow those living with a disability the choice and control to live their best life.”
To follow Kath and Tina’s journey in setting up BestLife Sleepovers please visit: www.wmb.org.au/page/campaign_for_change