Meet Mitchell, a charismatic and down to earth man with a primary diagnosis of Down Syndrome. Mitchell lives with his parents, who have been navigating their own health challenges.
Mitchell was referred to our NDIS Social Worker services with the identified key goals of supporting Mitchell to increase independence through daily planning, goal setting and routine, employment opportunities and future planning. Support was also provided to Mitchell's family unit in order to remain as independent as possible, with a strong focus on keeping their health and wellbeing in check and advocacy with other health stakeholders.
Through motivational interviewing, Andrew was able to undertake a holistic assessment with Mitchell and his family unit to understand previous barriers and systems of belief, as well as appropriate interventions to support the client to engage in supported employment goals. The barriers identified included the fear of being taken advantage of due to past experiences, experiencing anxiety around meeting new people and leaving the house, and a history of ADHD.
To date, Andrew has achieved significant milestones in his work with Mitchell, including;
- Engagement with APM, a Disability Employment Services provider for Mitchell to work in a disability friendly cafe in a supportive environment. This has allowed him to overcome fears due to experiencing a prior burn from a sandwich press. Mitchell undertakes the tasks of preparing toasties, stacking the dishwasher, collecting plates and more.
- Mitchell working on independence tasks in readiness for his cafe shifts, including making his own lunch.
- Liaison with Mitchell's GP, including referrals made for investigation into identified health concerns, medication and appropriate specialist reviews.
- Caregiver capacity building provided to Michell's mother, who is the nominated carer for Michell and her husband. Mitchell's mother was experiencing carer stress, reporting that caring for both was becoming overwhelming. Referrals were made to services to support them to remain independent at home.
- Future planning discussions held, identifying independent living options and supported independent living, as well as the entire family's openness to consider the same.
"The best thing we have done is connect Mitchell to Amazing Andrew", said Mitchell's mother.
Pictured (from left to right) Mitchell’s mother, Andrew, Mitchell and Mitchell’s father.