Overview

The Centre was set up in 1995, by a small group of parents of children with an intellectual disability. In the past, their children received respite care from a lady in her own private home. After this lady died, with no other options for respite care, the parents got together and formed the Mary Moodie Respite Care Charitable Trust (named in memory of the lady that had previously provided care).

Funding for the home is provided by the Ministry of Health, in the form of allocated Carer Support days to the children. Any other funding is by applications from the Trust to organizations and/or charities for donations for specific items. The Canterbury Community Trust for the past few years has made an annual donation to help with our running costs, (a major expense) they are the only organization to help us in this way. The house is rented from Community Housing.

The Centre provides respite care to families whose preference is to keep their children at home with them, rather than to have them in permanent care. We cater for children and young people from 5 years and upwards. The majority of the children are at Allenvale School, or one of the Ferndale units. The home is open at the weekends during term time, from 3pm Friday afternoon, through to 4pm on Sunday. During the school holiday breaks, the centre opens the afternoon that primary school breaks up, through to the afternoon before they are all due back, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

All of our referrals for placement are taken through Lifelinks.

Although we do not have any set criteria for the type of intellectual disability we will accept, the majority of our children and young people are on the Autism Spectrum. It seems that there is nothing else within our society that provides for these children in the form of respite care and because of the nature of some of the more difficult behaviours exhibited, it is not possible to place them in private care within the community.

The respite care offered at the centre is in great demand because of the lack of suitable options, consequently there is often a waiting list for available spaces at the weekends and on many occasions referrals made have to be turned down, because we do not have any vacancies. The main philosophy behind the management of the centre is to work in closely with the family, the school and any agency involved with the children, so that there is consistency in every aspect of their care. This has been at the base of the successful progress of many of the children using the home. All children's files are on the homes computer and any relevant information is updated on a regular basis. This is very important, as they are constantly growing and changing. All staff are bound to read and refresh themselves on the records of all of the children on a regular basis. All staff are encouraged to have an input into the care plans devised for each and every child.

Over the school holiday periods when the home is open full-time, we offer an exciting holiday programme of activities for the children.

The Trust holds their AGM annually in July, invitations are sent out to all of the families to attend.

Our Board of Trustees.

Garth Williams - Chairman

John East

Fleur Abrahamson

Donna Burt