Video transcript
Dr Catherine Wade (Parenting Research Centre): Thanks for coming to talk to us today, Richelle. It’s great to have your time. And we understand that you prefer not to have your face shown on the video. That’s fine. So we’re just going to show the back of your head today. But let’s get stuck into it and talk about how the NDIS has helped you.
Your family situation? How many kids have you got?
Richelle (parent): I’ve got 5 kids.
Dr Catherine Wade: Five.
Richelle: Yeah.
Dr Catherine Wade: Five kids. Wow. And what are their ages?
Richelle: My oldest is 18 and the second oldest is 16, then I’ve got a 15-year-old, 11-year-old and a 13-year-old.
Dr Catherine Wade: One of your kids lives with you?
Richelle: Yep.
Dr Catherine Wade: What’s the best thing that you like about parenting?
Richelle: Just being there for my kids.
Dr Catherine Wade: What sort of stuff do you do when you’re with your kids?
Richelle: Take her to the movies or take her to the beach.
Dr Catherine Wade: Did you know much about the NDIS before you got it?
Richelle: No.
Dr Catherine Wade: How did you find out what it was?
Richelle: I found out through mental health and I found out through child safety, and I got my doctors to refer me to NDIS.
Dr Catherine Wade: So mental health and child safety suggested you might be eligible, you might be able to get money through the NDIS?
Richelle: Yes.
Dr Catherine Wade: And did they help you?
Richelle: Yeah.
Dr Catherine Wade: What did they do? That’s good to know.
Richelle: They filled out a lot of forms, and it took a while to get a process.
Dr Catherine Wade: Because a lot of parents that I’ve spoken to say that that’s a really difficult bit. Like, when they get all the forms that they need to fill in, they don’t know who they need to speak to. It sounds like it was important that you had the right person to help.
Richelle: Yep.
Dr Catherine Wade: So if another parent was going to apply for NDIS, what would you say to them about how to do it?
Richelle: Speak to your doctor or go see your mental health psychologist or something, yeah.
Dr Catherine Wade: So the next set of questions I’m thinking of asking are about what you use NDIS support for – ways that it’s helped you.
Richelle: Well, Delma, who comes over every Friday for my contacts for my kids. Delma comes over and writes notes down. Like, if I’m doing something wrong, she tells me to do the Circle of Security way, and yeah, I’ve done Circle of Security on NDIS with Linda.
Dr Catherine Wade: So Delma and Linda kind of – have they both been giving you parenting information and advice? What does that look like?
Richelle: I’ve learnt to just be there for my kids and be around them, like be there basically.
Dr Catherine Wade: So Linda has been very helpful for you in meetings with child safety and meetings with legal people.
Richelle: Yep.
Dr Catherine Wade: Is that NDIS funded?
Richelle: Yes. Yes.
Dr Catherine Wade: So are you happy to talk a little bit more about that, what she does in those meetings?
Richelle: She just talks in the family group meetings. Comes with me and supports me there, like if I need anything.
Dr Catherine Wade: What does she do to help?
Richelle: She just tells her story of what she’s seeing in the visits and all that, and it’s really supportive having my mum and Linda there, because my anxiety goes through the roof when I’m on my own.
Dr Catherine Wade: Is there something that Linda is able to do – or your mum? You said your mum sometimes comes – that helps you to have your voice in those meetings?
Richelle: Yeah. I always speak my mind and tell them how it is.
Dr Catherine Wade: There’s a strong theme here of the importance of a support person – someone who can help you through this NDIS journey.
Richelle: I probably would be struggling if I didn’t have any support.
Dr Catherine Wade: Yeah. So it makes a massive difference to have somebody who’s able to take care of all the little details so that you can get on with living life and enjoying life with your daughter.
Richelle: Yeah.
Dr Catherine Wade: All parents need support, you know. All parents need sometimes professionals to support them, but definitely they need informal supports or family and friends. So do you think other parents could look at your situation and learn from that and take some good information?
Richelle: Yes.
Dr Catherine Wade: What might they take from your situation?
Richelle: You can get help and get NDIS if you really need to. Yeah.
Dr Catherine Wade: Well, thanks for coming to talk to us today, Richelle.