For many families of children with disability, booking independent support workers from Mable has made a tremendous difference to the quality of their children’s lives. Booking on Mable gives clients the freedom of choosing who supports them, and what they pay for those support services.
For example, Sarah engages a support worker for her son Josh. Josh's support worker follows his routine and the strategies Sarah has shared to support his learning and help him achieve his goals.
Independent support workers on Mable can support children in many ways, not just in day-to-day life but also during school holidays too.
Holidays can be a great time, but they may bring some stress, especially when it comes to keeping children occupied and entertained. By booking support workers on Mable, parents can ensure this time is enjoyable, productive and meaningful for their kids and themselves.
Maintain a daily routine
When children have time off from school, it can be difficult to maintain a sense of structure. You can book additional support workers who can arrange activities that will help your child stay busy and involved while also having fun.
On Mable, you can find support workers who have interests and hobbies similar to your child's. Discover how Henry’s support worker Darryl takes him fishing and bushwalking and teaches him how to use tools.
Preparing your child for back-to-school routine
After the holidays, it can be just as challenging to get back into the school routine. Returning to school can be difficult, and children may sometimes experience anxiety.
A support worker can help reintroduce a routine before this time. This can be helpful, whether it’s setting bedtimes, talking through worries or getting books and bags ready.
Respite care over school holidays
To deal with their own work and looking after children during their school holidays can certainly be challenging. Respite care is healthy for the child, their siblings and their parents, whether for two hours a day, Monday to Friday, or whole days at a time.
You can organise overnight stays and short-notice support sessions through Mable Last Minute.
Support for getaways and family holidays
If you’re organising a getaway, booking a support worker can ease the stress of planning the trip. For Angela, who loves to travel with her children, having her support worker Crystal along makes the experience exciting, easier and comfortable.
If you’re going away on a holiday, we recommend searching for a support worker at the holiday destination, just like Pieta and her family did on their Melbourne trip. One advantage of doing this is the support worker is familiar with the location, and so, is better able to support you during your trip.
Keeping up your child’s therapy program
Throughout the school year, your child’s therapy may include various activities. During school holidays, it might have to be different and that can be fun and motivating.
Trips to the shops, trying art or sporting activities, trips to the park or on public transport, and visiting museums, art galleries and children’s play centres can all be enjoyable. These activities can also be productive and build confidence in community settings. You can work with your child’s support worker to adapt the activities to best suit their development.
Fun ways for your child to socialise
Organising fun activities that encourage social participation is a great idea and your support worker can help you plan these. These could include going to the movies, visiting an animal farm, or even setting up a cookie-baking competition!
Book a support worker to help you put together some of these ideas. You could even ask them to help you plan and host a games party, a movie afternoon at home, or a treasure hunt in the backyard with friends, complete with snacks and drinks.
How the NDIS can support
You could use your NDIS funding under CB Daily Living and CB Social Community to implement these ideas depending on your plan’s goals. If in doubt, please check with your NDIS Local Area Coordinator.
Don’t forget, if you have an NDIS plan, it will always include your goals, objectives and aspirations. Always think about how your support relates to these and how they can help you achieve them, as this is an important part of the Reasonable and Necessary requirements defined by the NDIS.
Book a support worker on Mable
Before school is out, it’s a good idea to plan for your child’s support needs in advance so that their school holidays are happy and fulfilling, and so you can relax too.
If you’re not sure how to start, explore our guide on how to build your support team on Mable by writing a great job ad. You can also read this article written by Mable client Kathy also explains how she books her support workers on Mable.
