Sarah and John Reunite for a Bright Future

John is a six-year-old boy diagnosed with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and undergoing assessments for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). He came to Everyday Independence for support in building morning routines, settling into the school year and navigating difficult changes at home.

John had recently been transferred into the full-time care of his grandmother by Child Protection Services (CPS) and, as a result, was experiencing severe separation anxiety from his mother, Sarah.

More than Just Therapy

To support John and Sarah, Ivana came on board as John’s Key Worker to provide early childhood supports. Ivana introduced weekly sessions at the family home and school and quickly formed strong relationships with John and Sarah. She worked with the family to identify their goals and a clear path to achieving them. She also brought in Everyday Independence Practitioners including an Occupational Therapist, Speech Pathologist and Physiotherapist, to support achieving these goals.

It was clear Sarah and John desperately wanted to be reunited, so making this happen became the primary goal. Ivana attended family meetings with CPS which helped Sarah to understand the situation better and implement recommendations, as well as providing information and reports to CPS outlining the positive work the family were doing.

As part of the work Sarah and Ivana were doing in preparation for John’s return home, Sarah successfully applied for and secured a long-term Community Housing home for her and John; she also enrolled him in swimming and tennis lessons to aid his peer development and self-confidence. John also returned to his mother’s full-time care.

After months of work and intensive therapy, John demonstrated several areas of improvement at his latest CPS assessment, including identifying emotions and understanding their impact, engaging in structured activities and positively interacting with his peers, and implementing strategies to support emotional regulation.

Going the Extra Mile

To further support Sarah and John, Ivan supported the family in filing for an NDIS Plan Review, outlining the support and services needed to help John reach his full potential. The NDIS Plan Review was successful, and John’s funding was amended!
We are honoured to have been part of Sarah and John’s reunion and cannot wait to see what is next for them!

*John and Sarah are substitute names for our young participant and his mother.

Are you Ready to Achieve Positive Life Change?

Speak to our Access team on 1300 179 131 or complete an online form, and we’ll be in touch to learn more about how we can assist you or someone you care for.