DHS and being a case!

We have had ongoing contact with DHS, seen as we are a sensitive one! Last week the worker returned to their region and we were advised to contact a worker from Cranbourne Information Support Service (CISS) as our central contact. Great to have a central contact and not hear people talking about us or be shuffled around and end up with reception trying to give our children's name to Child Protection!

CISS have been supportive, advocating for what we are needing and not taking over either (I am competent at some of this, I hope!?) Today they mentioned that DHS wanted a case plan.

I can feel the hairs raising on my arms and am holding my breathe! You see, I implemented person centred planning within Disability Services in Southern Metro Region, I am an expert on planning......but I don't want one. I don't want to be a client who has a case plan. Is that irrational?

I actually have a person centered plan, with goals for me and my family that we work towards, I am now adding this one

" I never ever ever want to be a client of DHS and have a case plan on their file"

Never thought I needed to add that really, but I have.

Instead I want to see the DHS case plan on how they will support us. On how they will make the grant process more accessable and flexible in it's uses for residents. On how they will find us some accommodation and manage our loss of income due to attending community meetings and searching for somewhere to live. Those are the plans that I think should be written, again this is not about me, I did nothing here. This is about how Govt are supporting residents.

Looking up an image to add to this post and I found this quote...

“our quality of life everyday is determined by the presence or absence of things that are important to us – our choices, our routines.” Michael Smull

Those things right now we have no control over, it is people in authority that do. We want our lives back, we want to be able to make sound choices for our future and enable the return of our routines, will the Govt support us in doing this? That is the question.