Anyone caring for a person with special needs will relate to this - you have to know the right words to say to the right people at the right time to get what you need!
Example 1:-
I called Commonwealth Carer's Respite and asked "Can I have someone to care for my son with Autism?". The reply was "No, we can't help".
I spoke to some fellow carers at a community support house and was told "They can and will. The words you need are "I'm a full time carer and I need respite".
I rang Commonwealth Carer's Respite again and used the suggested words and lo! we are now registered and eligible to use their services should we need them!
Example 2:-
I rang my son's Paediatrician "Can I have an appointment please? My son needs re-verification for school". "Sure, but the earliest appointment is 4 months away".
A month goes by and I mention it to Oneson's case manager at school "Sod that!" she says "I need that verification done sooner and you guys need a medication and behavioural management review before your family falls appart". So she rang and said the necessary words. Within an hour I had a call from the Paediatrician's office "I've moved a few things around and found you an hour slot, can you cope until next Wednesday? Is that soon enough?".
The moral of the story:-
If you're asking for help and it feels like you're banging your head on the brick wall, try asking other people in similar situations what they did and said to get the help they needed. Remember, you're often dealing with government agencies and beaurocracies; maybe you just aren't using the right words.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment