Case Studies

Child Care

• A parent required urgent care for his 4 year old daughter. Care was required for long hours (6.00am to 6.30pm) which is often difficult to find. The daughter was being cared for by friends but they were unable to provide the care any longer. Work|Life Links found immediate vacancies within the Family Day Care Scheme and with a long day care centre. The caller was able to choose the type of care they wanted.

• A parent who had a child with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) wanted somewhere for the child to go during the school holidays. Work|Life Links found a 7 day camp experienced in caring for ADD children. Both the parent and the child were very happy with the camp and the child was looking forward to attending the next one.
• Work|Life Links have found a number of child care vacancies for parents who have had to move interstate for work. Having child care already organised in the new state helped reduce the stress of the move and has allowed employees to take up their new positions quickly.
• The child care arrangements made by a parent on parental leave fell through the day before the parent was due to return to work. Work|Life Links found a suitable child care vacancy in time for the parent to go back to work as planned.

Disability Care

• Work|Life Links gave a caller contact details for a number of organisations who could provide advice on converting the home to allow wheelchair access for a relative.
• A caller was provided with information regarding the purchase and cost of electric wheelchairs.
• In another situation a caller wanted advice on how a relative with a physical disability could live independently at home. Work|Life Links provided information and contacts regarding the provision of home care services and assessment and provision of mobility aids and equipment.
• A parent had learnt that his child had Downs Syndrome. Downs Syndrome specific support services, playgroups and parent groups were located. Work|Life Links contacted appropriate agencies and allowances and benefits available were identified.

Care For Older People

• Work|Life Links found a suitable carer to visit a caller's mother at home while the caller was overseas with work. The carer was able to assist with personal care, activities of daily living and taking the mother to appointments.
• Another caller needed care at home for her father who was returning from hospital. Work|Life Links accessed a government funded aged care package to provide services at home. When it was decided that the father was too ill to remain at home, Work|Life Links provided information on appropriate nursing homes to assist the family make an informed decision about accommodation options.
• Work|Life Links have referred a caller's aged mother for grief counselling following the death of her husband.
• Work|Life Links provided information on regular respite services for an older relative living with a caller.
• Work|Life Links have also supported many carers and relatives of people with Alzheimer's by locating suitable respite facilities, identifying carer support groups and services and supplying much needed information.

Schools

• A caller was moving interstate and needed to find primary and secondary schools for the children. She wanted her local primary school to be a specialist school for gifted children. Work|Life Links provided information on appropriate schools and organised for the schools to send their prospectuses to the parents.
• Work|Life Links have also investigated waiting lists, enrolment information and specific information in regards to private schools and special needs schools.

Vacation Care And Before And After School Services

Information about before and after school care, and transport options for these programs are regularly identified. Vacation Care is available to all children aged between 5 and 12 years old who attend school. Programs can vary from single day activities, centre based activities or holiday camps.

IVF And Adoption

• A caller was offered an overseas posting in the United States and wanted information on adoption and IVF in Australia and the USA. Work|Life Links assisted by providing information on adoption and the process and costs of IVF in both countries to enable the employee to make an informed decision regarding the posting.