HACC Social Support Guidelines

September 2007 by Kevin Marron

The HACC Social Support service type Guidelines have recently been released by DADHC following the protracted review which commenced in 2004. This is just an 11 page document which has been greatly contracted from the 64 page drafts circulating this time last year.

The Guidelines according to this extract will provide problems for some of our members who have subsequently been re-classified as Social Support service types, even though they are truly respite services.

There are elements of these Guidelines that may have problematic implications for a number of our members. These being:

• The definition of a Social Support service is one which is primarily directed towards meeting the person’s need for social contact and/or accompaniment in order to participate in community life. Social Support is normally provided in the client’s home but may include accompanying the client on an excursion or trip. The support is provided to them as an individual.
  Now the services of our members are primarily directed towards meeting the needs of the family unit, which are our clients, being the carer and care recipient. This was always undertaken within a respite context by providing a break to the carer and a meaningful support service to the care recipient. Due to financial constraints some providers hence provide group peer support activities for care recipients.
  
• The aim of Social Support is to maximise an individual’s ability to continue living independently at home.
  The recipients of our service support are individuals who require assistance in living at home, as they came into the service system due to a respite need.
  
• Key elements of the Social Support model are that Social Support is provided:
  - in the client’s home; and/or
  - As an activity by way of an excursion or trip.
  - On a one-on-one basis; and/or
  - In a small group.
  
  Most of our members who are now classified as Social Support services would not receive enough funding to provide 1-to-1 support for each client or conduct their service support in too small a groups.

• Social Support services may be provided in small groups where there is a common interest held by participants in the group, and where each individual is able to exert a large degree of autonomy and choice over the focus of the activity.
  This can become very ambiguous where some providers will establish calendars of regular events based on client suggestions which are then run structurally over a period of time. For many of our members who provide their respite, or social support, model of service as Peer Support or group activities, they do so as a regular occurrence and as a model of service.

The link below takes you to the leteter I have recently sent.

DADHC HACC Respite & Social Support Guidelines Objections Septemebr 2007