NDIS pre planning

Work with individuals, and their families and support networks, when relevant, to discuss all aspects of their life and what supports they require to maintain current activities and to achieve current and future goals. Pre-planning will include:

• Summary report of current vision, hearing and communication
• Summary of current activities and future goals
• Pre plan report in accessible format for individual to take to their NDIS planning meeting

Speech Pathology Services

Meredith is an approved provider with the:

• Better Start for Children with a Disability provider panel
• National Disability Insurance Scheme

Speech Pathology Services include:

• Assessment of communication abilities and needs
• Working with families and support workers to create opportunities for communication skill development
• Development of communication aids and systems

Video Interaction Guidance

Video Interaction Guidance (VIG) is an evidence based technique that aims to improve interactions between two or more people. It involves participants viewing, and discussing with a Video Interaction Guide very short video clips of their own successful interactions.

VIG is used to help enhance the interactions and relationships of individuals currently experiencing challenges in their interactions with each other.

Some families and support workers come to VIG with a particular goal in mind, such as helping a person be more responsive in an interaction, or less distressed. Some people don’t have specific goals, but just want to explore how to optimise the interactions for the person with a disability

VIG can be used with pairs of people, such as a key workers and their client, or with groups, such as a whole teams who support a person.

For more information about VIG see:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRVaL_ZlxHs&t=54s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpSHHS_YMLE&t=47s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDOkQladRdU

Staff development and training

Provision of tailored, hands-on workshops, and lecture style training to develop knowledge and skills of participants, in order to improve outcomes for people with deafblindness and service providers.

Training topics may include:

• General deafblind awareness
• Modes of tactile communication methods
• Communication with people who are non-verbal
• Assessment and intervention with people who are deafblind
• Orientation and mobility, including guiding a person who is deafblind
• Technology for people with deafblindness
• Assertiveness and advocacy for people with disabilities

Consultation and Facilitation 

Services delivered include full project management , as well as consultancy on existing projects to ensure the accessibility needs of people with deafblindness are considered and addressed. Meredith can also provide coordination and facilitation of forums involving people with deafblindness to ensure all access needs are fully addressed and maximum opportunity for  full participation is ensured.

See links below to some past projects Meredith has worked on:

Deafblind Orientation and Mobility Project
http://www.ableaustralia.org.au/news-events/deafblind-information

Usher syndrome information kit
http://www.ableaustralia.org.au/news-events/deafblind-information

Picture my future: Image assisted goal exploration
http://picturemyfuture.com/

Research

• The following research services are available:
• preparation of literature reviews
• research participant recruitment
• quantitative and qualitative data collection
• quantitative and qualitative data analysis
• Writing of research reports and journal articles