Before meeting Kiind I was one really really lost parent who had no idea what to do.
When Jasmine noticed that her four-year-old son Zane needed extra help at school for his learning and behaviours, she did what any concerned parent would do and took him to see the GP. However, her concerns were dismissed by the GP and Zane was deemed “too young” to pursue any further assessments.
Jasmine was left feeling lost and plagued with an immense guilt that she was somehow letting her son down. It was in this state that Jasmine first discovered Kiind through their Yarning Circles Program at Zane’s kindy.
Jasmine shared her situation with the Kiind Peer Navigators who listened and validated her concerns. They provided Jasmine with guidance to navigate other supports and services for Zane including the Early Childhood Approach (ECA) through Wanslea.
Over the course of the program, the Kiind team regularly checked in with Jasmine. The Peer Navigators also directed her to the Child Development Service (CDS) and the Neurodevelopmental Disability Assessment Service (NDAS) while waiting for the outcome of Zane’s application to access the ECA through Wanslea.
Jasmine has become more knowledgeable and empowered to navigate supports for Zane. She’s secured speech and occupational assessments, and Zane has now been accepted by a paediatrician so they can start the diagnosis process.
From this support, Jasmine and her husband, along with their extended family haveimplemented practical strategies to help understand and support Zane better. Small changes such as breaking down instructions step-by-step have resulted in fewer behavioural outbursts from Zane, greatly benefitting him and the entire family. Jasmine now feels more confident taking Zane out and participating in the community, and Zane is increasingly included in social activities.
Along with the navigation support she received from the Yarning Circles Program, Jasmine also valued the connections she made with other parents that reinforced that she wasn’t alone in this journey. In a testament to the power of peer support, Jasmine has been sharing the resources and information she’s learned with other parents. From this, Jasmine was recently delighted to hear that a friend has now secured NDIS funding for her own son.
Jasmine acknowledges that the family still has a long journey ahead. However, by getting the right supports in place, Zane is no longer mislabelled as the “naughty” child and instead, he just be Zane, an imaginative and active boy who loves chicken nuggets.
Jasmine stays proactive in the community, dedicated to raising awareness about Kiind and other valuable support services that could benefit other families.
