Kids Nest considers picking up services
A DUNEDIN organisation has announced it plans to fill the void in intellectual disabilities services left by Idea Services.
Idea Services, the operational arm of IHC, has signalled it will stop providing home support, contract board and foster care, and last month closed its only respite house, in Wycolla Ave, St Clair.
Many families with children with intellectual disabilities say it was done without warning or consultation and has left them in limbo.
However, during a meeting at the Caversham Baptist Church last night, Kids Nest Otago chairman Emeritus Prof Martin Ferguson announced he was investigating taking over the services.
Although it was still early days, he said the organisation was looking to build a facility in Dunedin that could provide for up to five people at a time, and he was negotiating with the Ministry of Health for ongoing funding to run the facility.
Prof Ferguson said the organisation had surveyed families with children with intellectual disabilities and found about 70 Dunedin families were interested in using the proposed facility.
Healthcare New Zealand has also expressed an interest in taking over the services dropped by Idea Services, but not those provided in Dunedin.
It was hoped any new organisations taking over the services would take on present Idea Services staff working with affected families.
About 50 people attended the meeting, at which many parents and support staff vented anger at the lack of communication from Idea Services over the closure, and the declining funding of services by the Ministry of Health.
Many were concerned about how the loss of home support services would affect their children.
The service provides a ‘‘buddy’’ to help people with intellectual disabilities in their home, once a week, with tasks including shaving, bed making and meal preparation, to help them transition to independent living. The ‘‘buddy’’ also accompanies them on activities, such as seeing a movie or swimming.
Idea Services general manager Jendy Edwards said IHC services would continue to provide services until families had transitioned into support provided by other organisations.