Disability can happen to anyone at any time, usually when least expected. In our experience, most people are overwhelmed by the new situation in which they find themselves, and have no idea where to find help or advice. They are completely unprepared for the direction their life has taken. Parents who eagerly await the birth of their child, only to discover that the child has a severe impairment, experience a whole mixture of emotions, including sorrow, fear of the unknown, guilt and even sometimes rejection of the infant. At these times it is crucial that the family unit receives understanding and support from their loved ones. It is also tremendously helpful to have access to information about their child’s disability and practical guidance on how to care for their child”.
This is where we come in.
Disability affects different people in many different ways, depending on the cause of their impairment, their personality, home life, finances, age, gender, social environment, and many others. Each individual is different, and so our support to each person is tailor-made to their unique needs. We begin a journey with the person, helping them to plan their future and supporting them in developing their ability to become independent. The person is always central to their own development, making changes to their own life in order to achieve their goals and dreams.
We provide opportunities for parents to meet together in support groups and to establish informal support networks within their communities. This support is a great help to parents in coping with the isolation and stigmatization that unfortunately goes hand in hand with disability.
Ultimately, our aim is for each individual to enjoy a productive, fulfilling and quality life, without the need for support from us. If we can achieve this, we have accomplished our mission!
Social workers can be found in the following areas …
Western Cape
Bergrivier APD (Velddrif) | Breede Valley APD (Worcester) | Cape Town APD | Changeability (Stellenbosch) | Drakenstein APD (Paarl) | Tygerberg APD (Goodwood) |
Witzenberg APD (Ceres)
Southern Cape
Beaufort West APD | George APD | Goukam Health APD (Riversdale) | Knysna APD | Mossel Bay APD | Oudtshoorn APD