Address details


Down Syndrome NSW
Level 6/410 Church St, North Parramatta
9am-5pm Monday - Thursday
T: 9841 444


Saturday 19 September 2009

Are there only 1076 people seeking supported accommodation in NSW?

This report, highlighting inadequate provision of supported accommodation in NSW, in the Sydney Morning Herald on Tuesday 15th September:

Disabled and elderly housed in caravan parks

prompted this response:

Looking the other way
Letter to the Editor, Sydney Morning Herald, Thursday 17th September 2009)

Jim Moore, the head of the NSW Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care, says there are 1076 people seeking supported accommodation in NSW (''Disabled and elderly housed in caravan parks'', September 15). Mr Moore's department does not know how many disabled people are seeking supported accommodation, because it doesn't want to know. The true number would embarrass the Government.
His department and the Department of Housing make it clear to people with disabilities and their carers there is effectively no supported accommodation to be had unless they are leaving jail or some other government care. Accordingly, people do not waste time chasing a non-existent service.

I could collect a list of 100 people within a week who seek supported accommodation and are not counted among the 1076.

Dianne Thian, Kensington

We don't doubt that as an individual Dianne Thian could find another 100 people in a week - we could do it in a day or two, as could most other similar organisations in NSW.

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