Amanda’s perfect Support Worker was closer than she thought

Having two autistic children, Amanda needed Support Workers she could not only trust, but who Alex and Erica felt relaxed and comfortable with.

But she was struggling to find someone who was the perfect fit. Little did she know, that person was closer than she thought.

Zoe is Amanda’s hairdresser and she has been cutting Amanda’s hair for many years. It wasn’t until Amanda took Erica to Zoe to have her hair cut, that she had a light bulb moment. She saw the great rapport that Zoe had with Erica, so decided to ask Zoe the question.

“Are you looking to get some extra cash? ‘Cause I’ve got a job for you!” Amanda laughs.

“I don’t think that most people would think, I’m going to get a haircut, I’ll pick up a Support Worker on the way.”

Amanda says it’s just a matter of thinking outside the square and thinking of people from within your local community – people you perhaps may not immediately think of.

She wanted to find a support worker for Alex, now 17, who could simply work with him and not want to change him.

“He interacts with a lot of therapists and people at school, and everyone is trying to change him and so I just wanted some to be with him…someone who was more like a friend or a buddy.”

Zoe was able to provide just that. Someone who could be there for him and assist with his daily activities and work on his goals.

Amanda says the greatest benefit of Carer Solutions Direct Employ service is that she is in control of employing people herself, people that she knows, who her kids know and who understand the mechanisms of their family.

“This is why it is so much harder with an agency because you’re getting what someone else thinks you need – not what you actually need.“

Amanda says it’s good to know that although she is in control of employing and managing her Support Workers, it’s comforting to know that Carer Solutions is there taking care of all the payroll and employee admin behind the scenes.

“It’s nice to there’s someone there who can back me up.”