Overview
William is a dynamic young boy who loves going out every day and playing plenty of games with his support workers. When we first met William, he used non-verbal communication to express his needs, which was often challenging for his family. Our support workers focus on building a genuine relationship with Will and help empower him to enjoy his daily activities and favourite hobbies, like playing word games.
William’s Journey
William is a non-verbal boy living with severe learning disabilities and autism. In the past couple of years, William experienced several crisis escalations, resulting in aggressive outbursts towards his parents and surroundings and requiring 24-hour support. His father has been his full-time carer for the past six years and needed to leave work to be able to look after his son.
Over the past few years, William hasn’t been able to attend school as he experienced moments of crisis when his father drove the car. Will’s father realised that driving the car was overly stressful, but travelling by bus or taxi was even more challenging.
In time, these challenges restricted Will’s and his family’s lives. He also experienced unpredictable behaviours of concern in public places. William’s parents became worried about their son’s safety and the safety of the people in the community.
Facing the Challenges
For many years, William expressed his needs and desires by displaying physical outbursts towards his father. On some occasions, he even broke cupboard doors and furniture, punched holes in walls and smashed dozens of TVs, iPads and computers. During this time, his family was focused on preventing these behaviours of concern, but daily life became even more challenging as William grew older. His father explains that these challenges affected his relationships with his wife, daughter, parents and brother:
“For example, my wife and I haven’t been able to even go to the supermarket together for around ten years, not been for a meal for the same amount of time.”
William’s parents realised that additional help and support were more than necessary and started looking for a care agency. However, for many years, they couldn’t find a reliable care provider that would meet their son’s specific needs. But things changed when one of Catalyst Care Group’s brands, Unique Community Services, came along.
Bringing Relief and Hope to the Family
Our team started working with William in February 2023, with 3:1 support on a daily basis. His father says that from Christmas to the day our team started supporting William, there were only two days when his son didn’t have physical outbursts that escalated towards him. Fortunately, there has been a remarkable improvement in Will’s behaviour since Unique Community Services started caring for him. By May, the behaviours of concern and distress were reduced to once every three weeks.
Our clinicians focused on creating creative and engaging daily routines for William, who loves playing outside. He now enjoys going shopping, using the trampoline, and spending time with people in the community. William also started playing word games and has a fulfilling time with his carers. His family says that today, William is a happy young boy, advancing in all aspects of life.
“My wife and I have started going out again and living a regular life. My 21-year-old daughter and her boyfriend are managing to go out in the evenings, which hasn’t been possible until now.”
The Impact of Person-Centred and Outcome-Based Approach
The person-centred and outcome-focused approach has made a life-changing impact on the lives of William and his family.
“To say that life for William and our family has improved since Unique Community Services started to work with our family is an understatement.”
All clinicians working with William are highly trained and experienced in providing a person-centred and human rights-based model of care, committed to providing the best possible care and achieving the best possible outcomes.
“The team that works with us and William are a credit to the company. We feel blessed that they are now part of our family’s lives. Saying thank you just doesn’t seem enough.”
William’s story and journey with Unique Community Services highlights the life-changing impact of consistency and continuity of care.
