Services
EFA exists to help families who have a child or children with a disability. EFA builds community connections and support through the matching of children with a disability
to volunteers who can provide:
valuable companionship
support
practical assistance
The volunteer spends regular time with the child, and sometimes the family, either at home or in a community setting. Through this, the volunteer provides the child with:
a sense of belonging
care and nurturing
a special relationship
together with flexible respite for family members.
Plans are worked out between the child, family and volunteer taking into account the child’s needs and interests, the family’s lifestyle and the availability of the volunteer. Reviews of plans are held annually,( or as needed), between EFA, the family and volunteer.
Our qualified Regional Coordinators work diligently to recruit, train and match a volunteer with a child and family and then foster and support the relationship. Volunteers are thoroughly screened and assessed and provided with training and orientation. Where a child has needs which require specific skills, EFA may seek to recruit an appropriately skilled volunteer or arrange for specialised training.
EFA is committed to helping develop strong, ongoing relationships between volunteers and families. All matches are monitored regularly by the Regional Coordinator and ongoing support is provided to volunteers and families through contact with the Regional Coordinator, newsletters, volunteer peer support meetings, family fun days and social events.
You can check out what events are happening in our
Events section.
EFA has an established history of high quality, client focused services for children with a disability and their family. Services operates within the
Quality Framework for Disability Services in Victoria (2007) (including the Victorian Standards for Disability Services) and within the HACC National Standards. EFA also abides by the ‘National Standards for Involving Volunteers in Not For Profit Organisations’. The framework is one of continuous service improvement.
An independent Agency Assessment using the HACC National Standards Instrument took place in October 2003 and October 2007. EFA was assessed as being of a ‘good’ standard in both assessments.
