It's a New Start

Cameron 18 yrs old

2014 is a whole new start for Cameron.

 

Cameron is now attending his Post School Options Service - DADAA. (Disabled in the Arts, Disadvantaged in the Arts Association. No more school for him and I think he's rather pleased about that. We went and visited his old school a couple of weeks ago and he really didn't want to get out of the car until I convinced him we weren't staying. It was so nice to catch up with our old friends.

 

Life is very different this year. Cameron receives funding for 3 days of care from 9.30am - 3.00pm. Therefore it is just the two of us for two days a week. One day we use for therapy and the other we bumble our way through.

 

It's a big change for Cameron being occupied for a significantly less number of hours a week than he used to be. He seems lost at times and sometimes bored. But on a positive note he is very impatient in the mornings when he is waiting for his carers to arrive and is very happy to head off with them.

 

He has 3 main carers, 2 females and a male and they are all lovely and he is getting back into his favourite activities again with them. He is back in the saddle horseriding again at RDA Brigadoon and he is back in the pool swimming.

 

I've also started taking Cameron to a special needs dancing class at his sisters dancing school - Dance Etc - which Cam is really enjoying. My Little Angel helps in the class and has consequently made friends with a sibling of one of the other dancers which is lovely. MLA hasn't met many other siblings and when she does it's a special bond they share.

 

With his carers Cameron is trying some new experiences. Friday is art day and he spends the day in the Dadaa art studio. Some days he comes home accessorized with paint and other days I have no idea what he has been up to but apparently he enjoys himself. He has also been going to new places like sports centres, exercise parks, a farm and checking out Fremantle and Perth. His care is one on one so they are free to follow Cameron's interests which makes it great for him.

 

It hasn't been an easy transition because it is such a huge difference from how our life has been for the last 15 years but we are adapting and adjusting and Cameron is happy to be an adult now and no longer a schoolboy.

 

Apart from Dadaa Cameron is still doing his therapy, visiting his family and going to Kelete. Dadaa has arranged for one of Cameron's carers to take him to Kelete for me, which is great. So life isn't too bad.