Harry's House

Not all respite is the same.
I learned that very quickly as a parent.
You don’t just hand your child over and walk away. You are trusting someone else to understand their needs, recognise when something isn’t right, and know what to do next.
And for some children, shared care just doesn’t work.
This is the third article in the “When Care Never Stops” series, exploring why respite for children with complex needs is different, and why that matters.

Read the article here:

Not All Respite Is the Same: Supporting Children With Complex Needs Article 3 of the “When Care Never Stops” series In the first two articles in this series, I talked about what it means when care never really stops, and the role families play in holding much of that care together. There is another part of this conversation that is just as important.

In the first article in this series, I talked about what it’s like when care never really stops.

But there’s another side to that.

Across Australia, families are doing an extraordinary amount of care every day, often quietly and without recognition. Overnight monitoring, managing seizures, hospital stays, coordinating appointments, stepping in when supports fall short… this is what keeps things going.

The NDIS relies on families continuing in this role, but we don’t often talk about what that really looks like, or what happens when it becomes too much.

This is the second article in the “When Care Never Stops” series, looking at the role families play and why respite matters.

When Care Never Stops Article 2 of the “When Care Never Stops” series. In the first article in this series, I talked about the reality that for many families caring for children with complex disability, care never really stops.

When you are caring for a child with complex disability, care rarely stops.

Seizures can happen without warning. School days can end early. Hospital visits, therapies and constant supervision often become part of everyday life. Parents learn to manage medical needs, advocate with professionals and hold together the full picture of their child’s care.

Respite is sometimes described simply as giving parents “a break”. In reality, it plays a much deeper role in helping families sustain the level of care their children depend on.

This article is the first in the “When Care Never Stops” series exploring the importance of respite for families caring for children with complex disability.

When care never stops, respite is not a luxury. It is part of what makes sustainable care possible.

When Care Never Stops: The Importance of Respite Article 1 of the “When Care Never Stops” series In many homes across Australia, parents of children with complex disability are providing care that never truly stops. They manage feeding tubes, administer medications, respond to seizures, support mobility, monitor sleep, and remain alert to risk...

Over the past few weeks we have been sharing a short series of articles about restrictive practices in the NDIS.
The aim has been to help families understand why some everyday supports can fall within the restrictive practice framework, and why providers sometimes need to follow processes that may feel unfamiliar.

In our final article in the series we step back and look at the bigger picture, the balance between protecting rights and delivering safe, practical care for children and young people with complex needs.

You can read the final article here. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/restrictive-practices-ndis-finding-balance-between-rights-barker-86fac

Next we will begin a new series exploring another topic many families talk to us about, respite.
For families supporting children with complex disability, respite is often the support that allows families to keep going. Yet it is sometimes treated as though it is optional.
So why is something so essential sometimes viewed as a luxury?

Restrictive Practices in the NDIS: Finding the Balance Between Rights, Safety and Care In our previous articles we explored how restrictive practices are defined within the NDIS, why ordinary care can sometimes fall into this category, and why families are often surprised to learn that something they have safely done for years may now require documentation and oversight. These rules e

(Roleystone, Bedfordale, Martin)
Harry’s House – Specialised Respite for Children & Young People with High Medical Needs

Harry’s House provides home-based respite for children and young people with disability who require high-intensity and complex medical supports.

We create a warm, safe and family-friendly environment where participants can relax, have fun, and receive high-quality support from trained staff.

🧡 Our Supports Include:
• Tracheostomy care
• Enteral feeding (PEG/NG)
• Severe dysphagia & mealtime support
• Epilepsy & seizure management
• Complex bowel & continence care
• Behaviour support strategies
• Personal care & mobility assistance
• Infection prevention & medication support
• Community access & activities
All supports are delivered by qualified Support Practitioners trained in NDIS High-Intensity Skill Descriptors, child safety, safeguarding and ISO-aligned quality systems.

💛 What Makes Us Different?
• Safe, calm, home-like environments
• Individualised support based on each participant’s needs
• High staff competency and clinical oversight
• A focus on dignity, rights and meaningful experiences
• Strong communication with families, coordinators and therapists

💙 Funding Options
• NDIS Short-Term Accommodation
• Core Supports
• Planned or emergency respite

📞 Contact us:
Message our page or email [email protected] to learn more or organise a tour.

🌈 A safe place for young people to rest, grow and experience joy.
Please share to help families find the support they deserve.

Families are sometimes surprised to learn that even small things, like a missed dose or a minor timing change, may still need to be reported under NDIS requirements.
We understand how this can sound serious, even when the situation itself was minor and safely managed.
We’ve written a short article explaining why this happens, and what it does, and does not, mean for your child.
If you ever have questions about something that has been documented or reported, please know we are always happy to talk it through with you.

You can read the full article here 👇

When Small Changes Still Have to Be Reported: What Families Should Know | Tracie Barker Families are sometimes surprised to learn that even small things, like a missed dose or a minor timing change, may still need to be reported under NDIS requirements. We understand how this can sound serious, even when the situation itself was minor and safely managed. We’ve written a short article...

Families are sometimes concerned when they hear that something has been “reported” under the NDIS, and it’s natural to assume this means there is a problem.
We know this can feel worrying, especially when your child’s care has been stable for a long time.
We’ve written a new article to explain what reporting actually means, what usually happens after a report is submitted, and what it does, and does not, mean for families.

When We Report Under the NDIS: What Families Don’t Always See | #Harry's House Families are sometimes concerned when they hear that something has been “reported” under the NDIS, and it’s natural to assume this means there is a problem. We know this can feel worrying, especially when your child’s care has been stable for a long time. We’ve written a new article to exp...

Sometimes families are surprised to learn that things like long-standing medications can trigger extra NDIS requirements, such as reporting or a Behaviour Support Plan even when the care itself hasn’t changed.

We know this can feel confusing or worrying, so we’ve written a short article to explain why this happens and what it does (and doesn’t) mean for your child.

Our aim is always to support families with clear information and reassurance.

See our Article in LinkedIn

When Medical Care Becomes a Restrictive Practice: A Provider’s Reality In short: Some medications prescribed by doctors must still be reported by disability providers as chemical restraint under NDIS rules even when families understand, consent to, and use the same medication at home, school, and hospital. This reporting is about regulatory frameworks, not concerns abo

Roleystone - Bedfordale - Martin Western Australia
Harry’s House – Specialised Respite for Children & Young People with High Medical Needs

🌟Harry’s House provides home-based respite for children and young people with disability who require high-intensity and complex medical supports. We create a warm, safe and family-friendly environment where participants can relax, have fun, and receive high-quality support from trained staff.

🧡 Our Supports Include:
• Tracheostomy care
• Enteral feeding (PEG/NG)
• Severe dysphagia & mealtime support
• Epilepsy & seizure management
• Complex bowel & continence care
• Behaviour support strategies
• Personal care & mobility assistance
• Infection prevention & medication support
• Community access & activities
• Palliative care

All supports are delivered by qualified Support Practitioners trained in NDIS High-Intensity Skill Descriptors, child safety, safeguarding and ISO-aligned quality systems.

💛 What Makes Us Different?
• Safe, calm, home-like environments
• Individualised support based on each participant’s needs
• High staff competency and clinical oversight
• A focus on dignity, rights and meaningful experiences
• Strong communication with families, coordinators and therapists

💙 Funding Options
• NDIS Short-Term Accommodation
• Core Supports
• Planned or emergency respite
• Assistance with Self Care Activities

📞 Contact us:
Message our page or email [email protected] to learn more or organise a tour.

🌈 A safe place for young people to rest, grow and experience joy.
Please share to help families find the support they deserve.

🌟 We’re Hiring Now! Join the Harry’s House Team! 🌟

Are you passionate about making a difference in the lives of people with disabilities?
Harry’s House is growing — and we’re looking for caring, reliable, and enthusiastic Support Practitioners to join our team!

We provide individualised respite and high-intensity supports in a welcoming home environment, helping participants live safely, independently, and joyfully.

✅ Flexible shifts (day, evening, overnight)
✅ Supportive team culture
✅ Ongoing training and professional development
✅ Opportunities to make a real impact every day

If you’re dedicated, values-driven, and ready to be part of something special — we’d love to hear from you!

📩 Apply online to today https://freeonlinesurveys.com/s/9VV48Ui4
OR via Seek
https://www.seek.com.au/job/88451084?ref=hirer-jobs-list

#Harry's House Job Application

Our girls loved Aqua 🐠