Tom's House

In December 2017, our son and brother to our other two children (also autistic), Tom (severely autistic/non-verbal and aged almost 16 years) was removed from our family home. This was a heartbreaking decision that I found myself having to make due to the negligent and incompetent processes of the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

As parent to three autistic children, (Tom the youngest) and we had very little support as it was, before NDIS. Tom received his very first NDIS plan last year and as a result, experienced a massive decline in all the supports previously in place. We had no ongoing support and no funds to provide Tom with his day to day care.

Tom has been cared for outside of the family home now for six months and the residence that he lives in is a temporary arrangement. The residence was previously a nursing home and the hospital has plans to demolish the building to build a cancer wing.

Tom has at best, 12 months living in the current arrangement before he will have nowhere to live! There is no accommodation in Echuca that can house him!

I did some further research into blocks of land in and around Echuca and had found the perfect spot! It is a six-acre block and just on the edge of town with all town services available.

To fund this project, we need to sell the property that we are currently living in and move to the block. With the cost of moving again and purchase of the larger block of land, we will struggle to fund Tom’s fully equipped home. Tom requires 24/7 care in a purpose built, disability compliant house by specifically chosen carers.

We need to begin planning and building Tom’s house in the next few months to make sure that Tom is not moved from Echuca!

We have started a GoFundMe page to assist in the planning and building of Tom’s new home with the aim of providing him with a place of his own and to live and grow with the love and support of family, friends and carers – please any help would be greatly appreciated and welcomed! :)