For this Case Study, we spoke to:
*Susan, a 40-year-old mother of six, received crucial support from a multidisciplinary practice (MDP) team after facing numerous challenges, including health issues within her family, social difficulties and legal concerns. The coordinated approach led to significant improvements in her and her children’s wellbeing.
Susan, who has undiagnosed autism spectrum disorder (ASD), dyslexia, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), is a mother of six children with various health challenges, including hearing impairments, seizures and mental health issues. She initially sought help for her 17-year-old child, but the family’s broader needs soon became apparent.
Susan’s family faced multiple challenges, including: health issues, such as developmental delays in her 3-year-old and various health problems in her other children; social challenges, like difficulties with schooling, limited community support, and issues with Centrelink benefits and the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS); and concerns about abuse perpetrated by Susan’s ex-partner.
A MDP team was formed, comprising occupational therapists, speech therapists, NDIS support coordinators, healthcare professionals and lawyers. The team helped with NDIS applications, prepared an affidavit and obtained a family violence intervention order, offered legal advice and representation in court and supported Susan with Centrelink documentation.
The MDP team’s coordinated efforts led to Susan receiving help with NDIS applications for herself and her children, legal and court support for a family violence intervention order and assistance with Centrelink documentation. Their collaboration and client-centred approach improved Susan’s understanding of the legal system and her relationships with support services.
Susan gained confidence and trust in the professionals involved, which led to the retention of her Centrelink payments, a better understanding of the legal processes and an overall improvement in support and trust in the service providers.
Key features critical to the success of the MDP and outcomes achieved in this case study include:
Centring the voices, interests and choices of victim–survivors across every aspect of service provision.
In this case example, the MDP team centred Susan by addressing her needs through targeted support. They helped with NDIS applications, secured a family violence intervention order and provided legal and Centrelink assistance. This approach improved Susan’s understanding of legal processes, enabled her to retain Centrelink payments and built her trust in the support services.
Valuing specialist knowledge enhances family safety and wellbeing, while respecting role boundaries improves practitioner satisfaction and retention.
In this case example, the MDP team included specialists such as occupational therapists, speech therapists, NDIS support coordinators, healthcare professionals and lawyers. By respecting each professional’s role and leveraging their specific skills, the team enhanced Susan’s safety and wellbeing, while also supporting practitioner satisfaction and effective service delivery.
One of the critical things to MDP is to respect each other’s expertise and recognise each other’s roles and responsibilities in terms of what part of the puzzle you play but you see the puzzle as a big picture … it was good to see that connection between everybody. And we all have a clear vision of what that picture needs to look like going forward.
Engaging respectfully with fellow practitioners, valuing diverse professional backgrounds and being open to learning from different perspectives.
In this case example, the MDP team engaged respectfully by collaborating effectively across various professional backgrounds, including occupational therapists, speech therapists, NDIS support coordinators, healthcare professionals and lawyers. They valued each other’s expertise and maintained open communication, which allowed them to comprehensively address Susan’s needs. This respectful and collaborative approach contributed to the positive outcomes and meant Susan’s needs were effectively met.
Clear governance structure, appropriate resources and a shared understanding of roles and processes create a platform for MDP.
In this case example, the MDP team had a clear structure with defined roles and appropriate resources, allowing for efficient coordination and comprehensive support for Susan. This governance ensured that all aspects of her care were effectively managed.
Timely and effective exchange of relevant data, insights and knowledge across different professionals involved in supporting the client.
In this case example, the MDP team effectively exchanged relevant data and insights among its members, coordinating their efforts to support Susan. This timely and collaborative approach ensured that Susan received comprehensive assistance, including help with NDIS applications, legal support and Centrelink documentation.
The MDP approach provided Susan and her family with essential support, showcasing the effectiveness of a coordinated, client- centred model in addressing complex needs.
