The group of parents gazing over the slab of a house under construction at Caringbah found it hard to believe it was real.
Eleven years ago, they formed a group to campaign for homes where their adult children with severe intellectual disabilities could live more independently in a safe environment.
It has been a long and painful journey, but the Sutherland Shire Disability Accommodation Action Group’s goal is within reach, with work under way on homes for 17 people at Caringbah. Loftus and Jannali.
Sites in Irrubel Road, Caringbah, and Second Avenue, Loftus, will each have six, one bedroom villas, while a five bedrooom group home is being built in Wattle Road, Jannali.
Teams of carers will provide around-the-clock support for the residents, who will move in about the end of October.
The 14 people who have so far been chosen to go into the homes are aged 19 to 40 and comprise eight women and six men.
The project is a joint effort between the parents’ group, state government, St George Community Housing, Sutherland Shire Council, Southern Sydney Trusted Care and Sylvanvale.
Minister for Disability Services John Ajaka headed a host of dignitaries at a ceremony at the Caringbah site on Friday.
But, it was the parents who were the real VIPs.
President of the Sutherland Shire Disability Accommodation Action Group, Janice Marshall, said it was “a real choke moment”.
Ms Marshall said the group had experienced many obstacles and setbacks.
“Two of the original 18 children in our group have passed away, families have broken down and there have been other tragedies,” she said.
Ms Marshall said the breakthrough came in 2011 when then NSW Disability Minister Andrew Constance chose them to trial individual supported accommodation packages.
“We were a precursor to the NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme),” she said.
Ms Marshall said the group had been involved in every aspect from lobbying politicians and struggling with bureaucracy, to searching for land and designing the homes to meet individual needs of their children.
“The new homes mean our sons and daughters will be able to transition to more independent living, which will be huge for some of these young people,” she said.
“Many of them will step up immensely once they leave their families because, no matter how disabled they are, they will get a sense of being more in control of their lives.”
Ms Marshall said parents would experience both anxiety and relief.
“They will be hoping their children will be happy in their new environment, but, at the same time, relieved to get a bit of their life back,” she said.
“They have given up careers, holidays, their lives, for their children.
“This won’t be a cure-all, but it will provide enormous benefits for the children and their parents.”
Ms Marshall said each resident of a new home would receive an individual support funding package to pay for services.
They would also receive a federal disability pension, a quarter of which would be paid as rent to St George Community Housing.
Ms Marshall said the state government paid for the land and construction of the homes.
Once they are competed, ownership will be transferred to St George Community Housing, which will manage them.
Chief executive of St George Community Housing, Scott Langford said the homes and on-site support would provided residents with “a safe and homely place that also promotes independence, giving them the opportunity to enjoy a full and inclusive life – living and socialising with other young people.”
