‘A wonderful thing’: Melanie Dimmitt on the beautiful relationship with her son’s support worker

Two years on and the relationship between this Hireup support worker and her client is now true friendship.

Melanie Dimmitt and son Arlo and Madeleine Saffery. Picture: Natalie Hunfalvay

Madeleine Saffery, 22, Hireup disability support worker, Bowral

Why did you decide to become a disability support worker?

My mum was diagnosed with motor neurone disease and I did a lot of caring for her. When she went into hospital I discovered all these different fields I had no idea about, like physio and occupational therapy and speech pathology. I saw the difference they were making and thought “that’s something I’d like to get into”. I decided to work with kids as I’d done some volunteer work with a therapy centre for children with disabilities and after six months they offered me a job there. I found my passion and haven’t looked back.

What do you like about working for Hireup?

I was doing a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy and Hireup offered a lot of flexibility that made studying a lot easier. You can pick and choose who you work with, you deal directly with the client and their family and you build a relationship with them. I now have about six regular clients through Hireup. I really enjoy it.

What support do you provide for Arlo?

I’ve been working with Arlo for about two years. We have a beautiful connection and a real friendship. Arlo has epilepsy and quadriplegic cerebral palsy so he can’t walk independently and he’s also non-verbal. I love working out how to help him do activities in different ways so there are no barriers. I help with tube-feeding, making blends for him, doing Telehealth appointments with his occupational and speech therapists, doing stretches and physio, taking him to kindergarten, going to the park and just having fun and playing. We also go bushwalking and I carry him in places where the wheelchair can’t go. I love working with him.

Madeleine Saffery, mum Melanie Dimmitt and son Arlo. Picture: Natalie Hunfalvay

Melanie Dimmitt, 37, freelance journalist, and son Arlo, 6, Moss Vale

What difference has Madeleine made to Arlo’s life?

Madeleine has not only met every single one of Arlo’s significant needs, but she also has expanded his world and tapped into passions of his we had no idea were there. Arlo is a very cheeky, very bright six-year-old and he loves nothing more than books and music. And it turns out he really likes heavy metal. Madeleine started playing him Metallica and his face lit up and now the two of them are really into it. She bought him a Metallica shirt and fully plans to take him to concerts.

How often does Madeleine visit?

We see her three or four times a week and usually have her over on Saturdays when my partner, Rowan, 36, is working. She gets us all out and takes us places like the local bowling alley. Arlo is really good at bowling, which is something I never would’ve known. I don’t tend to take the kids to a lot of activities on my own. It can be a lot of heavy lifting and it’s challenging handling him and his little sister, Odette, 4, alone. With Maddy we can get out so much more.

What are the benefits of using Hireup?

When Arlo was first diagnosed, no one talked about disability support work. I had no idea what it was or that it existed. When you have a young child with very high needs, it can feel like you’re the only person on the planet who can meet them. It feels like it will be that way for the rest of their life – that they’ll be eternally tethered to you and you’ll be cramping their style. It’s so not true. Hireup is taking disability support work in a new direction. It’s no longer acceptable to have some random person show up at your door each morning and take care of your kid. Hireup is about choosing the people who are around your family and forming a relationship with someone who has things in common with your child and with you.

How has Hireup helped you as a family?

People often assume that because Arlo’s non-verbal and in a wheelchair that he can’t communicate and he’s not intelligent. When you see it over and over again you start doubting yourself as a parent, wondering if maybe he’s not understanding. And then Madeleine comes into our life and from day dot just knew he was bright, knew he could understand everything that was going on and spoke to him like a kid. Seeing someone else get your child and love your child and knowing how wonderful and bright they are is a wonderful thing. We are now confident to keep getting Arlo out in the world with his peers, friends and community, making sure he is included.

hireup.com.au

Originally published as ‘A wonderful thing’: Melanie Dimmitt on the beautiful relationship with her son’s support worker