pos snapshot for dads

Providing Timeout and support to men facing

significant family trauma

www.pillarsofstrength.com.au

Pillars of Strength in action


Pillars of Strength Channel 10

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BLKlhBpzTU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BLKlhBpzTU

Pillars of Strength

SnapshotAfter finding no service exclusively providing support for dads, in 2011 Pillars of Strength was established to provide much

needed timeout and support for Dads while their baby is sick and also to bereaved dads after the loss of their baby.

Pillars of Strength is a ‘first’ for Australia. It was piloted at Royal North Shore NICU and has now rolled out to Royal Women’s Hospital NICU and Sydney Children’s Hospital, and is also accessible to bereaved dads across NSW and the ACT.

Pillars of Strength will begin to deliver the Timeout programs nationally to bereaved dads and selected hospital NICUs from 2013.

In the future this may also include support to other hospital departments (oncology, paediatrics) and to those who care for disabled children and adults.


Every Year in Australia:

•68,000 children are hospitalised•44,000 newborn babies require the help of a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) or Special Care Nursery •Up to 1,000 babies lose their fight for life (in the NICU)•2,500 babies are stillborn •Parental relationships breakdown

Pillars of Strength

SnapshotAfter finding no service exclusively providing support for dads, in 2011 Pillars of Strength was established to provide much

needed timeout and support for Dads while their baby is sick and also to bereaved dads after the loss of their baby.

Pillars of Strength is a ‘first’ for Australia. It was piloted at Royal North Shore NICU and has now rolled out to Royal Women’s Hospital NICU and Sydney Children’s Hospital, and is also accessible to bereaved dads across NSW and the ACT.

Pillars of Strength will begin to deliver the Timeout programs nationally to bereaved dads and selected hospital NICUs from 2013.

In the future this may also include support to other hospital departments (oncology, paediatrics) and to those who care for disabled children and adults.


In times of crisis even the strongest dads need support. At times like this they feel like they need to be the Pillar of Strength. No matter how tough you are, some things you just can’t do on your own. Pillars of Strength is here for dads so they can support their families. Pillars of Strength is a not for profit organisation dedicated to providing “Time Out” and “In Hospital Support” programs for dads while their baby is ill and to bereaved dads after the loss of their infant child. We are committed to finding ways to provide practical assistance as well as much needed peer support for dads in times of crisis so they can be there for their immediate family, particularly the baby’s mum.

Pillars of Strength – In BriefAfter finding no service exclusively providing support for dads, in 2011 Pillars

of Strength was established to provide respite and support to dads facing significant family trauma. It gives dads the opportunity to access events for a bit of “time out” and it delivers practical assistance for dads throughout these periods of intense distress.

Pillars of Strength services is not intended to be a counselling service, rather a peer support service and provision of respite and assistance.

PoS is a ‘first’ for Australia. It was piloted at Royal North Shore NICU and has now rolled out to 5 hospitals in NSW/ACT, and is also accessible to bereaved dads across NSW and the ACT.

PoS will begin to deliver the Timeout programs nationally to bereaved dads and selected hospital NICUs from 2015.


How Pillars of Strength Can HelpEven In times of prolonged crisis everyone needs a break. Our Time Out program is designed to give dads just that – some time out from the stresses they are dealing with. Our Time Out program gives dads – and their mates or other family members – the chance to simply go to a sporting event of their choice. This “me time”, taking your mind off everything if only for a few hours can make all the difference.

In addition to watching sport live our Time Out program includes a number of special events held throughout the year where dads can play a bit of sport themselves and simply have some fun. Here they can meet other dads going through similar experiences where they can both relax and relate to what others are going through.

By providing access to timeout allows the opportunity for a dad to reconnect with his support network.


How Pillars of Strength Can Help

Acccess to Sporting Events - Reconnect with your family and mates

As a bereaved dad you are able to access up to four tickets to any of the games and other activities we have on offer. You must have someone attend the activity with you whether it’s a mate or a family member.

Primarily these events include seats to NRL and AFL games plus an assortment of other sporting events including cricket, soccer, golf, rugby union and others depending on seasonality.


How Pillars of Strength Can Help

Events – Meet other dads

We also run events throughout the year, giving dads the opportunity to meet other dads who have experienced the loss of a child. These events are designed for dads to get active, mingle and have some fun in a social environment. This includes playing a game of cricket on the hallowed SCG turf, attending and AFL or NRL game, a round of golf, barefoot bowls, or even touch footy or a game of soccer on Allianz or ANZ Stadium.

You must have someone attend the activity with you that is male whether it’s a mate or a family member.


How Pillars of Strength can Help

Time Out - The Outcomes

The Time Out program allows a dad to have his own time and gives him the ability to reconnect with his support network without formally asking for help.

It may also allow the dad to interact with a peer support network of individuals who have been through a similar situation allowing him to understand that he is not alone.

The result is a dad who has had time to reflect, reenergise and refocus as well as being able to reconnect with his support network – the people around him who have always been there but may not have been able to engage him.


In Hospital SupportOur In Hospital Support program has two strands.

On the one hand we provide short term accommodation for families.

On the other we provide vouchers for dads to use on the necessities – supermarket shopping, petrol and parking at the hospital.

When there are so many things to account for – and pay for too – this can be extremely effective in helping reduce some of the stresses dads and their families are going through.

Operating in conjunction with the hospital’s social work team this Pillars of Strength multi dimensional program helps relieve some of the monetary stress of regional families associated with having a sick child in hospital.


Program Access & EligibilityThe initial focus of PoS in terms of meeting the needs of fathers is centred on the

neonatal and newborn spectrum of fatherhood…

• Dads who have lost their child through stillbirth • Dads who have lost their son or daughter in the NICU • Dads who have lost their infant child• Dads who have their son or daughter in the NICU (or recently graduated) • This has also recently opened up to Dads who have infants in SCH

There is no cost to fathers in terms of accessing these services.

There are currently no other services exclusively available for fathers to support them during this difficult period.


Since its inception in July 2011 Pillars of Strength has…

Distributed over 3,000 timeout opportunities to bereaved dads and to dads with sick babies in hospital through the support of the NSW Rugby, ANZ Stadium, The NRL, and many others.

Since its inception in July 2011 Pillars of Strength has …

•Supported over 100 families through an in-hospital parking program.

•Run events for bereaved dads to engage in social or sporting activities and meet other dads - with a counsellor, nurse or support worker attending


Provided to regional dads and their families over 400 nights of accommodation (saving them over $60 000) by operating a short term accommodation program next to Royal North Shore Hospital so that they have somewhere to stay in the first stages of their baby’s hospitalisation.


Renovated the Sydney Children’s Hospital parents’ hostel to provide a place or respite and timeout whilst their child is in hospital.

Feedback“Pillars of Strength, guided by the ‘can do concern’ of Gary Sillett and his team, hold part of the net that catches parents when their initial experience of parenting is very different from the one they anticipated.

The illness and hospitalisation of a child is a crisis for parents. Parents face enormous stresses - financial, emotional and practical, as they manage the juggle of hospital, home, other children and work, all against a background of uncertainty.

While the outcome for most families is the recovery and continued well being of their child, for other families the death of their child takes them down a very difficult and often very lonely path.

Provision of a Timeout Program for Dads, an offer to parents of accommodation options, information, assistance and support during these difficult times is a valued contribution.

Pillars of Strength provides welcome support to Dads and families with children receiving neonatal care and special nursery care, including support for the loss of a child.”

Deborah de Wilde OAM (Medal of the Order of Australia), BSW, RGN, CMD


Feedback

“Since we have established this program as a pilot in RNSH NICU we have seen the benefits of it for the dads - and the mums. A dad is now easily and non-confrontationally able to ask for support, through asking his mate to come with him to a game or event provided by PoS. This informal support facilitates timely and relevant social and emotional support.

This welcomed distraction and emotional support pays dividends for the wife and family as the dads return energised and a new lease on life. And mums are able to direct their husbands to take a break from domestic concerns and encourage them to emotionally recharge. This strengthens the husbands and the wife knows that the reprieve will enable her pillar of strength to continue to support her and the family.”

A RNSH NICU nurse

“My bub spent 2 weeks in NICU and I count my blessings every day that she survived. My husband spent that time running between our dog and older child at home, me seriously ill in the maternity ward, and our baby critically ill in NICU. I was offered so much support, but no one seemed to know how to support him. This is so needed and overdue.”

A mum


Future Short Term Objectives

Our future direction is to:

•Expand our Timeout program to the Hunter region and regional NSW as well as to Victorian and Qld hospitals in 2015, and SA and WA in 2016/17.

•Expand our regional short term accommodation programs to other hospital/s in Sydney as well as to John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle

•Establish a hospital support program for Qld and Victorian hospitals



Channel 9s Mornings show segment

For further information or to get involved please contact


pos snapshot for dads

Documents

bereaved dads

pillars of strength

pillars of strength

pillars of strength

strongest dads

pillar of strength

hospital support programs

needed peer support