Frequently Asked Questions

Key words addressed in the below questions; sleep, bed-wetting, away from home, diagnosis, suitability, contact, fussy eater, medication, electronics, current therapist, funding, cost, continued therapy.

What happens if my child wets the bed?

Therapists complete subtle bed checks every morning to check if anyone has wet the bed over night. The bedding is washed and dried on site for the child to use again the next night. Bed-wetting can be a great goal for therapists to address on camp, it also understandable that in new and different environments that children can wet the bed at night. 

What if my child gets sick on camp?

If a child displays cold and flu symptoms on camp, they will need to complete a RAT or PCR test. It isn’t nice being away on camp unwell so as per previous years, if your child is unwell in any way we will let you know immediately and we will make a plan for what to do next.

My child has not slept away from home before, or not without a family member, can they still come?

We can provide you with some tips and strategies to get your child ready for the overnight stay at Camp Confidence. Being able to stay away from home may be a goal that you wish to be the focus for camp, please give us a call to discuss this. Many parents see camp as a good opportunity to develop success in staying away from home in preparation for school camps.

Does my child need to have a diagnosis to attend camp?

No, children with social, emotional and motor difficulties are welcome to attend camp whether or not they have a diagnosis. All diagnosis are welcome, as long as they are suitable for camp (please refer to the ‘is my child suitable’ information on the webpage).

I am worried that my child needs too much support to attend camp as they have really intense needs at home.

Give us a call to talk through your child needs and what your concerns for camp are. Children often respond differently to what we expect when in a new environment like our therapy camps where all the staff are trained to understand and support the Campers.  We can discuss tips and strategies to build up your child’s capacity to attend camp.

Do I get to find out what happens on camp, how often do you contact?

Parents will receive daily updates on how their child is going on camp through the online daily newsletter. Parents will also receive a verbal and written handover of the strategies that worked to achieve their child’s goals post camp. Camp is a great opportunity for therapists to really get to know your child. This allows us to develop a thorough understanding of the strengths, needs and trial a range of strategies to allow for success. If your child is having difficulty on camp, becomes unwell or there are any issues we will be in contact with you immediately. The lead therapist will have their phone on 24 hours if there is a need to be contacted. You will receive all contact information prior to camp.

What happens if my child is a fussy eater and may not eat the camp food offered?

We are able to provide specific dietary requirements to the camp site to support the preferences of campers. If you feel it is needed, you are welcome to provide the specific foods that your child will eat – though this will need to be discussed with the camp leader prior to ensure it is safe for out other campers with dietary needs. Eating can be a great goal to select for therapists to focus on whilst on camp.

My child uses electronics as a coping strategy, can they bring this to camp?

Unfortunately no electronics, unless for communication purposes, are allowed on camp and we are not able to be flexible with this. We embed a significant number of strategies into the camp that develop the child’s ability to feel intrinsically calm. We are able to tailor these strategies to meet the needs of your child, whether it be first-then, visuals, movement breaks, listening programs, cognitive strategies, relationship/co-regulation strategies and/or postural activation. Electronics take a lot of energy for the brain to process, which takes away from the kids the amount of energy they have to be social and regulate their emotions. If this is a concern of yours then please give us a call so we can work out a plan.

My child is currently seeing an Occupational Therapist, can they be involved in supporting my child on camp?

Yes. With parent’s permission their current therapist is welcome to be in contact with us to provide information prior to camp or handover post camp. This will give us a great insight on what to continue intensively on camp and what has previously already been tried. Occupational Therapists are welcome to apply to attend Camp Confidence as a Supporting Therapist to learn from our team. Please direct them to our website for more information.

Can I access funding support to attend the camp?

Calm and Connected is a registered provider with:

• Private Health Cover – you may be able to claim for therapy sessions from your private health insurance. This would include an Initial Individual Consultation (pre-screening session) and 4 group therapy sessions. Give your provider a call to find out how much of a rebate you are eligible for. Please inform our team if you are using your Private Health Cover to fund camp so that we can include the appropriate item numbers on your invoice.
• Better Start and Working with Children with Autism – Calm and Connected are a registered provider for families to access this funding.
• NDIS-  we are a registered provider for NDIS.  As camps are a therapy intervention, run by occupational therapists, funding typically comes from your Capacity Building budget.

Other funding options:

• Avivo – used to be called Perth Home Care Services avivo.org.au or 1300 428 486
• Variety Funding – you may submit an individual application to receive funding https://variety.smartygrants.com.au
• Barrows Foundation; http://therapyfocus.org.au/grants/barrows-fund/
• LAC support – contact your LAC to discuss what funding supports are available.
• CLP Grant – if your child has a diagnosis you may be eligible to apply for this grant, our therapists are happy to provide any extra details to support your application http://www.clpg.org.au/
• Local Council Grants: a number of local councils have grants for individuals, give the grants team in your local council a call to find out what might be on offer.
• Lions and Rotary – There a number of Rotary and Lions clubs across WA that support individuals to attend personal development opportunities. Write or call your local club to see if they can support you.
• Private fundraising – if you are doing any private fundraising for your child to attend camp then please let us know so we can discuss how we can support you!

Please let us know if you need any extra details to support your applications. If you know of other funding options for families please let us know!

Camp Confidence Specific FAQ’s

What are the sleeping arrangements like?

Campers will sleep in dorm style accommodation with the option of a top or bottom bunk. Each room will sleep 3-4 Campers and an adult.

My child is on medication, how will these be managed?

Our Camp nurse will be administrating all medication. When you check your child in to camp you will meet with the nurse to hand over any medication and talk through any information. A copy of our Medications and First Aid Policy is available on request. All medication is stored in accordance with the WA Poisons Act 1964 and WA Poisons Regulations (1965).

How much does Camp Confidence cost in total?

$2300 which is paid in full prior to camp for self and plan managed NDIS families. Privately paying families can contact our team to discuss options for payment plans. This is to cover all accommodation, food, cleaning, activities, therapy resources, 24 nurse on site, and 24 therapists on site

Can Camp Confidence therapists continue to work with my child before/after camp?

Yes, we are a mobile occupational therapy provider without a wait list. We can visit you at home, school or at our clinic location. Please contact us on 0430 645 086 if you wish to book a home visit. Children who have attended Camp Confidence will not require an initial assessment.

If you have further questions that are not answered here, then please give us a call on 0430 645 086 or email calmandconnected@outlook.com. We will continue to update this document as more questions come through.