The not-for-profit organisation has been running as an initiative of Singleton Uniting Church since 2008 on the back of community donations and a regional development grant.

 From July onwards Uniting Care  Singleton Respite Disability Services has been officially joined to Uniting Care NSW and ACT. 

All of the employees and volunteers remain the same and committee members will still have a say in what the organisation provides for local people. 

New systems and training started on July 1 and the documents  were officially signed on Monday morning at the Uniting Church minister’s Reverend Dr John Webster’s home. 

“We’ve always had a connection with the network who have backed up our service by paying wages at times or offering expertise,” team leader Janice Lawrence said. 

Currently Singleton Uniting Care Disability Respite provides, the Toy Shelf service a Tuesday drop in respite and Friday afternoon Ten Pin Bowling and School Holiday Respite activities. 

“We’ll be looking to work with the Singleton as a partnership to meet the needs of the region and will be supporting the local organisation with the rollout of the National Disability Insurance Scheme when it is introduced to the Upper Hunter next year,” acting director Uniting Care Disability Fiona Coluccio said. 

Singleton Uniting Care Disability Services committee member Maureen Timmins said that the disability service was important because it supported families who had children with mental disabilities, which can be a real challenge.  

The Respite Sleep Over Cottage project will be revisited by stakeholders and the Singleton Uniting Care Disability Services committee to see what services they would need in the future.

“Because of the NDIS there is an ability to approach respite needs on a more individual basis to provide the best service to them,” Singleton Uniting Care Disability Services former chairperson Megan Lobb said.