Individualised Funding the Right Fit
For Auckland father Craig McKinlay, the flexibility of Individualised Funding (IF) and the responsiveness of Manawanui have made a significant difference to his family.
Craig is the agent for his two sons, Jacob, 15, and Connor, 14, who both have autism and ADHD. Jacob has moderate to severe autism and was diagnosed at around three or four years old. Connor was diagnosed last year with Level 1 autism. While their diagnoses are similar, their support needs are different, so each has a separate IF funding arrangement with Manawanui.
Jacob joined Manawanui when he was eight or nine, after IF was raised as an option through Taikura Trust, now known as Kaikaranga, which is the Needs Assessment Coordination Service (NASC) for Auckland. Connor came on board this year.
Craig has also accessed Carer Support, which he describes as a consistently frustrating experience.
“Health NZ customer service versus Manawanui customer service is night and day – it doesn't even compare.
A callback wait of an hour-and-a-half is not unusual, he says, which is in contrast to Manawanui’s prompt response time at the Customer Experience Centre.
Even when you get hold of Health NZ, there's no ability to find out what stage your claim's at. I just don't have a lot of time to stuff around on phone calls,” Craig says.
Craig still has some Carer Support allocation remaining but has largely stopped using it because of the time and effort involved.
Choosing Manawanui
After learning about Individualised Funding through Kaikaranga Craig researched several host provider options before choosing Manawanui based on customer feedback, size and reputation.
“Manawanui made the most sense,” he says. “The service is 3/10 for Carer Support, and Manawanui is 8, consistently. So there you are that’s the difference.”
Craig has also found support from his coach helpful, particularly when it comes to understanding what purchases can and cannot be funded.
"What you can claim for and what you can't – that's the biggest thing," Craig says.
Budgeting for two children with IF
From practical budgeting guidance and easy-to-use tools to responsive help when he needs it, Manawanui's people and services help him confidently manage funding for his family.
Managing two separate funding arrangements means Craig needs to keep a close eye on spending. He says goes over his allocated fortnightly funding three or four times a year, usually by around $100 or $200.
This is because of costs including transport through Driving Miss Daisy and services through LifeKidz. He manages this with a personal spreadsheet and tries to stay on budget as much as possible, and checks before making significant purchases.
Manawanui invaluable as an IF host
Whether it’s navigating funding rules to managing expenses, Craig values knowing help is never far away. He says Manawanui's coaching, customer portal and Customer Experience Centre all play an important role in helping him confidently manage the funding for his boys.
The Payroll Service
Craig says he uses the payroll service Manawanui offers and it has been invaluable. Also, if a payment needs to be actioned urgently or if he has a query help is available.
Coaches help keep him on track
Craig says Manawanui coach has helped him understand what can be claimed and manage his budget.
“I'm doing a lot better this year budgeting. Actually having a coach makes a difference because they can provide guidance.”
“What you can claim for and what you can't – that's the biggest thing.”
He says changes to the flexible funding rules have also made some purchases easier to manage. He gives the example of specialist carpet cleaning for Jacob, which was approved without requiring prior approval. Craig was previously unaware that IF funding could not be carried over into the following year and found himself in a difficult position as a result. The Manawanui coaching manager intervened and provided exceptional support to resolve the situation.
"She put herself out because I had to get approval in before the end of last year and that was really hard. I was worried because then I'd have to fork out myself."
Managing IF using the Customer Portal
Craig uses the Manawanui customer portal to submit timesheets, process purchases and keep track of his budget.
“It’s great you can see your balance – it really helps with budgeting,” he says.
He also finds processing timesheets through the portal straightforward.
For Craig, being able to see his available balance is particularly useful when managing the costs associated with supporting two children.
The CEC provides essential back-up
Craig has contacted Manawanui's Customer Experience Centre several times and describes the team as responsive and helpful.
He describes the team as responsive and helpful, in contrast to his experience with Health NZ when dealing with Carer Support issues.
Respite is more than a break
For Craig and his wife Lisa, respite funding is an important part of supporting their family and has enabled them to take breaks, including a recent trip to Fiji, and a night away together at a hotel.
For the couple, respite is a necessity rather than a luxury. Time away also gives Jacob the opportunity to work independently with his support worker.
“It allows us to focus on our relationship, and Jacob gets to build his independence when he stays with the carer. She was able to achieve some really good things with his toileting while we were away, and that helps us – that's one of his major goals.”
Craig says finding and keeping a good support worker can be difficult, making continuity of support important for the family.
Would Craig recommend Individualised Funding?
Asked what he would say to someone considering IF, for Craig the answer is simple.
“The customer experience with Manawanui has always been great, and I haven't had any problems. Definitely come to Manawanui, they’re the best.”