Mildura Disability Support Services

28/10/2026

Today we made air fried KFC in our cooking program. 👌🏻

Fair to say it was a hit all round. 😉

23/10/2026

🌟 WE'RE HIRING – OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST | MILDURA

Looking for a fresh start or a workplace where you're genuinely valued?

Mildura Disability Support Services is looking for another passionate occupational therapist to join our friendly, supportive team!

💰 Up to $130,000 salary + superannuation depending on experience
⭐ Performance bonuses of up to $12,000 per year
📚 Paid professional development and external clinical supervision
🤝 Allied Health Assistant and administrative support
🏡 Flexible working arrangements – full-time or part-time
💚 Supportive management, professional autonomy and no micromanagement!

You'll enjoy a varied caseload across paediatrics and adults, with the freedom to work independently while having a supportive team behind you.

New graduates and experienced OTs are welcome to apply.

NDIS experience is preferred but not essential.

🌏 Overseas applicants requiring sponsorship are also welcome.
Interested?

We'd love to hear from you!

Send your CV to:

[email protected]

All enquiries are treated with the strictest confidence.

21/10/2026

This week is Invisible Disabilities Week, and I wanted to share a little about my son, Lachie.

Lachie is 20 years old. He’s deaf, has level 2 autism, ADHD, type 1 diabetes, and PDA (pathological demand avoidance).

If you met Lachie, you probably wouldn’t realise he has these disabilities.

He’s independent, hardworking, incredibly organised and very capable.

At just 18 years old, Lachie bought his first home. He works, looks after himself, cooks, cleans and manages his own affairs.

He doesn’t do drugs, drink or smoke, and he’s probably more responsible than most people twice his age!

He also works for Mildura Disability Support Services as our systems coordinator, managing rostering and vehicles.

He’s a perfectionist, takes his responsibilities seriously and does an amazing job.

But beneath all of this, there are challenges people don’t always see.

One of Lachie’s biggest challenges is communication and socialising.

He finds it difficult to talk to people, particularly those he doesn’t know well. Starting conversations, knowing what to say and keeping them going don’t come naturally to him.

Making friends and building social connections is super difficult, even when he wants to. What seems like a simple conversation to someone else can take a great deal of effort for Lachie.

PDA is also widely misunderstood, or not known about at all.

It’s a profile associated with autism where everyday demands and expectations can create overwhelming anxiety and a strong need to maintain control.

For Lachie, this means that even something he wants to do, or is perfectly capable of doing, can become difficult when someone else asks or expects him to do it. It isn’t about being lazy, difficult or deliberately defiant. It’s about how his brain responds to demands and pressure.

Sometimes, the more he is pushed, the harder things become.

Giving him choices, allowing him to do things in his own time and respecting his need for independence can make an enormous difference.

That’s something I’ve learnt over the years. Just because someone is capable of doing something doesn’t mean they can always do it on demand, or in the way others expect.

I’m incredibly proud of the young man Lachie has become, not just because of what he’s achieved, but because of who he is.

One thing I always remind Lachie is, “I can handle whatever comes my way.”

And he continues to show me that he can, even when he needs to do things differently.

I think that’s something important to remember during Invisible Disabilities Week.

You can’t always see someone’s disability, and you certainly can’t judge their challenges or support needs by how successful or independent they appear.

Having a disability doesn’t mean someone can’t achieve amazing things.

Sometimes it just means they need to take a different path to get there.

I’m very proud to be Lachie’s mum. 💜

20/10/2026

Mildura Young Families to New Carers:

Thursday 22 October, 5–7 pm at Powerhouse Place Hall, Mildura, for parents and carers of children with disability, autism, developmental delay or other neurodivergence, including families still seeking a diagnosis.

Families can get practical information, ask questions and connect with local professionals and other parents and carers.

Speakers include:

Donna Milne, Wilga Therapy and Mildura Kids Clinic — a clinical psychologist with a PhD in autism and anxiety, sharing her knowledge with local families.

Keshia Fithall, Lifely Senior Support Coordinator — talking about the NDIS and support services available to carers.

Reney Hutchins, are-able Mildura — exploring employment options for carers and parents looking after young children.

The event is free, and so is the food!

https://lifely.org.au/events/mildura-young-families-to-new-carers/

13/10/2026

💙 Hearing from the people who matter most! 💙

We've received some beautiful feedback through our recent MDSS participant survey, and we couldn't be prouder of our team!

Here's what our respondents told us:

🌟 100% are satisfied with the quality of our services.

🌟 100% feel their rights are respected and supported.

🌟 100% feel supported to achieve their goals.

🌟 100% feel confident raising concerns or providing feedback.

🌟 100% feel supported to participate in their community.

And some of the lovely feedback we received when asked what we do well:

💬 Abbie is a fantastic support worker and she should be cloned!"

💬 "Communication!!"

💬 "U do well at communicating."

At MDSS, our values of Respect, Integrity and Courage guide everything we do.

To our incredible support workers and wider team, thank you for the care, dedication and genuine connections you build with the people we support. 💙

And to our participants and families, thank you for trusting us and helping us continue to grow and improve.

Your voice matters.
Always.

12/10/2026

The Halloween Dance Party is open to all NDIS participants in Sunraysia. 😊

Tickets are $10 and available online or in person from the Christie Centre at 115 Twelfth St, Mildura.

04/10/2026

Have you met Zhoe – Support Worker Extraordinaire?

If there’s fun happening, you can pretty much guarantee Zhoe is right in the middle of it! 🤩

Bubbly, strong, smart, kind and caring, Zhoe brings so much energy to her work.

She’s particularly amazing with kids taking things in her stride and knowing when to be patient, when to encourage and when it’s time to just have some fun.

One of the things we love most about Zhoe is that she is genuinely excited to come to work. She’s always willing to help, has such a kind spirit and really cares about the people she supports. 💙

Here she is pictured with one of our beautiful little participants during our School Holiday Program.

Bless them both! 🥰

The program was an absolute hit with the kids… although judging by this photo, we’re not entirely sure who enjoyed it more. 🙌🏻

Zhoe just may have been having just as much fun as our little participants!

This is what disability support should look like.

Connection, trust, laughter, care and people who genuinely love what they do. 🥰

We’re very lucky to have you, Zhoe. 🙏🏻

29/09/2026

What can an Occupational Therapist actually help with under the NDIS?

It’s a question we get asked a lot!

Our Occupational Therapist Emma works with NDIS participants to help make everyday life easier, safer and more independent.

This can include things like:
✨ Functional Capacity Assessments & reports
✨ Daily living skills such as cooking, personal care and household tasks
✨ Assistive technology & equipment
✨ Home modification assessments
✨ Building independence & confidence
✨ Developing routines & practical strategies
✨ Helping identify what supports someone needs in their everyday life
✨ Working towards individual NDIS goals

But OT at MDSS isn’t just about assessments and reports.

We also offer Capacity Building with our Allied Health Assistants.

Our AHAs work under the guidance of our OT to help participants practise skills, build independence and work towards their goals in a practical and engaging way.

And for the kids, we run our school holiday Capacity Building workshops. These are designed to make learning skills fun! Kids can work on things like independence, social skills, emotional regulation, communication, confidence and everyday life skills while actually enjoying themselves.

We love seeing kids and adults with disabilities engaged, having fun and learning without it feeling like another appointment.

That’s what OT & Capacity Building at MDSS is all about. Helping people build skills they can use in everyday life.

If you’re looking for NDIS Occupational Therapy, Allied Health Assistant Capacity Building programs or school holiday workshops in Mildura, get in touch with our team.

Awarded the Best Disability Support in Mildura 2026, Mildura Disability Support Services are committed to helping individuals live better in Mildura. With programs tailored to meet diverse needs. MDSS also plays a vital role in enhancing the quality of life for those in our community.

29/09/2026

Attention: Unpaid Carers

Bendigo Health Carer Support Services is hosting a free Murray River Paddle Steamer Cruise for unpaid carers on Tuesday 13 October 2026, from 10.30am–1pm, departing from Mildura Wharf.

If you know or work with unpaid carers who may enjoy the opportunity to come along, we’d really appreciate you forwarding the attached flyer to them or sharing the booking link below.

Spaces are limited and bookings are essential.

Book here: www.bendigohealth.org.au/css/events

RSVPs close Monday 5 October 2026.

Thank you for helping us spread the word and reach unpaid carers in our community.