Dore Talk

Hello. I am 'Podblack', author of that blog. If you go through my site, you will find further posts on DORE - just use the search engine.

Will be contacting DORE here in Australia tomorrow early morning, to find out some facts.

Explanation as things stand at the moment here http://dore.co.uk/doretalk/forums/p/713/3579.aspx#3579

Am posting all the sources I can find on here, 'till there's more official info: http://brainduck.wordpress.com/2008/05/17/australiacollapse/

Been contacted by a few people who want to stay anonymous - I'm at brainquack at gmail dot com if you've got info or questions.

Good luck - I'd much rather this was settled on research than finances.

I too am mirroring psyduck's sources.  I have also commented further on Dore' statement here:

http://gimpyblog.wordpress.com/2008/05/17/dore-australia-go-into-administration/

It is worth noting that Dore have not said whether monies will be returned or staff paid. 

Dear Roosmum,

I am a Dore staff member who showed up to work on friday morning and was told I no longer had a job at Dore. I was given no explanation and was told to leave the premises as soon as possible. I was a program specialist for 2 and a half years, I loved my job and I had the priviledge of meeting so many wonderful and inspiring individuals. I like to think that I helped some of those. I was told nothing and have not been paid for my last months work with the company, me along with my other wonderful and dedicated colleagues have been left in the dark and kicked to the street. Most of us have children, mortgages and rely on our income for SURVIVAL. Needless to say I am livid. This is so unjust...for all the staff members across australia and the many clients who have paid money to go on the program and now may not even get to complete it! This has been totally mismanaged....I expect to hear more news later this week, but I have a feeling it wont be positive for any one concerned.

 I would really like to hear from Wynford himself!

 Hi Anna, no-one seems to have much info do they?

Podblack (Australian) has a bit up on what might happen next under Australian law: http://podblack.wordpress.com/2008/05/18/dore-starts-talkingsomewhat/ I think she's planning to turn up to a local centre in person tomorrow so that might be worth a read (I'll be asleep by then!).

Good luck! 

so to summarise youre all quoting the same thing from each other? lol

worrying times indeed....hope this is sorted sooner rather than later xx

Well, Australia's a bit far for me to visit personally :)

My blog hits have gone *way* through the roof, mostly people searching for things like 'dore + australia + closed'. I don't like it that there's a lot of worried people out there with no info as to what's going on, so I've put a page up where I'm linking to absolutely any info I can find - and there's not much info as yet so it is mostly the same stuff as the few others who are covering this. Again, if anyone's any more info from any viewpoint, I'll happily post or link it. You were absolutely right on the other thread, 'It would be nice to hear from someone in the know, rather than ‘dore bashers’ to hear whats going on either way', but I don't think thateven many DORE staff are 'in the know' yet.

I'd have hoped that DORE could do a better job of keeping worried people updated than one post tucked away on a forum & rumours. Seems like more will be decided next week. Wonder how long someone's known the way things were headed? They appointed management consultants in Jan 08.

I've said I'm not particularly glad about how things are turning out - don't think DORE crashing like this is going to do anyone in the learning disability field much good, and I would rather have actual research settle things. But leaving upset people with no information at all beyond sudden answerphone messages cancelling appointments indefinitely is not a good way to run things.

This is dreadful. Dreadful that it happened to you, dreadful for existing users, dreadful for potential users, dreadful for me, my child. Dreadful in that situations like this sully the name of the company and the program, and no matter what the outcome now, sceptics will always have a 'remember when' scenario, and husbands, wives and families who are hesitant to spend mega dollars on something to assist their child will have a further reason to hold back.  

Should the situation have a positive outcome, I know my husband will be extremly cautious of doing it now, (rightly so) as to pay $5000.00 upfront to an unstable company would be just plain silly. Finance wise, we are possibly more fortunate than the thousand or so other Australian families, for we have only lost our deposit, not the full program cost. 

But outcome wise, we have lost an opportunity to help our child's life skills, no finacial number equates that.

 The documents for Dore creditors are here

 Anna (& other staff) might want to check this out - guide to 'voluntary administration' for employees. Looks hopeful for getting at least some wages back.

perhaps you and Gimpy could respect the fact that this is a support forum and not somewhere for you to try and score points over Dore. I'm sure some of your information could be quite useful but we know where your blogs are should we wish to read them . Please remember that our children have access to this forum too. They have enough to deal with in their lives without this.

Debbie - there has been NOTHING but support.

Every link leads to factual news. Leads to support links for financial recompensation and to strategies. Hope you're keeping one eye on the network news as well, as I don't think it'll be long before it hits the headlines of the main press networks with the info we've blogged that is so easily found.

To the fact that DORE is having the first creditor’s meeting is at Sydney Masonic Centre, Northcott Room, Fifth Floor, 66 Goulburn Street, Sydney, NSW on Friday 23 May 2008 at 11.30am.

We also point out the information from DORE for parents: ‘On 16 May 2008 temporarily suspended operations at clinics whilst business activities are reviewed. Clients with clinical questions should contact the company on 1300 55 77 11.′

You think we're doing this IN SPITE of the kids and parents? If anything we demonstrate that we care enough that something gets done. Which was everyone's intention in the first place: by requesting accurate research and information on what DORE does and provides.

If you wish to ignore this information, go ahead.

But every single blog post is guaranteed to float to the top of every search engine and every question someone types into Google with the permutations 'help, DORE, information, sacking, research, questions, recievership, staff, closure, Australia'. You want better support than that? You're not getting it from a closed shop.

You're going to have a lot more to deal with in your lives unless people start asking questions about where your money and where your hope went. And yes, you're welcome. So is Laura and James. Cheers!

 Debbie, I was asked to post the information by a (now ex-)Dore staff member who wishes to remain anonymous.  Now as I argued in January the financial situation of Dore is of paramount importance to staff and clients as they face the prospect of not being paid and not recieving services for money paid.  I have posted nothing that is not suitable for children.  

This is a SUPPORT forum, not a business financial status information dock.

Shame on you again, Gimpy, psyduck, and Podblack.  

FrazzleDazzle, I urge you to check the comment left on Podblack's blog from a Dore employee to see just why this is an important issue that needs airing here.  

'An explanation would be nice'  'Very Annoyed' 'It would be nice to hear from someone in the know, rather than 'dore bashers' to hear whats going on either way' 'what's going on with this?!?! someone please shed the light!' 'Here in the US we have not heard any details....at all. I wish I knew what to tell you.'...

All comments from DORE customers & staff over the weekend. There's more.

There's people asking for information on here, on other pro-DORE sites official and unofficial, my blog hits from people searching for info have gone through the roof, and no-one, not even DORE staff, seem to have much idea what's going on. I've tried to put up every & all bits of information, not least from 'pro-DORE' sources, & will continue to do so 'till the situation is clearer because people obviously want to know what's going on. I would remind you that this was initially made public because a distressed ex-staff member wanted to let people know what was going on, & actually contacted Gimpy as they were too scared to talk. There have been more since then.

I don't take any joy in what's happening. Intellectually I'd rather settle the debate on research, and personally no-one could be happy about the obvious distress of staff and families. I'm sticking links & info up in an attempt to be helpful to the many people who are finding my blog from searches like 'is dore n.z going to close too'. I'm posting on here in the hope that it will get more info out to the people who *are asking for it*. Too right DORE should be doing that themselves, but they aren't. If you don't think I'm doing a good job on it, either let me know anything I could add & I will, or suggest somewhere else people could go for info - because I completely agree that it's not right that it's just the 'sceptics' who are covering this, but I can't find anyone else.

I didn't start this thread, it's not in the children's area, and I've not posted anything I'd be unhappy for a child to read. Those affected would seem to have already been left with an answerphone message, a phone number (Australia 1300 55 77 11) which doesn't give much info, and an information-light anouncement tucked away on DOREtalk which I've linked to. Nothing on the DORE Australia website, I've not seen any other official announcements. The stuff I've posted on here has been an attempt to be helpful - I'm not sure how pointing worried ex-staff towards technical info on Australian law is points-scoring. I agree I shouldn't be the one doing it, so please make it unnecessary by doing a better job yourself, or better still have official DORE sources provide the info that people want. IIRC you have a blog, if you put an info page up I'll link to it. For now though, there aren't any better sources of info for worried families who have had appointments cancelled. DORE should be ashamed, I'm doing my best to help. Too right that families affected 'have enough to deal with in their lives without this', and a complete information blackout doesn't seem to be helping. Good luck to everyone affected.

Just wanted to add some clarity to the current situation with Australia. It is true that all operations have been suspended in Australia for the time being. However, it has not gone into liquidation, it has simply been put into voluntary administration.

The reason for this is that we are actively seeking possible partners to enable us to continue to deliver the programme and are looking into all avenues for ensuring every client is able to complete the programme. This may not happen overnight, but Wynford is very hopeful that we will be able to find a solution.

Our PR agency will be issuing a press release shortly to the media to this effect.

Thank you JoW for your post it is nice to know that things are moving forward,

It is so easy to try and debate what is happening and what the future holds but the problem is that this will not happen overnight it takes time and as more information becomes available I am sure Dore will let us know. Speculation only causes more upset and worry for people. The only ones who can relieve the parents and staff worries is Dore and that will come in time,

I am sure Wynford and all the Dore staff never wanted this to happen but it has and now they have to try and find a solution. People are angry, upset and worried about the future understandably and can be vulnearable to what is said by others. There is no information at the moment because they have only just started to try and sort out the problems that have developed.

Advice is greatly appreciated from anyone but I do hope it does not become an open forum for people to use it as a soap box to gloat and rub in that they were right with the general attitude of "we told you so"  comments from individuals on what they feel Dore should have done, and what they haven't done isn't helpful either, it just fuels further anxieties and fears, the staff and families involved do not need it at the moment, just support and understanding would go a long way.