Belongside Webinars

Raising a child with disability often means taking on many roles at once. In this webinar, Professor Helen Bourke-Taylor explores role overload. You’ll learn how to identify the roles you are holding, understand their impact, prioritise what matters, and explore practical strategies to ease the pressure.

You’ll learn  

• To identify the different roles you are currently holding and the impact they are having   
• Why roles build up over time and start to compete with each other  
• How to work out what roles matter most right now for you and your family 
  How to identify which roles you can scale back, pause, or get help with 

Guest Speaker: Professor Helen Bourke-Taylor 

Prof. Helen Bourke-Taylor is an occupational therapist and Professor at Monash University. She has worked in paediatrics and neurorehabilitation in both Australia and the United States. Since completing her PhD in 2010, Helen has focused on supporting mothers of children with disability through the co-designed program Healthy Mothers Healthy Families. 

We all want our children to be able to communicate what really matters to them. But what if they were already doing this through the choices they make, what they’re drawn to, and how they respond in everyday moments.

We’re joined by Gemma Mirtschin from Noah’s Ark, who will help you understand child agency. And the simple ways you can support your child’s voice and participation in everyday life.

You’ll learn  

• How to notice and understand the signals your child is giving you
• How to uncover what your child may be communicating in challenging moments
• How your responses as a parent can support your child’s voice
• Simple ways to build choice and independence into daily routines

Guest Speaker: Gemma Mirtschin

Gemma has more than 15 years’ of experience as a Speech Pathologist. She has worked in a variety of different settings including early intervention, school-based therapy programs and private practice supporting children and their families. Gemma has also worked as a lecturer in the Bachelor of Speech Pathology and Masters of Speech Pathology programs at Charles Sturt University. Since joining Noah’s Ark in 2022, Gemma has held the position of Key Worker. Gemma has a passion for supporting the children she works with to have a voice, sense of belonging and inclusion in all environments!

When your child has ongoing medical needs, communicating with healthcare professionals can feel hard. Conversations are often complex, filled with unfamiliar medical language and important decisions. There can be a lot to take in and process when you’re already under pressure.

In the first webinar of this two-part series, we’re joined by Rachel Callander, a healthcare communication consultant. Rachel will guide us through how communication works in healthcare and shares practical tools to help you navigate conversations and communication with clarity.

You’ll learn  

• The different communication styles commonly used in healthcare.
• A framework called the Health Language Matrix and how it can help you recognise communication that is clear, confusing, helpful, or unhelpful.
• How to reframe and ask questions when you receive deficit-based information from healthcare professionals, so it makes more sense.
• Simple ways to ask questions, so you can feel clearer and more confident in important conversations.

Guest Speaker: Rachel Callander

Autism and ADHD can present differently in girls and gender diverse children. Because of this, many go undiagnosed or are identified later.

Families often notice early signs, but don’t always have those concerns recognised. This can make it harder to understand what’s going on and what support might help.

We’re joined by Amelia Wright, a late diagnosed AuDHD (Autistic and ADHD) social worker, to help unpack these experiences.

You’ll learn  

• How social expectations and masking can affect identification and school experiences
• Why many girls are diagnosed later
• The emotional impact of being misunderstood or overlooked
• Ways to support your child’s identity, confidence and wellbeing

Guest Speaker: Amelia Wright

Amelia is an Autistic and ADHD senior social worker living and working on Kaurna country. They run a private practice supporting children and adults across the lifespan through a neurodiversity-affirming lens, blending professional expertise with lived experience of neurodivergence and queer identity. Amelia creates safe, collaborative spaces where individuals and families can thrive on their own terms.

When you’re raising a child with disability, there’s often a constant mental load running in the background. Remembering therapy appointments. Planning meals. Adjusting routines. It’s not always visible, but it adds up and it can feel like there’s no easy way to lighten it. 

In this webinar we’re joined by Laetitia Andrac, AI strategist and parent of a neurodivergent child who will unpack how AI can be used in simple, practical ways to manage the mental load. We’ll look at how it can support everyday tasks, help you make sense of information, and create strategies that work for your family. 

In this webinar we’ll explore: 

• Understanding what AI can do, and how to use it safely. 
• How you can use AI to  help with tasks like meal planning and creating routines and visual schedules. 
• Choosing the right AI tool for the task you have in mind.
• Simple ways to turn information about your child into practical strategies you can use at home.
• How AI can support you alongside therapists, teachers, and your child’s team.

Guest Speaker: Laetitia Andrac

Laetitia Andrac is an Autistic woman, mother, and AI strategist, combining her lived experience with over 15 year’s experience in data, innovation, and technology. She is the co-founder of Understanding Zoe, an AI-powered platform supporting neurodivergent children and their families. Laetitia passionately advocates for systems that move beyond accommodation to genuine inclusion, ensuring neurodivergent individuals and those who care for them are seen, supported, and empowered.

Speaking up for your child’s healthcare can feel overwhelming. Especially when conversations feel urgent, emotionally charged, and you’re worried about your child’s wellbeing.

You might find yourself replaying conversations, wishing you had said something differently, or walking away feeling unheard or unsure.

In the final webinar of this two-part series, Rachel Callander joins us again to build on the communication skills from the first session and focus on advocacy. This session is about helping you feel calmer and more prepared when advocating, while building strong, respectful relationships with your healthcare team.

In this webinar we’ll explore

• Practical ways to feel more confident speaking up in healthcare conversations.
• The Awesomeness framework, and how to use strengths-based language when talking about your child.
• Simple scripts you can use when communicating with healthcare professionals.

Guest Speaker: Rachel Callander

Rachel is a speaker, trainer, award-winning author and artist. She brings her perspective as a mother to her late daughter Evie who was born with a rare condition, to her work with healthcare professionals, educators, and families around the world. Her work focuses on supporting more thoughtful, human-centred communication, with practical strategies that help create better experiences for everyone involved.

Twice exceptional, or 2e, is when a child is both gifted and Autistic or ADHD.

At school, this can be hard to recognise. A child may show strong abilities in some areas, while still needing support in others. Their strengths and support needs sit side by side, and don’t always fit what teachers expect to see.

In this webinar, we’re joined by Dr Siobhan Lamb to unpack the 2e experience and why your child can seem capable at school but still struggle.

In this webinar we’ll explore:

• What twice exceptional (2e) means
• Why strengths can sometimes mask support needs at school
• How to ask for support that reflects both strengths and challenges
• Supporting your child’s wellbeing, identity, and need for rest

Guest Speaker: Dr Siobhan Lamb

Dr Siobhan Lamb is an Autistic neurodevelopmental educator, writer and advocate with over 20 years’ experience. With both lived and professional insight into Autism, ADHD and giftedness within the 2e profile, she works to shift how children are understood and supported, particularly when strengths can hide their support needs.

Delivered in partnership with the Early Childhood Intervention Best Practice Network (ECIBPN), this four-session online Conversation Series is designed to help parents navigate the primary school years and advocate for their child’s inclusion and participation. Experienced parents and therapists shared real-life examples and practical strategies on best-practice therapy in schools, understanding IEPs, building collaborative partnerships, and what to do when things aren’t working — helping families gain confidence and tools to support their child to thrive.

Delivered in partnership with the Early Childhood Intervention Best Practice Network (ECIBPN), this four-session online Conversation Series is designed to help parents navigate early childhood education and care settings — including childcare, daycare, and preschool — and advocate for their child’s participation and inclusion. Parents, educators, and therapists shared real-life examples and practical strategies on reasonable adjustments, best-practice therapy, building collaborative partnerships, and what to do when things aren’t working — helping families build confidence and stronger relationships with their child’s early learning community.

Delivered in partnership with Siblings Australia, this five-part webinar series shone a light on the experiences, strengths, and needs of siblings when a child in the family has disability, developmental delay, medical needs, or Autism. Each session combined expert insight and lived experience with practical strategies to help families strengthen relationships, build resilience, and make space for all children’s needs. Topics included understanding the sibling experience, relationships and resilience, the sibling role, school and community connections, and support in medically complex families.

Delivered by Belongside Families in partnership with Genetic Alliance Australia, this four-part webinar series shares insights from parents and professionals to help families make sense of the genetic testing process and the emotional and practical realities that come with it. Each session offers guidance and support for every stage of the journey — from seeking answers to living with a diagnosis. Topics included understanding genetic testing and results, navigating services and shaping the future of genetics.

This four-part webinar series explores the emotional and practical realities of raising a child with disability. Each session features honest conversations between parents and professionals about the experiences we don’t often talk about — but that can make all the difference along the parenting journey. Topics include navigating uncertainty, managing the parenting load, dealing with family and friends, and rediscovering yourself outside of your caring role.

The Navigating the NDIS webinar series blended expert insight and lived experience with practical strategies to support families in planning, accessing, and maximising NDIS supports. Topics include preparing for your NDIS meeting; what to expect during the planning meeting; understanding your plan budgets, assistive technology and portal functions; managing and using supports; and what to do if you’re not happy with your plan.

These webinars help families understand and navigate the wide range of services and supports available for children with disability, developmental delay, autism, and rare or genetic conditions. Each session features guest organisations sharing how their free programs and supports can help families in practical ways. Designed to make complex systems easier to understand and use, topics have included Carer Gateway, MyTime, and Supporting Country Kids with Royal Far West.

A collection of webinars featuring trusted professionals such as Child Life Therapists, counsellors and hospital specialists, alongside parents with lived experience. Each webinar recording offers practical information to help you navigate the healthcare system, specialist care and the realities of family life with complex medical needs. 

A collection of webinars each featuring Autistic speakers with professional expertise, sharing practical insights to help families better understand and support their Autistic child. Topics have included When School is Hard, Understanding Masking, Understanding PDA, and How We Talk about Autism.