For Professionals

Supporting You to Support Families

At Belongside Families, we work in partnership with professionals across the health, education, disability and community sector to support families in ways that complement your work.

Our team brings lived experience, sector knowledge, and a practical understanding of what helps families feel seen, heard and supported. We offer programs, resources and collaboration opportunities that complement your work and strengthen outcomes for the children and families you support. 

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Kid Having Sensory Integration Session

How We Can Work Together

Here are just some of the ways we can partner: 

Programs for families
Connect families with our evidence-informed, peer-led workshops on topics like advocacy, working in partnership and making therapy work for the whole family. These sessions are designed to complement and strengthen the support you provide. 

Make a referral
If you’re supporting a parent or carer who would benefit from one-on-one peer support, group connection, or access to tailored resources, you can refer them directly to Belongside Families.  

Training and presentations 
We provide professional development and presentations for teams and networks on topics such as family-centred practice, the role of peer support, and working in partnership with families. Our facilitators bring both lived experience and sector knowledge. 

Collaborative projects and partnerships
We welcome opportunities to co-design resources, engage parents and carers in service design or research, and collaborate on projects that improve outcomes for children and families. We bring deep insight into the experiences of families and a track record of effective partnerships. 

Want to connect, refer a family, or learn more?

Whether you’re supporting families through health, education, disability or community services, we value working alongside teams who share our commitment to family-centred, inclusive and strengths-based practice.  

Fill out a quick form and we’ll be in touch with what’s most relevant to you.

>> Complete the form

 

Who we work with
Some of our past and current partners include Monash University, Parenting Research Centre, Australian Catholic University, Early Childhood Intervention Best Practice Network and Siblings Australia. 

 

 

Young Caucasian Girl Staying At A Hospital

Belongside Families’s workshops have been practical and specific. The fact that the team are all parents with a disabled child themselves makes them a unique organisation. They create a culture of acceptance and acknowledgement, by sharing their experience with disability and valuing ours. It’s this sense of community that has helped me normalise and acknowledge the challenges. They are knowledgeable and connected and have helped connect me with other services.

Belongside Families has provided the platforms to challenge old thoughts, tackle and create new ones! Thank you.

I just wanted to thankyou for what you are doing. It was wonderful to come across a page that is so positive! I get so overwhelmed and depressed with so many groups but this one has really helped and encouraged me. Thank you.

Connecting with Belongside Families and the wonderful empowering programs they run, and resources has been life changing for our family.

Belongside Families has created an essential community for parents and carers. The team at Belongside Families have created a village for families walking a similar path. Some are a little further along than others and some are deep in the trenches just be starting to navigate their way.  But although every family’s path is different, we are all walking together in solidarity. This community creates strength & moves us forward with hope. When we have the right support, anything is possible.

My experience with Belongside Families has been AMAZING! When my children were diagnosed it was very much a “what now?” response. All of the therapies targeted them, but I knew that I was a huge part of their life so why wasn’t there any help/training/advice for ME? Like if I was able to do MY best then how much better could they be?! Belongside Families was that for me.

All the information that is provided is valued and I can become a bigger advocate for both of boys who have disabilities but also a more confident and stronger advocate for the disability community.

Feeling connected with other like-minded & supportive other parents who are living similar (never the same) experiences, is empowering and comforting – I no longer feel alone – Thank you Belongside Families for assisting me to feel engaged & connected.  Since becoming a member of the Belongside Families family, I have been able to improve my skills as a parent of a child with a disability and strengthen my attitude to be a ‘can-do’ motivated & confident parent!

I love being able to learn off other parents. I equally, if not slightly more, love being able to help other parents. It feels so good to be connected to a community – to MY community – through Belongside Families. I’ve had chat conversations with strangers for an hour who I’ve helped solve problems with, and vice versa. It’s such a crucial network for our well-being as parents and when we feel in control and informed them, we can support our kids to the best of our abilities.

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