Belongside Webinars

Deficits. Delays. Challenging behaviour. These words can appear again and again in reports, assessments, and conversations about your child. But you know your child is so much more than the things they find hard.

In this webinar, Catherina from EmPlay joins us to shift the focus. She’ll share how building on your child’s interests and capabilities can positively support their sense of self and development.

In this webinar we’ll explore

• The power of recognising your child’s strengths, interests and capabilities.
• Seeing the whole child, not just behaviours and challenges.
• How the words children hear about themselves can affect their self esteem.
• Why child-led, strength-based approaches can encourage your child’s learning and development.

When you’re raising a child with disability and complex medical needs, planning a family trip can feel overwhelming. There can be medications, equipment, accessibility, and unexpected health needs to consider before you’ve even packed a bag.

In this webinar, guest speaker Eron Barnett joins us to help make planning a trip feel more manageable. Through real-life experiences, Eron will share ways to work around your child’s needs and plan a family trip with more confidence.

In this webinar we’ll explore

• Choosing destinations, accessible accommodation and activities that suit your family’s needs
• Preparing medications, scripts and important medical information
• Deciding what supplies and equipment to take and what you can hire at your destination
• Talking with airlines about your child’s needs, equipment and luggage
• Planning for unexpected health needs and knowing where to get medical help while you’re away

As your Autistic child grows, your relationship can start to change. They may want more space, more privacy and more say. It isn’t always easy to know when to step in or step back.

In this webinar, Linda Hollenberg from Reframing Autism joins us to help you feel more prepared for this changing relationship. She’ll share ways to stay connected and build trust, so your child feels accepted and free to be themselves.

In this webinar we’ll explore

• Finding new ways to connect as your child grows and changes
• Managing your own feelings if your child pushes back
• Respecting your child’s choices about sharing their diagnosis and support needs
• Building trust by owning mistakes after difficult moments
• Staying curious when you and your child see things differently

Puberty can arrive sooner than many parents expect. If your child hasn’t started puberty yet, you may be wondering what to expect and how to help your child understand the changes happening to their body.

In this webinar, Planet Puberty joins us to take some of the uncertainty out of puberty. You’ll leave feeling better equipped for what’s ahead, with practical, age-appropriate ways to prepare and support your child.

In this webinar we’ll explore

• When puberty can start and the early emotional and behavioural changes you may notice
• How to begin to talk to your child about puberty in ways they can understand
• Teaching your child about their body parts using correct names
• Helping your child understand important concepts like consent and having a say over their own body

At the end of the year, it feels like social media is a highlight reel of school awards, graduations and family holidays. When life looks different for your child and family, it can be easy to start comparing.

Mitch Woods from Mura Psychology joins us to share strategies to help manage those feelings of comparison. He’ll also talk about how to recognise your child’s progress and celebrate in ways that feel right for your family.

In this webinar we’ll explore

• Why comparison can feel harder around celebrations and milestones
• Feeling proud of your child while also feeling sadness, grief or envy
• What can help when comparison affects how you see yourself, your child or your family
• Keeping perspective when social media makes other families’ lives look picture perfect
• Managing difficult conversations around comparisons between siblings and other children

There are milestones you look forward to sharing with your child. Birthdays, school events, and family celebrations. When your child has complex medical needs, there may be times when illness or hospital stays mean missing events you had both been looking forward to.

In this webinar Janet Burke from Holding Space Counselling joins us to talk about the grief parents may feel when their child misses these special moments. She’ll share practical ways to understand these feelings and manage the grief that can come from missing out again and again.

In this webinar we’ll explore:

• Understanding the nature of grief and the different ways we experience it
• Coping with disappointment when plans change and your child misses out
• Why grief can feel harder when other people don’t understand what or why you’re grieving
• What grief debt is and how repeated experiences of missing out can affect you over time

When eating is hard for your child, mealtimes can be stressful. You may hear people say it’s just ‘fussy eating’, but you know it’s more complicated than that.

In this webinar, Margo White from Whole Body Nutrition will explain Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID). She’ll talk about what can make eating difficult for your child and share ways to support them without adding more pressure.

In this webinar we’ll explore:

• What ARFID is and how it differs from fussy eating
• Practical ways to support your child at mealtimes
• Who can assess and diagnose ARFID
• Where to find reliable information, resources and professional support

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.