Together towards tomorrow

The 5th annual Family Conference Together towards tomorrow – Building your child’s future: The role of families, hosted by Plumtree, Now & Next and Kindred, was held online on Saturday, 23 October 2021. The Conference brought together families of children with disabilities and their allies.

The presentations aim to inspire, educate and empower families to build a good life. The conference also celebrates people with a disability who are making a difference in their community.

If I could start again: advice to my younger self
Sam Paior

Sam Paior has decades of experience supporting people with disability and is a parent of two young adults with disability.

How can families achieve great outcomes now that lead to more in the future? Sam will share her insights on topics such as building a strong voice when working with professionals, looking for inclusive opportunities in the community for your children, and letting them live a big life.

Looking at developmental parenting
Dr Lori Roggman and Dr Mark Innocenti

Parents can feel pressure to take on many therapeutic interventions when raising a child with a disability or developmental delay, but guess what? They are already doing a lot for their child’s development.

In this presentation, Dr Lori Roggman and Dr Mark Innocenti, authors of Developmental Parenting: A Guide for Early Childhood Practitioners, will discuss what parents are getting right, and how they can find more opportunities to connect with and support their children

Don’t stop me now
Bridget Kelly

Bridget is a Sydney based artist, working in the mediums of drawing, painting and screen-printing. She recently hosted a virtual exhibition. Art has been a passion for Bridget since she was a little girl.

Hear about how following your child’s interest and self-management can lead to a good life.

Families building foundations for their child’s future
Panel discussion

Therapies are only a part of building a good life. A panel of parent peer workers, professionals and young people with disability will discuss:

Creating and achieving a vision for a child
Good professional–parent partnerships
Positive outcomes from supportive parents
The benefits of self-managed NDIS funding
Parents as experts on their child

Host: Deb Herbert
Panel members: Clare Gibellini, Marlena Katene, Maryam Roghani, Sam Paior

Learning from each other
Summer Farrelly

What do young people with disability say about their parents? Summer Farrelly will share experiences of connecting with her family through common interests.

Parents aren’t always the teacher: learn how Summer and her mother reverse mentor and support each other.