Belongside Families (formerly known as Kindred)

✨ Meet Leila: Marketing & Communications Manager at Belongside Families ✨ ⁠ ⁠ For most of her 15-year marketing career, Leila has worked in the not-for-profit space, drawn to work that makes a positive change. She began her career at a Sydney agency, working with charity clients, before moving to London, where she led campaigns for UNICEF UK that helped improve the lives of children and communities worldwide. ⁠ ⁠ 👩👦 After her son’s diagnosis, she began attending Belongside Families’ workshops. Leila never expected that what started as a way to support her son would lead to a new chapter, where she could combine her lived experience and professional skills to support other families. ⁠ ⁠ 📖 Leila's fingerprints can be found across almost all of Belongside Families’ social media, resources, and campaigns. She loves being a part of sharing the stories of people with disability and their families and is proud that some of these stories have reached over 100,000 people. ⁠ ⁠ 🚕 A fun fact about Leila is that she gave birth to her son in New York—and even took a yellow cab to the hospital.⁠ ⁠ 🍽️ Outside of work, she loves eating delicious meals, cooking, and travelling — passions she combines whenever she can! ⁠ ⁠ 🧡 She hopes that families who come across Belongside see themselves reflected in our work and the experiences we share. And, in turn, feel less alone on their journey. ⁠ ⁠ . . . . . . . . . . .⁠ ⁠ Everyone on our team is raising a child with disability, delay, or autism. That lived experience is at the heart of everything we do — and it’s what makes Belongside Families different. ⁠ ⁠ #BelongsideFamilies #WalkingAlongside #FamiliesSupportingFamilies #BelongsideCommunity #ByFamiliesForFamilies #PeerLed #ParentingDisability #BelongsideFamiliesTeam

Join us for Session 2 in our School Can't Webinar Series tomorrow night If your child is struggling to go to school, or if mornings are filled with anxiety, shutdowns, or distress, you’re not alone. Tiffany Westphal—parent, social worker, and Director of School Can’t Australia will unpack how stress affects your child’s nervous system, why return-to-school plans often fall short and where to find the right support for your child and yourself. 👉 Register to attend live or receive the recording: https://bit.ly/SchoolCant If you missed out on the first session, it's not too late to catch up on the recording via the link above.

📢 Upcoming Events Find out more about our events for parents and families over the school holidays and the events we have coming up in Term 2. 🔶 School Can’t Strategies & Support: Info Session When school becomes a daily struggle, it can be exhausting and isolating—for children and for families. Join Tiffany Westphal, parent, social worker and Director of School Can’t Australia, to explore practical strategies for supporting your child, working with schools, and finding the right supports. Register to attend live or receive the recording. 📅 Wed, 23 Apr, 7:30pm 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gK6Eeg6r 🔶 Family Fun Day: Sensory Play Wetherill Park Looking for something fun, free and easy to do this school holidays? Join us for a Family Fun Day at Wetherill Park with free food and refreshments, where children can enjoy sensory, messy, and loose parts play in a safe, secure, and welcoming environment. As children play families can connect with other parents and carers in the local area. 📅 Thu, 24 Apr, 10:00am 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gzPD9tDG 🔶 Family Fun Night: Chouchoubebe Merrylands Join us for a Family Fun Night at Chouchoubebe Indoor Play Centre located at Stockland Merrylands. This welcoming event with is a chance for children with disability to play and explore, while parents and carers connect with other families in the local area. 📅 Fri, 25 Apr, 5:30pm 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gFPwzq_i 🔶 Managing Carer Burnout: MyTime When you’re always giving it’s easy to forget your needs matter too. Join this MyTime peer session to pause, exhale, and learn some practical strategies to gently reduce stress. Ask questions, share your story, and explore simple ways to care for yourself while still showing up for your family. 📅 Tue, 29 Apr, 8:00pm 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gJ4EPUz4 🔶 Connect & Chat: Virtual MyTime Join us for a relaxed Friday night catch-up with other parents raising children with disability, delay, or autism. It’s a chance to reflect, unwind, and connect. Bring your favourite drink, pop in when you can, and leave when you need. We’ll be online from 7:30pm. 📅 Fri, 2 May, 7:30pm 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gNg9PigW 🔶 Neurodivergent Parenting: Virtual MyTime Raising a neurodivergent child as a neurodivergent parent can be beautifully unique—and sometimes overwhelming. Join this gentle MyTime peer group to share stories, explore supportive strategies, and celebrate the joy of parenting in a way that feels true to you. 📅 Wed, 7 May, 8:00pm 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gZi_TAAx 🔶 Healthy Mothers Healthy Families: Workshops 📅 Mon, 5 May, 7:30pm 📅 Tue, 13 May, 7:30pm 📅 Wed, 21 May, 12:00pm 🔗 https://lnkd.in/g8H2naFQ 🔶 ENVISAGE: Workshops 📅 Mon, 12 May, 10:00am 📅 Tue, 20 May, 7:30pm 📅 Thu, 22 May, 7:30pm 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gv2_xqm4 All times AEDT / NSW Time

✨ Meet Andie: Project and Event Coordinator at Belongside Families ✨ ⁠ ⁠ Andie comes from a varied background combining creative endeavours, organisation and management skills in fashion, HR and media. Her journey as a mum of two autistic children led her to Belongside Families. ⁠ ⁠ 👩👦 When her youngest son, Sebastian, was first diagnosed, Andie attended workshops and peer groups to better understand how to support him and her family. That search for knowledge ultimately brought her to Belongside Families, where she now helps ensure other families have access to the same invaluable support. ⁠ ⁠ 🗓️ In her role at Belongside Families, Andie manages all our projects and events – sometimes overseeing more than 100 each term. She thrives on scheduling, organisation and problem solving so everything (and everyone!) stays on track and families can focus on receiving the support they need. ⁠ ⁠ 📷 A fun fact about Andie is she is an award-winning toy photographer. She collects action figures and uses them in her photography. ⁠ ⁠ 📘 Outside of work, Andie’s interests include pop culture, fashion and photography. She is also a walking celebrity encyclopaedia. ⁠ ⁠ 🧡 Andie hopes that the events she organises give families access to the information and support they need, making things just that little bit easier.⁠ ⁠ . . . . . . . . . . .⁠ ⁠ Everyone on our team is raising a child with disability, delay, or autism. That lived experience is at the heart of every workshop, resource, and program we create — and it’s what makes Belongside Families different. ⁠

The autumn school holidays are here — and Term 1 has flown!⁠ ⁠ We’ve hosted over 100 peer groups, workshops and webinars so far this year. Whether you joined a MyTime session, attended a workshop or tuned into a webinar — thank you for being part of an incredible start to the year.⁠ ⁠ The Team at Belongside Families be taking a short break over the holidays as we put the finishing touches on our Term 2 events — and carve out some time to enjoy the holidays with our own families. We hope you're able to do the same.⁠ ⁠ 🧡 And while we might be a little quieter, don’t forget, our community is always here whenever you need connection, support or a reminder that you’re not alone. https://lnkd.in/gV668cHN

📢 Upcoming Events Find out more and register for our events during the School Holidays, and save the date for the events we have coming up soon. 🔶 Understanding School Can’t: Info Session When your child begins to feel anxious or distressed about going to school, it can be a complex situation to navigate. Join us for this Info Session with School Can't Australia, to explore what school can’t means and learn practical strategies for recognising and responding to the signs early on. 📅 Wed, 16 Apr, 7:30pm 🔗 Register: https://lnkd.in/geZ3pt95 🔶 School Can’t Strategies & Support: Info Session When school becomes a daily struggle, it can be exhausting and isolating—for children and for the families supporting them. In this Info Session, join School Can't Australia to better understand what’s happening for your child and how to support them through it. 📅 Wed, 23 Apr, 7:30pm 🔗 Register: https://lnkd.in/gK6Eeg6r 🔶 FREE Family Fun Day: Hills Hornets Looking for something fun and inclusive to do as a family these school holidays? Join us for a Family Fun Day with Hills Hornets—a chance for children with disability to explore a new activity in a supportive environment, taking part in a guided basketball session, while parents and carers connect with other local families. 📅 Mon, 14 Apr, 10:00am 🔗 Register: https://lnkd.in/gYNJbDnJ 🔶FREE Family Fun Day: Wetherill Park Looking for something fun, free and easy to do as a family this school holidays? Join us for a Family Fun Day at Wetherill Park with free food and refreshments, where children can enjoy sensory, messy, and loose parts play in a safe, secure, and welcoming environment. As children play families can connect with other parents and carers in the local area. 📅Wed, 23 Apr, 10:00am 🔗 Register: https://lnkd.in/gzPD9tDG 🔶 FREE Family Fun Night: Merrylands Join us for a Family Fun Night at Chouchoubebe Indoor Play Centre located at Stockland Merrylands. This welcoming event with free food and refreshments is a chance for children with disability to play and explore, while parents and carers connect with other families in the local area. 📅 Thu, 24 Apr, 5:30pm 🔗 Register: https://lnkd.in/gFPwzq_i **SAVE THE DATE** 🔶 Healthy Mothers Healthy Families: Workshops 📅 Mon, 5 May, 7:30pm 📅 Tue, 13 May, 7:30pm 📅 Wed, 21 May, 12:00pm 🔗 https://lnkd.in/g8H2naFQ 🔶 Envisage: Workshops 📅 Mon, 5 May, 7:30pm 📅 Mon, 12 May, 10:00am 📅 Tue, 20 May, 7:30pm 📅 Thu, 22 May, 7:30pm 🔗 Register: https://lnkd.in/gv2_xqm4 🔔All times NSW Time ⁠

When school becomes a source of stress or distress for a child, it can leave families feeling isolated, unsure, and overwhelmed. But you’re not alone. Join us for two free online webinars for parents and carers navigating School Can’t. Learn how to recognise the signs, understand what’s happening for your child, and explore practical strategies for support. These webinars are led by Tiffany Westphal—parent, social worker, and Director of School Can’t Australia—in a not-to-be-missed event hosted by Belongside Families. 👉 Register to attend live or receive the recording: https://lnkd.in/gUEu87dx Belongside Families (formerly known as Kindred) is an independent not-for-profit organisation providing free support to parents and carers raising children with disability, developmental delay, or autism.

✨ Meet Pam: Peer Facilitator at Belongside Families ✨ Pam studied Early Childhood Education at university, but it was raising, caring and advocating for her son Christopher that deepened her passion for supporting other families, especially mothers. The unique perspectives gained through parenting Christopher have shaped her values and understanding of the importance of community – insights that now guide her work at Belongside Families. 👭 Pam is a storyteller and loves that she can honour her boy and their story, by sharing her wisdom and experiences with others – offering validation and companionship to other families raising children with disability on the path less travelled. 📖 Pam works as a peer facilitator at Belongside Families, facilitating MyTime groups, Envisage and other parent workshops, as well as supporting families with high medical needs. She enjoys writing about her experiences, and helped develop the resource ‘Finding Your Way’.  👶 A fun fact about Pam is she loves engaging in creative projects, especially making quilts out of baby clothes. 🧀 Outside of work, Pam especially enjoys time shared with girlfriends over wine and cheese.  🧡 Pam hopes that by offering a friendly ear, a shoulder or a virtual hug, parents and carers can feel buoyed and connected and leave her groups feeling reassured that they are doing the very best that they can and that the love they hold for their child will always be enough.  . . . . . . . . . . .⁠ ⁠ Everyone on our team is raising a child with disability, delay, or autism. That lived experience is at the heart of every workshop, resource, and program we create — and it’s what makes Belongside Families different. ⁠ ⁠ #BelongsideFamilies #WalkingAlongside #FamiliesSupportingFamilies #BelongsideCommunity #ByFamiliesForFamilies #PeerLed #ParentingDisability #BelongsideFamiliesTeam

✨ Meet Eliza: Peer Facilitator at Belongside Families ✨ ⁠ ⁠ Eliza was a primary school teacher until her journey as a mother of neurodivergent children redirected her passion for learning towards the disability sector. ⁠ ⁠ 👩👧👦Her children’s autism and ADHD diagnoses led to the pursuit of her own diagnoses – and she now identifies as AuDHD.   ⁠ ⁠ 🤩 Like a lot of neurodivergent folks, when Eliza finds something that sparks passion, she soaks it in! Motivated to find out how she could best support her children while keeping her sanity, she launched herself headlong into the offerings of Belongside Families which naturally led her into a role within the team.  ⁠ ⁠ 📖 Eliza’s role now involves workshop development and facilitation, connecting and learning with other parents, and content creation. ⁠ ⁠ 💅 A fun fact about Eliza is that she went through very specific styles during her youth, including dread-locked, tie-dyed hippie, dark and dramatic goth and retro-vintage diva!   ⁠ ⁠ 📚 Outside of work, Eliza loves to read, keep an exercise routine, journal regularly, and make digital collages of her children.  ⁠ ⁠ 🧡 Eliza hopes that through her work families realise that they’re not alone, and that this journey is another variation of ‘normal’. ⁠ ⁠ . . . . . . . . . .⁠ ⁠ Everyone on our team is raising a child with disability, delay, or autism. That lived experience is at the heart of every workshop, resource, and program we create — and it’s what makes Belongside Families different. ⁠ .⁠ .⁠ #BelongsideFamilies #WalkingAlongside #FamiliesSupportingFamilies #BelongsideCommunity #ByFamiliesForFamilies #PeerLed #ParentingDisability #BelongsideFamiliesTeam

Last week on the Central Coast, something truly special unfolded. Parents and carers, many feeling isolated or alone, came together for our first local catch-up in the region. Within minutes, laughter filled the room, stories were shared, and new friendships began to form between people who had never met before. What made this gathering so powerful was how inclusive and accessible it was. Being completely free and fully catered meant parents and carers could take part without the usual financial pressures — a rare opportunity to do something for themselves, in a space designed with them in mind. As our wonderful parent facilitator Kristy shared: “When we take the time to connect with others and simply be, it strengthens us for everything else we do.” This catch-up was a powerful reminder that connection and community matter — and that when families feel supported, they are better able to support their children too. We are grateful to DSS funding that enables us to deliver these catch-ups.