Community and belonging
Peer support, representation and finding people who understand, so no family does this alone.
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Peer support, representation and finding people who understand, so no family does this alone.
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Disability visibility is missing from everyday media and marketing, and that absence has real costs for neurodivergent and disabled children and their families. In this article, Simone Eyles, founder of Disinfluencer, explains why authentic disability representation matters beyond tokenism. With 96% of disabilities invisible, she argues that disabled people are consumers and community members who deserve to be cast as heroes in everyday stories, not side characters. Learn what real representation looks like and seven concrete actions parents can take this week to demand visibility and build belonging.
21 June 2026
Laetitia Andrac, co-founder of Understanding Zoe, shares the origin story of the platform that began at a kitchen table. Drowning in reports from multiple therapists and schools, Laetitia combined her 15 years of AI expertise with intimate knowledge of her daughter Zoe's needs to create a tool that consolidates information and helps care teams understand neurodivergent children as individuals. The episode explores how research with thousands of Australian families revealed the invisible load: parents of neurodivergent children carry 33 extra hours of work per week, 93% feel unseen and misunderstood, and the system was never designed to fit. Understanding Zoe exists to make that invisible load visible and help neurodivergent families feel safe, seen and understood.
30 April 2026
Parenting an autistic child carries an invisible load that clinical services alone cannot address. In this episode, Vanessa Gauci, CEO of Autism Community Network, reveals why peer support is essential for family survival and wellbeing. Discover how community transforms isolation into belonging, prevents caregiver burnout, and creates space where families can be fully themselves. Learn practical steps to find your tribe and why self-care isn't selfish, it's necessary.
31 March 2026
Peer support creates essential spaces where neurodivergent families feel truly understood. This article explores how family-led organisations like Belongside Families reduce parental isolation, shame, and burnout through neuroaffirming connection. Learn why lived experience combined with evidence-based practice offers the most effective support, and discover how virtual communities break down geographic barriers for regional families.
25 March 2026
This article explores building authentic connections with neurodivergent young people by shifting from compliance to connection-based approaches. Featuring psychologist Isobel Ziatas, it covers the PACE framework (Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity, Empathy), safety through predictability and control, and repair strategies. Key concepts include the 'most generous interpretation' for behaviour and recognising that genuine connection grows from curiosity and consistency.
3 February 2026
Autistic children are 160x more likely to drown, yet 91% of families leave aquatic services dissatisfied. Antoinette Spear of Autism Swim shares how to find truly inclusive swimming providers, why inclusion looks different for every child, and why water should be a place of belonging, not fear. Essential listening for parents, educators, and policymakers.
14 October 2025
Neurodivergent individuals and their families around the world are facing immense challenges in a system that often fails to meet their needs. From lengthy waits for diagnoses to systemic exclusion in schools and workplaces, the reality is shaped by persistent neurodiversity bias—unconscious prejudice that limits opportunities for those with autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, dyslexia, and other neurological differences. The statistics speak for themselves, painting a picture of systemic delays, ne
16 December 2024
With Simone Eyles
With Johan Erchoff
With Michael Coles
With Vanessa Gauci
With Kristy Cartan & Eliza Hoare
With Adelle Sushames
With Isobel Ziatas
With Clement Baissat
With Caitlin Hughes
With Antoinette Spear