Kiind

Here's a message from our Chair, Cristian Rapanaro As Chair of Kiind, Cristian brings a wealth of experience from various areas of his professional life. He is a leader in many roles, yet there's nothing more fulfilling as a job than being a father. On behalf of Cristian and the Kiind team, we wish you a day filled with love, joy, and cherished moments with your loved ones. Happy Father’s Day to all the amazing fathers and father figures in our community and across WA. Thank you for everything you do, not just today but every day.

Yesterday, Renee Darbyshir, Kiind's Systemic Advocacy Lead, had the opportunity to co-facilitate the Journey Mapping presentation hosted by the Innovation Unit. This event was a valuable opportunity to further raise awareness about the challenges families face in advocating for their children’s rights within complex systems. We'd like to extend a heartfelt thanks to the Innovation Unit for the invitation, and to the families who participated and shared their stories in the Journey Mapping Project. Your contributions have a longstanding impact and are paving the way for change. 

The Australian Government officially closed consultations on the draft NDIS support lists on Sunday, following a three-week consultation period. Kiind, in collaboration with the Child and Family Disability Alliance (CAFDA), has provided feedback on the draft list of NDIS supports eligible for funding. We want the list to reflect the needs of children and families and are especially focussed on: 🟣 The need to support age-appropriate independence during childhood 🟣 The central role of education in the lives of children 🟣 The importance of short breaks and respite for families Follow the link to read our submission: https://bit.ly/4dDvmGf To find out more about the NDIS draft list, visit: https://bit.ly/3AEfnsV

We are thrilled to kick off our In-Person Parent Training Workshop this morning! Kiind Peer Navigator Lead, Teresa Dixon (left) and Maxine Drake from Developmental Disability WA (DDWA) (right) will facilitate this morning's insightful session, focusing on empowering parents and carers to support their children through challenges at school. Today's workshop covers key topics such as navigating school refusal, understanding your child's rights, building positive relationships with teachers, and communicating concerns effectively, among others. We look forward to an informative session with Maxine as we continue to support parents and carers in raising children with disability throughout their education journey.

This week, Kiind CEO, Carrie Clark, travelled to Canberra to participate in the National Child and Family Foundational Supports roundtable, hosted by CaFSA NSW. Minister for the NDIS, Hon. Bill Shorten spoke at the event about his vision of foundational supports.   Carrie was there to ensure WA families of children with disability have their voices heard and to advocate for them to be involved in the co-design of this important reform.   We look forward to seeing how the insights shared at the roundtable will shape foundational supports and help create a more inclusive and holistic system with the needs of children and families at the centre.

Kiind is seeking skilled and passionate people to join our voluntary Board of Directors. As a Board Director, you will play a crucial role in guiding the governance and strategic direction of our organisation. We welcome applications from appropriately skilled people, and if you are also the parent or carer of a child with disability, we would love to hear from you. This is a unique opportunity to contribute to a purpose-driven organisation that supports families of children with disability. Find the Job Description here: https://bit.ly/3A83wDj Follow the link to find out more: https://bit.ly/46tqqRu To apply, please email [email protected]

A memorable carers-only movie screening for Kiind members! This past weekend, Kiind members enjoyed an exclusive movie screening at the cinemas, featuring the film Fly Me to the Moon. This comedy-drama provided an afternoon of entertainment and the opportunity for Kiind members to connect in person. Thanks to the Department of Communities WA Women’s Grants for a Stronger Future 2023 program for making this event possible. Their support provided our members with a wonderful opportunity to unwind and build connections with other women in a supportive, judgment-free environment. Thank you to all Kiind members for joining us and contributing to such a memorable experience. We look forward to the next exciting event—our Women’s Paint and Sip workshop coming up in August!

Kiind CEO, Carrie Clark, as a member of the Carers Advisory Council, met with Minister Sabine Winton MLA yesterday to discuss issues facing carers in WA. Included in the discussion were: 🟣The need for WA carers to be represented in discussions around the National Carers Strategy 🟣Adequate supports for carers, including issues with Carers Gateway 🟣A refresh of the WA Carers Strategy She looks forward to sharing the experiences of carers raising children with disability in this time of rapid reform. Sabine Winton MLA, Amanda Rishworth, Esme Bowen, Tony Vis, Ros Thomas, Gloria Moyle, Kim Hudson, Daymon Joseph, Jenni Perkins, Beatitude Chirongoma

Today, Kiind's Systemic Advocacy Reference Group had an insightful Advocacy workshop with Emily Hull, Senior Policy and Project Officer, and Lucy Morrison, Advocacy Lead from the Western Australian Council of Social Service (WACOSS). Kiind formed the Systemic Advocacy Reference Group in 2024 to enable close collaboration with parents and carers in our systemic advocacy. This workshop provided an excellent opportunity for the Reference Group to learn best practices and strategies for advocacy, create effective advocacy plans, and develop key messages to drive systemic change and make a meaningful impact on the future of disability supports. We extend our gratitude to the WACOSS team for this informative session. Our team has gained valuable insights and will apply these lessons in our practice to enhance our decision-making and better advocate for families raising children with disability in WA now, and into the future.

We are thrilled to be running the Kiind Virtual MyTime in partnership with the Child and Family Disability Alliance (CAFDA) again over seven sessions in Term 3 for parents and carers raising children aged 0-18 years with disability!   Virtual MyTime is a dedicated online space for parents and carers to connect with other Kiind members. Whether you live in regional or remote areas or face barriers to attending in-person support groups, Kiind is here for you, no matter your location.   Kiind's Peer Navigation team will facilitate the groups, with expert guest speakers joining on select weeks to provide additional insights and expertise.   We have upcoming sessions on a range of topics, including:   🟣Medical and Hospital services: https://bit.ly/3W8ftBi 🟣Navigating Early Childhood Intervention: https://bit.ly/3W7MOMP 🟣So You've Got a Diagnosis, Now What?: https://bit.ly/3zCsDh3 🟣Building positive relationships with your child's team: https://bit.ly/3RSdG0R 🟣Teens and Beyond: Transitions to Adulthood: https://bit.ly/4eQSN00 🟣Preparing for your child to start school: https://bit.ly/4eSLFjJ 🟣School Can't: Advocating for school assistance: https://bit.ly/3VTBrGW   Please register for each group you would like to attend.   Date: Commences Wednesday, 24 July 2024 Time: 10am - 11:30am Location: Online Cost: Free   Everyone who registers and attends the workshop will receive a free resource pack filled with information resources to help them confidently navigate their child's journey.   We look forward to seeing you online soon!   If you have any questions, please contact [email protected] Follow the link to find upcoming sessions: https://bit.ly/KiindMyTime