Slow Down Rose.

09/01/2026

07/01/2026

We’re excited to announce that Siblings Australia has received funding from the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing to support our work nationally.

This funding will enable us to strengthen and expand our network of sibling supports across Australia, increasing access to connection, peer support, and information for brothers and sisters of people with disability and chronic illness.

Alongside our direct support for siblings, we will continue to provide education and guidance that empowers parents to support their sibling children. The funding also allows us to continue working with service providers across the health, education, and disability sectors, supporting them to deliver more informed and inclusive services for siblings.

We will continue our advocacy for greater recognition of siblings within government policy and the broader community, while promoting and undertaking research that builds understanding of the experiences and needs of siblings and their families.

We’re excited about what this means for siblings, families, and communities across the country.

07/01/2026

A Child’s Voice is about helping adults see beyond behaviour and understand what’s really happening underneath.

This one shares the voice of a child with ADHD – Combined Presentation — where attention can drift, energy can spill over, and effort often goes unseen.

These words reflect what many children wish adults knew:
That forgetting isn’t defiance.
That movement is often regulation.
That impulsivity isn’t a lack of care.
That trying hard doesn’t always look calm or compliant.

When we understand how a child’s brain works, we can respond with support instead of pressure, and connection instead of control.

This visual is designed to be used by parents, educators, and professionals to build empathy, open conversations, and reduce shame — especially for children who are often misunderstood.

📥 Free download details are in the visual
👍 Please LIKE this post so more adults can see it and learn
💬 Save or share with someone who supports children with ADHD

Understanding changes everything.

07/01/2026

PHOTOGRAPHERS! We need you. Keen to help capture the smiles on dials for our January 31st event?

Register here (it's free) if you're a whiz at making memories with a camera. **Please note all photographers need a valid WWC check**

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/dsamp-lets-go-surfing-point-leo-event-1-2026-tickets-1911567914089?aff=oddtdtcreator

07/01/2026

Sometimes the hardest part of supporting a child is when things get worse just as adults are trying to do things differently.

A new response, a calmer boundary, or a change in routine can lead to bigger reactions, more pushback, or old behaviours showing up again. This is not a sign that something has gone wrong. It often means the child is unsettled by change and is checking what is going to happen next.

Children feel safest when adults are predictable. When that predictability shifts, even for good reasons, emotions can rise before they settle. Progress can look messy. There can be good days followed by harder ones. This is part of adjustment, not failure.

What helps most is staying steady. Keeping boundaries clear. Using fewer words when emotions are high. Letting change settle instead of rushing it. Looking at progress over time, not in one difficult moment.

This stage is exhausting for parents and carers, but it is often where real change begins.

Comment BETTER and we will send you a message with a link to a free printable PDF of this resource.

07/01/2026

Free SCHOOL REFUSAL ICEBERG
Tomorrow many children go back to school after the holidays.
For some families, this does not look like excitement or new uniforms. It looks like tears, stomach aches, anger, shutdown, or a child who suddenly cannot face the school gate.

This is often called school refusal, but for many children it is not about refusing. It is about stress. It is a child showing that something at school feels too much right now.

What adults usually see is the behaviour. What we do not always see is the anxiety, fear of failure, bullying, sensory overload, exhaustion from coping, or past experiences that made school feel unsafe. Pushing harder rarely fixes this. Listening, slowing down and looking underneath the behaviour is what helps.

If a child is struggling to return to school, they are not being difficult. They are communicating in the only way they can. Behaviour is a message. The question is whether we are ready to listen.

Comment REFUSAL and we will send you a message with a link to a free printable PDF of this resource.

22/12/2025

Often, when we ask our Deaf students their siblings’ names, they say, “girl,” or “baby.” When we ask who their cousin is, they shrug. Hearing children overhear their family members’ names dozens of times a day: parents calling each other from another room, siblings being praised or warned, cousins being referred to. However, Deaf children don’t necessarily overhear that, and too often, no one stops to clearly sign: This is your brother. His name is Scott. Without intentional language access, the people they love most can remain unnamed.

How can we help our Deaf children learn their family members' names?
💙 Introduce names intentionally | Don’t assume Deaf children will pick it up or overhear it. Clearly sign: This is your sister. Her name is M-A-Y-A. Repeat often.
💙 Use names in real moments | During play, routines, and transitions: Maya is washing her hands. Ben is coming in the room.
💙 Create visual name cues | Photos on the wall, labeled pictures, or a simple family book with names and signs can help.
💙 Fingerspell consistently (or teach name signs) | Make sure names are accessible, consistent, and used by everyone in the home.
💙 Slow down and check understanding | Ask Who is that? What’s their name? and model again if needed.

15/12/2025

This season we are celebrating 40 years of Smiles On Dials!!! It's been an amazing journey and so awesome to see all our branches growing and sharing the stoke!

Shout out to the big man, Gary, for his vision, his passion and his drive to bring Smiles On Dials to so many people over the years!!