Perception Psychology Mackay

22/04/2026

Many families and individuals may be very worried seeing the latest announcements regarding the NDIS. Please know we will continue to support any clients and their families the best we can regardless of any changes to their funding, whether they have NDIS access, etc.

Today, Minister Mark Butler, the Minister for Health, Disability and the NDIS, spoke about the future of the NDIS.

When announcements like this are made, we know families want clear, reliable information. At ACD we start by sharing a summary and then work alongside disability organisations across Australia to help shape what happens next.

There is a lot in this announcement. Most of us at ACD are parents of children on the NDIS, and we understand how hard it can be to make sense of what these kinds of changes might mean for your own child and family.

NDIS eligibility 👈
🔹Eligibility for the NDIS is expected to change from January 2028 for both new and existing participants.
🔹It is proposed access will no longer be based on diagnosis but will be decided by a standardised functional capacity assessment.
🔹NDIS eligibility will depend on a significant reduction in a person’s functional capacity that impacts their day-to-day living.
🔹All existing participants will have their eligibility to remain on the NDIS reassessed, as their plan comes up for renewal.

Planning 👈
🔹The new framework planning, using a support needs assessment, will now begin from 1 April 2027. This will determine the size of a participant’s plan.
🔹From July 2026, participants are expected to only be able to request a plan reassessment if there are exceptional changes in circumstances.

What’s in a plan👈
🔹Social and Community Participation and Capacity Building Daily Activities funding in plans is expected to be reduced. How much these budgets are reduced will vary. This change is proposed to be rolled out from October 2026.

Who can provide services👈
🔹Plan management, support coordination and Supported Independent Living will be limited to a smaller group of approved providers.
🔹Personal care and daily living supports will need to be delivered by registered providers. No start date has been confirmed.

More information
👉You can read more here - https://acd.org.au/ndis-changes/

27/02/2026

Teachers and school staff can support students with anxiety to regulate and reach their potential. Regulation has to come first, then learning.

25/02/2026

Anxiety is increasingly common and impacts kids learning and classroom engagement. However, anxiety isn't always recognised and supported. It often shows up as school refusal, acting out, defiance, or, over-compliance and perfectionism.

22/02/2026

This collection of resources also includes Teacher Guides outlining helpful accommodations and supports for students in the classroom. This Teacher Guide looks at supports for students with Dyslexia and Low Working Memory.

22/02/2026

Time blindness in adult ADHD is the inability to sense how much time has passed and estimate the time needed to get something done. It isn’t an official diagnosis, but it can significantly impact your daily life. Time blindness changes how you prioritize tasks, allocate time, and manage your schedule.

An example of time blindness for an ADHDer is underestimating the time needed to get ready for an appointment, causing you to turn up late. For a non-ADHDer, it’s easier to estimate the amount of time needed to prep and be on time.

Time blindness is a legitimate issue for people with ADHD. It’s not the intentional act of disregarding time or disrespecting someone else’s time. (ADDA ❤️)

Image ❤️

21/02/2026

Students with learning disorders, cognitive processing differences, or neurodevelopmental differences in thinking can struggle in the classroom. Understanding of how these differences show up in the classroom can improve the student's engagement , self-esteem, and learning outcomes.
This is the first info/handout in our collection of resources for parents and teachers aimed to improve understanding and support for these students in the classroom.

21/02/2026

21/02/2026

Even though OCD and autism are distinct conditions, they can co-occur. Research suggests that up to 17% of autistic people also have OCD, much higher than in the general population. However, having one condition doesn’t automatically mean you have the other. Each condition comes with its own challenges, and when they overlap, the experience can be unique from having just OCD or just autism.

For example, someone with both OCD and autism might struggle with intense routines but feel unsure whether it comes from a need to relieve anxiety (OCD) or a strong preference for sameness and predictability (autism).

According to April Kilduff, LCPC, LMHC, LPCC, LPC, an autistic NOCD therapist, not all repetitive behaviors are compulsions. “For autistic individuals, routines and repetitive actions can be comforting, not distressing,” she explains. “The key is understanding whether a behavior is done to relieve anxiety (OCD) or as a form of self-regulation (autism). That distinction matters when creating a treatment plan.”

For children with both OCD and autism, this distinction can be even harder to spot. Parents may need professional guidance to differentiate between behaviors driven by anxiety and those that are simply part of their child’s neurodivergent way of engaging with the world. ( ❤️)

21/02/2026

21/02/2026

21/02/2026

If you know a year 7 who wants to tell people about their diagnosis, but doesn't have the words, the year 7 & 8 script book has support and sentence starters to help them out.

🌐See the full Script Book here, at https://icannetwork.education/neurodivergent-student-script-book/

These resources are part of the Victorian Government's expansion of I CAN to all Victorian government schools in support of the Victorian Autism Education Strategy.

08/12/2025

https://reframingautism.org.au/the-link-between-hypermobility-and-autism-symptoms-and-strategies-for-pain-management/
The Link Between Hypermobility and Autism: Symptoms and Strategies for Pain Management

Hypermobility is a condition that affects many Autistic people. It is characterised by overly flexible joints and muscles that may lead to chronic pain. Those with hypermobility are at risk of suffering from joint and muscle instability, fatigue and poor posture.