In this solo episode, I discuss what independence really means for young people like my daughter. Is it just about having the skills to do more for herself or are there other things that she should have the opportunities to consider? I discuss this using Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs theory as a way to structure my thoughts on whether or not it's eno…

Learning new things, having new experiences and giving back to our community build self-confidence and self-esteem. However, to often people with additional needs aren’t given the opportunity to do any of these things. In this second part of my conversation with Lex Ali, from Big Life Adventure, we talk about the value in lifelong learning and the …

For most people one of the great things about becoming an adult is getting to make their own life choices, dreaming about what they want to do, and making decisions about how their life will look now and in the future. But for many people with additional needs these opportunities aren’t easily available. In this episode my guest Lex Ali from Big Li…

Breaking down the barriers to inclusive employment opportunities is proving to be a challenge. But progress is being made and what that looks like is one of the things I’m discussing in this week’s episode with my guest Vinny De Falco from Think Forward. We talk about the programs that Think Forward have previously run, what they learned from those…

The transition from education to employment for young people with additional needs requires planning in order to be effective. In this episode with Vinny De Falco from Think Forward we talk about the importance of early transition planning and how a structured and supportive transition program with personalized coaching can help young people develo…

It's a solo episode this week and I'm talking about the role that expectations have in the way we support and inspire our young people to achieve all they are capable of. Our expectations of them guide their expectations of themselves and can also help them to ignore the low expectations of others.

The use of technology is embedded into our work lives and for people with additional needs it is often assistive technology that enables them to do their job. But often the right technology is not in place or provided by employers and that is one of the topics discussed in this episode of the podcast with my guest in this week’s episode Alex Barker…

When we think of assistive technology or any technology that can support our young people with additional needs to become more independent, we often start at the point of thinking it could be expensive or complicated to learn to use. But the reality is that today the first bit of assistive technology that our young people should access is their pho…

When we think of community, we first think about the friendship element of being around other people. But there is more to being part of a community than just that. When we become part of a community, we have the opportunity to learn from those around us. These are the other benefits of being in a community. And why this is such an important part o…

Community is defined as people with common interests living in a particular area but in reality, it’s less about location and more about belonging, about connection and feeling part of something. In this episode, my guest is Sarah Towler and the organization we are talking about is CASPA which does all of these things and more. CASPA stands for Com…

Every day we all do the same things the same way because it’s these habits that make it easier to live our lives. Habits are just skills we have that we use over and over again and for my daughter with additional needs, all the skills she has built over time are now habits that allow her to live more independently. Those skills she has like cooking…

The barriers to employment for young people with additional needs are high but that doesn’t mean it’s not possible as this week’s episode shows. In part 2 of my conversation with Adam and Deb, Adam talks about his experience of work and why his current role is working for him. Adam believes it comes down to the right support at the right time and m…

Sharing our stories helps us realize we are not alone. Hearing someone else’s story can also be a great way to learn new ideas we can use in our own family’s lives. In this episode, I’m sharing the story of Adam and his family. My guests are Adam, and his mother Deb. Adam talks about moving schools from a mainstream school to a specialist school as…

We should all have the right to choose how we live our lives, even if that means taking risks and making mistakes. But too often people with additional needs aren’t being given opportunities to take risks and to learn from their mistakes. My guest this week Carol Smail shares her experiences of the impact this lack of choice has, as well as what ca…

Finding friends with common interests can be difficult for anyone and for young people with additional needs it is often more challenging because their social network is smaller. That is why projects like Gig Buddies are so important as my guest in this episode Carol Smail from Gig Buddies Sydney explains. Carol not only talks about the vision behi…

Too often low expectations for people with additional needs have translated into fewer opportunities, particularly when it comes to paid employment. For change to happen, around work, more employers are needed which means employers will need to change their attitude toward employing people with a disability. But what is also necessary is a change i…

Inclusive employers change the future for our children, but there simply isn’t enough of them. In this episode with Peter Bacon, CEO of Disability Employment Australia, I’m discussing why this is the case, and what actions could be taken to get more employers to become inclusive employers. Is some form of legal framework necessary, as Peter suggest…

In this final episode of this Finance Future series, I’m talking to Graham Caldow about the value of giving financial independence gradually and building financial skills over time. We discuss the things that have worked for our family including multiple accounts and tracking spending. Finance is just one part of our legacy to our daughter but in l…

Planning for the future is difficult when restrictions exist around how much money you're allowed to save. In this episode with Jill Cornfield, I’m discussing how ABLE accounts can help mitigate this restriction and enable people to think longer-term and plan their financial future. ABLE National Resource Centre Follow us on Instagram/Facebook @exp…

Managing our own money is challenging. The temptation to spend is never far away and we need tools and techniques that can help us make the right choices most of the time. In this second part of my conversation with Karen Hassett from PATF we are focusing on some ways to help our young people develop those money habits that will help them make bett…

Getting started on developing any plan can be a challenge but when it comes to our finances we can often get stuck at the first step. In this episode with Karen Hassett from PATF we talk about how to get started by thinking about a decision-making process when it comes to money and using simple ideas like tracking spending and identifying prioritie…

The financial future for young people with additional needs can be challenging. They are more likely to have lower incomes, less likely to be employed full time and government assistance can be difficult to get and even more difficult to keep. So planning ahead to create a solid financial platform is essential in this new series - Financial Future …

In this episode I’m looking back over this latest series which has focused on the role that technology plays and will play in the lives of young people with additional needs. I’ll be discussing what assistive technology really means today and talk from my own experience about how technology supports my own daughter to live the life she wants. I’ll …

The best technology makes our lives easier and connects us with what we need. But often the different devices we use don’t connect with each other or we don’t see the value in connecting them together. In this episode with Ben Wood, from CCS Insight, we are talking about how that is going to change as companies realise they need to work together. W…

What’s the difference between a service user and a service owner? Quite a lot according to Padhraic Dormer from Enable Ireland. Padhraic explains the difference, as well as talking about his role as a virtual service support worker. He also discusses reasons why virtual services have proven to be so valuable in combatting social isolation. Padhraic…

Using technology to support independent living seems an obvious choice. However, it isn’t as this week’s guest Siobhan Long from Enable Ireland explains. What we consider mainstream technology can also be assistive technology, and with this become more accessible and more affordable. Siobhan also discusses the importance of knowledge, not just how …

Technology is often developed with the focus on what it does rather than how it will be used. This week’s guest Lee Blemings explains why that approach is wrong and why it also needs to be about enjoyment, about fun, and about connecting people in a meaningful way. He also talks about AI, the impact AI has already had on creating technology solutio…

Even with technology all around us there are still barriers in place which lead to digital exclusion. In this episode with Jane Seale we explore some of the reasons for this and what needs to change. She discusses why attitude is so important in creating digital inclusion and why it’s not just about access to technology, it’s also about use, empowe…

With technology changing so quickly, we are often unsure of what is available and what is possible. In this episode Wendy Harkins Davis of Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation (PATF) explains why no question is ever wrong, and that because with so many options available most questions can be answered in the positive. Wendy and I discuss a v…

Welcome to a new series on Technology – Changing the Future. From assistive technology to help aid communication to smart home devices that help make people safer, technology can change lives. In this first episode of the series, I’m talking to Libby Wilkins, Head of Accessibility and Digital Applications at The Oaks Specialist College. Libby outli…

Planning the future for our children with additional needs is not only challenging, it's crucial. In this final episode of the Planning the Journey series, I’m talking about how to navigate each of the four lines Daily Living Relationships, Purpose and Financial using the VOCAL method. VOCAL stands for Vision, Options, Create, Assess and Legacy. Us…

Providing financial security for our children with additional needs when we are no longer around is one of our greatest challenges. In this episode I talk about why it is achievable once we decide how much is enough. I also discuss the levels of control to consider, the tools available and the factors to consider when thinking about who will suppor…

Having a purpose provides meaning and direction to our lives. In this episode I talk about ways to support our children to find purpose and the importance of a Presumption of Purpose. I also discuss the role of mindset in developing a presumption of purpose for both ourselves and our children. When we support our children to find purpose, paid or u…

Relationships matter. Without them our young people can become isolated. We all have our stories of challenging family relationships and friendships lost. But as our children get older, we need to focus on helping them independently manage the reality of social interactions. In this episode I talk about the difference between dynamic and static rel…

In this series I will be focusing on exploring in more depth the 4 core topics that the podcast has always focused around: daily living, relationships, purpose and financial. In this episode the focus is daily living skills. I will be sharing some techniques I used to successfully support my own daughter to build these skills. These techniques, whi…

Where will my daughter live when I’m no longer around? It’s a big question, and some of the ideas explored in the Housing Options series just might help answer that question. In this episode I discuss some of those ideas, and why we might need to rethink our assumptions around support. I also talk about why choice and community must sit at the cent…

It’s difficult to develop better housing options if we don’t know what people want and need. This week's guests Chris Hatton and Lauren Blood were involved with a research project which will in part help to address this issue. The 200 Lives project looked at the quality of supported living and residential care in England. Chris and Lauren discuss t…

For too long housing solutions for young people with additional needs have failed to consider the importance of inclusion. This week's guests Paula Manion and Donna Budway, from Our Stomping Ground, are changing that by developing housing solutions that have inclusive communities at their heart. They discuss how the housing model has evolved, why O…

Creating a housing model for young adults with additional needs that really works means doing things differently. This is something Lisa Liberatore from US Autism Homes understands. We discuss the three-pillar solution they developed and how that has helped create an inclusive community. Lisa also discusses the important role science can play in he…

Finding somewhere to live is about more than just about finding a place, it's about building a life. Community is an important part of that life and how to build communities is the topic of this episode with Kathy Meyer from Everyone Needs A Community. We talk not only about why community matters so much but also about understanding that communitie…

Finding Supported Living that works means bringing together many things, from finding a property in the right location with the right access, to identifying a support provider and accessing the right level of support. This week's guest Lisa Brown is determined to build a network that brings together the different people and organizations involved, …

When we imagine where our children might live, when we’re no longer around, it isn’t just the place they will live, it’s the community around them and how they will live their daily lives that we also imagine. In this week’s episode I’m talking to Mike Sweeney about how he, and other parents, are working together to bring all these things from imag…

No matter how alone we sometimes feel there is always someone who understands our journey even if they are taking a different road than us. In this episode, as part of the series on Housing Options, my guest is Eliza Factor, author of Strange Beauty, who shares her story, the story of her son Felix and the story of Lonely Worm Farm. Lonely Worm Far…

Continuing with the series on Housing Options, this week the focus is on Supported Living with Jonathan Spencer the CEO of Zetetick Housing. We discuss what supported living involves and the challenges faced in finding the right homes as well as the importance of having a choice in where and who we live. The model of Zetetick is much more than simp…

Moving into our own space is part of becoming an adult and embracing the independence that brings. In this new series on Housing Options I’m exploring some of the housing models that are available for people with additional needs. The series starts off with Main Street, an innovative project literally built from the ground up. Jillian Copeland the …

Solo episode this week where I talk about what I’ve learnt in the conversations I’ve had as part of the Grace Eyre Profile Series. This has been about acknowledging the past, celebrating the present and focusing on the future. Supporting our children towards a better future needs to be a joined up approach and this is why hearing from organizations…

Everyone should have the right to decide their own future but too often people with additional needs simply aren't given a voice. In this episode my two guests are Cleo Dibb, the Our Voices Manager and Jenny Good who was involved in the Rethink Disability campaign. Both are discussing the imperative of giving people the opportunity to share their l…

Getting into paid employment is a major challenge for people with additional needs. Programs that support people to develop their employability skills and enable them to break down the barriers into work play an essential role. In this episode with Evie Halligan and Stuart Leaney we discuss the Work Buddy and Let’s Work Together projects run at Gra…

One of the core skills for an independent life is independent travel. At Grace Eyre the Travel Buddy Project focuses on supporting people to develop the confidence, self awareness and knowledge they need to travel independently. In this episode with Gary Cunningham, the Travel Buddy Team Leader, we are discussing exactly how the scheme works and th…

Social interactions are an essential part of being human, providing us with connections and often a purpose. In this episode with Jenny Good from the Friendship Group and Colleen Maytham and Mario Antoon from Active Lives we explore the ways to make and keep these connections and the increasingly important role of technology in helping bring people…