NDIS Know-how

This is the second part of Mel's conversation with Lisa Grech, a researcher, psychologist and mum to Hannah, who has a rare genetic condition and intellectual disability. If you missed part one, where Lisa shares how she fiercely advocates for her daughter, who is an NDIS participant, skip on back and check it out. 

In this episode Lisa talks about the issue of inequality in relation to the NDIS – a topic she’s particularly passio...

This episode is part one of Mel's chat with Lisa Grech, a researcher, psychologist and proud mum to Hannah, her 20-year-old daughter who has a rare genetic condition and intellectual disability. Lisa herself has multiple sclerosis (MS) and chronic mental health issues. She co-parents and cares for Hannah with her ex-husband, Tim.  

Lisa uses what she calls an “aggressive” strategy when it comes to Hannah’s NDIS plan reviews – and ...

In this episode Mel chats with Bernard Namok Jr, host of Yarning Disability, the first podcast dedicated to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with disability. Bernard has a long history in radio broadcasting and, since experiencing disability first hand and in his family, he's now working as a community advocate for the First Peoples Disability Network in Cairns. 

In this conversation Bernard shares his experience of na...

In this episode Mel chats with Jo Abi, a journalist, media commentator, author and autism advocate who has three children - two sons, Philip, 18, Giovanni, 15, and her daughter Kitty, 13. 

Philip and Giovanni both have autism and are on the NDIS - and it looks like Kitty will soon be joining them, as she’s currently being assessed for an autism diagnosis. 

Jo has a lovely new partner who also has autism - and who she met at an Au...

In this episode Mel chats with Stacey Phillips of Tubie Fun, a business that makes products to support families and people who tube-feed. Tubie Fun was inspired by Stacey's son, Callum, who’s been tube-fed for pretty much his whole life. Callum is now six, and is one of three boys being raised by Stacey and her husband, Anthony, in Brisbane.

Both Callum and his brother Harry, 8, have NDIS plans supporting various diagnoses includi...

In this episode Mel chats with Benison O'Reilly and Seana Smith - co-authors of what’s known as “the essential guide” for parents of children with autism - about their new, fully updated edition of The Australian Autism Handbook. Benison and Seana both have sons with autism and this conversation covers some of what’s changed in the years since they launched the first edition of The Australian Autism Handbook back in 2008. The NDIS,...

In this episode Mel chats with Hayley Thiele, a fellow parent of a child on the NDIS. Hayley is the director of Alee Disability Support Services, an organisation that helps families on the NDIS, primarily through support coordination.

Hayley and her husband, Dave, live in regional South Australia. They have four daughters, the youngest of which is Pippa, who is four. Pippa has Wiedemann-Steiner syndrome and needs significant suppo...

NDIS Know-how is coming back strong after the holiday break with the woman who got Beyoncé and Lizzo to change ableist lyrics in their songs. Hannah Diviney is a disability advocate, writer, actor and creator of an incredible media company called Missing Perspectives. You might have seen her on the pages of Marie Claire magazine, which crowned her The Voice of Now, on ABC’s Q+A panel, or starring in her breakout acting role in the...

In this episode Mel chats with Alexandra - or Alex - Browne, a senior support coordinator and recovery coach in the NDIS space. Having started out in occupational therapy, Alex has been working in the disability sector for a decade and her own son, Ethan, is on the NDIS. 

Alex is an expert on evidence - the reports, assessments, letters and information we need to provide the NDIS in order to paint a picture of who our family is an...

In this episode Mel chats with Alexandra - or Alex - Browne, a senior support coordinator and recovery coach in the NDIS space. Having started out in occupational therapy, Alex has been working in the disability sector for a decade and her own son, Ethan, is on the NDIS. 

Alex is an expert on evidence - the reports, assessments, letters and information we need to provide the NDIS in order to paint a picture of who our family is an...

In this episode Mel chats with Sarah-Ann Taylor, a Sydney-based brand communication expert who works in PR and is a mother of two boys, two-year-old Roman and Franklin, who’s five, and has cerebral palsy. 

When it comes to navigating the NDIS, Sarah-Ann does her research and she doesn’t take no for an answer. This chat covers how she makes sure that Franklin isn’t waiting months - or years - for the supports he needs and how new c...

In this episode Mel chats with Brisbane-based Sarah Thomas, founder of an incredible blended tube-feeding product called Wholesome Blends. Sarah is a single mum of twin, 14-year-old boys, Cohan and Lewis. When the boys were three, Lewis had a stroke that led to several diagnoses including cerebral palsy and epilepsy. 

Sarah knows the NDIS from both the participant and provider perspective. She shares advice around advocating for o...

In this episode Mel chats with Ingerlise Svaleng, the founder of "kindness project" 21 Gifts, about how we can advocate for our child’s strengths and passions in a system that's geared toward their so-called deficits.

Ingerlise is from Norway and now lives in the Sutherland Shire of NSW with her husband and two daughters, four-year-old Lola and Maia, who is seven and has Down syndrome.

Through partnerships with 120+ hospita...

In this episode Mel chats with Lisa Duffy who is, hands down, one of the loveliest people working in Australia's disability sector. Lisa started out as a physiotherapist before finding her true calling in complex case management and working with people with disability to navigate their support options in the 10 years prior to the NDIS rollout. 

Since the NDIS came along, Lisa’s been helping people gain access to the scheme and pla...

In this episode Mel chats with one half of the phenomenal podcast due that is the Too Peas - Mandy Hose. Alongside Kate Jones, Mandy hosts Too Peas in a Podcast, a weekly audio offering exploring the ups and downs of life as parents to kids with disabilities.  

Mel speaks with Mandy about her experience of navigating the NDIS on behalf of her 17-year-old twin daughters, both of whom have hemiplegia, a form of cerebral palsy....

In this episode Mel chats with her friend and Hireup colleague Briana Blackett. Bri is the sole parent of her two sons, Max, who is 15, and thirteen-year-old Freddy, both of whom have autism. Bri is also a senior journalist and seasoned advocate. This conversation covers how to advocate for our kids - especially those with autism - at an NDIS planning meeting, the liberating benefits of being plan managed, and what changes to our g...

In this episode, Mel chats with a bonafide NDIS expert. Carl Thompson is a former NDIS Local Area Coordinator (LAC) and the founder and director of NDIS service provider Sort Your Support. Carl's also an NDIS participant, so he knows this scheme inside-out and back to front.

Carl and Mel's conversation takes a deep dive into NDIS plan reviews - what they are, how to ask for them and what the process looks like - from interna...

In this episode Mel chats with Tara Thompson, the mother behind the wildly popular Willow’s CP Journey instagram account. Here Tara shares snapshots of her day-to-day life as a mum of three girls - Ava, who’s nine, four-year-old Indie, and Willow, who’s seven, and has cerebral palsy and autism.  

This conversation covers the power of our community - something that is front of mind for Tara in her new ro...

In this episode Mel chats with Stacey Touma and Bree Pennie, both of whom have kids on the NDIS, and both of whom work for a wonderful organisation called Kindred that supports families raising kids with disabilities. 

Stacey lives in Brisbane with her husband, Mark, and their three children, including Alex, 10, who has a rare genetic condition called Williams Syndrome. Bree lives on the south coast of NSW with her partner, M...