Plan Partners NDIS Provider Profile: Siblings Australia

There aren’t many bonds stronger than the one between siblings and this bond is especially important when a member of the family has a disability. Along with parents, it’s often siblings who take on various roles of support to help the family navigate what can be very challenging times, whether that be for the short or long term.

While there are myriad options of support available for people with disability, support for siblings can be sometimes overlooked. The great news is that not only are there organisations like Siblings Australia providing support, acknowledgement and resources for siblings, but through this support the whole family can experience better outcomes as well!

Natalie’s story

We asked Natalie to share a bit about her family's experience with disability.

“My brother has an intellectual disability and has required additional supports throughout his life. That has left him vulnerable, with supports not always being reliable, and we have had to ‘rescue’ him on a couple of occasions from those who were taking advantage of him.

“It involved him moving closer to us, his family, which meant that he would have more supports (both family and friends) but that we could also help him implement some additional supports and community participation outside of his immediate family.” explains Natalie.

Support and recognition for siblings

Founded in Adelaide in 1999, Siblings Australia was created to provide recognition and support to siblings of children and adults with disability.

After almost 25 years of incredible work, they’ve built a reputation both nationally and internationally for their work with siblings, their families and professionals.

What they do

Siblings Australia offer a range of programs and supports, depending on the needs of the individual.

Support for those who care for siblings

The SibWise program focuses on helping parents, health care workers, educators or disability professionals who care for, support or come into contact with siblings of children with disability. With the aim of helping people to better understand and react to the needs of siblings.

Support for siblings aged 8-12

SibWorks is tailored for siblings aged 8-12 and is facilitated by professionals in the health, education, disability or community services space. Its aim is to build improved emotional wellbeing and resilience, while connecting with others who share the same experience.

Support for connecting siblings to each other

SibConnect provides opportunities for siblings to connect with each other! People who are going through the same experience can find real value in connecting, talking, exchanging experiences and helping each other navigate challenging times.

Online support to share experiences

Siblings Australia hosts a private online Facebook chat group called SibChat created exclusively for adult siblings where they can share their experiences and develop new relationships in a moderated environment.

Getting started

We asked Natalie what advice she would give to a sibling who perhaps needs some guidance on what they can do to help when a family member has a disability.

“Communication is key, whether it be with your parents, other siblings or your brother or sister with disability. Being open and honest about your feelings, needs and goals is important.

I’d also recommend that you seek support or reach out to people to bounce idea’s off. Having worked in the disability sector for almost 15 years provided me with some insights for potential supports that would benefit my brother, and being able to discuss these options with the subject matter experts was always super helpful.

Lastly, look at building a Circle of Support (CoS) for your brother or sister with disability. A CoS can increase the number of people who are interested and involved in the life of your loved one who has a disability and can help you (as a sibling) to build capacity and understanding of what is possible but also, share tasks amongst other members of the CoS.”

Learn more about Siblings Australia

If you’d like to know more about the services that Siblings Australia offers you can subscribe to Siblings Australia updates via their website and learn more about the exciting work underway for our SibPlan and TeenSib programs and supports.