Creating a Vision for your family member.

Parents need to know what's possible and be aspirational in their thinking. We need to plan for the future we want for ourselves and our families and develop the tools required to achieve a vision for a good life in the community.

As the service system evolves to a system that supports self-determination, choice and control for people with disabilities, we must recognise the significant role families play throughout the lifespan of their son or daughter with intellectual impairment. Families are and have always been the constant; it is not families that have changed but the service system and society’s response to disability.

• What does the future look like for you and your family member with a learning disability?

• EnablingGood Lives – what this means for you and your family.

What to expect at this seminar:

• Strategies to help articulate and set your Vision for your family member.
• Opportunity to meet with other parents

Understanding the importance of planning for what you want and don't want for your family member, using tools developed by Charting a Lifecourse. It takes time to create a good life and now is a good place to start.

Sue Robertson - I live in Matamata with my husband Neil, living the dream - brought about by a strong vision for Katie, who has been in the first wave of social change since birth in 1986. Born with extreme autism, our family based our decisions on the unyielding belief that 'there is no one that is not needed- and that community is a place where all means All- and we have supported and advocated for our daughter and sister to live her best Life possible. We have given Katie a 'Voice.' I have dedicated my adult life to pushing the boundaries of what's possible for our family - and I have been a quiet, steady champion for other families. I facilitate bespoke life plans based on a clear Vision of what is possible- based on goals and actions that integrate life domains important to a good quality of Life for everyone in the family. When I'm not staying active by visiting Katie in her new home, I'm exploring my community. Life is good.

Bridget Snedden - lives in Auckland has worked in the disability sector for almost 30 years and is currently President of Down Syndrome International. Through her work with Family Network, she shares what she has learned so that other parents can have every opportunity to know what's possible for their family member with intellectual impairment. Bridget is the mother of an adult son Alex, who has Down syndrome. Alex has a good life doing what is important to him alongside neighbours and friends. She and her husband Garry have never deviated from their commitment to inclusion. Other parents and allies who held the same commitment to inclusion have been influential in their lives. It has not been easy navigating a system that doesn't always work for you, but with a strong Vision for Alex, anything is possible. Alex lives life on his terms and is loved and supported by many.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Ellerslie International Hotel and Conference Centre, 2 Wilkinson Road, Auckland, New Zealand