The Wondering Wattle

21/10/2025

Oh. Deary. Me.

If it wasn't so discriminatory and offensive, it'd be (almost) laughable.

If our very own (SA) Government House, a heritage listed building from well before disability inclusion, can have beautiful ramps which meet dignity AND code, built then surely, SURELY, the actual Minister for the actual Disability Portfolio can have a dignified entry with inclusive access for his constituents to enter the building to meet him?

In the current hyper-focus of 'cutting back' and 'scripting supports' within the NDIS which is on the whole, only adding distress for more-deserving participants, we (they) seem to have completely forgotten to even look beyond the dollars-and-sense (pun intended).

Mark Butler MP NDIS National Disability Insurance Scheme Shane Hryhorec Anthony Albanese let's pehaps pop a few bucks from the 'savings' you've made on the back of participants into some common 'sense' inclusion for all. Please.

21/10/2025

🌼 Invisible Disabilities Awareness Week

Not every disability is visible. Infact, 80-85% of all people with a disability have one that isn't visible. That's exactly the point of this week - a reminder to check our assumptions, notice what isn’t obvious, and create spaces where people don’t have to “prove” their needs to be supported.

You may have noticed the sunflower logo in airports, sporting venues, concerts, buses.? Or people wearing sunflower lanyards or wrist bands? It's an international campaign supporting people living with hidden disabilities. Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Australia & New Zealand is a great place to learn more and to resource yourself or someone you love.

Awareness in action (today and every day) for us all:
• Believe what someone tells you about their needs; no evidence required.
• Ask, don’t guess: “What would help right now?”
• Adjust the environment - quieter spaces, extra processing time, flexible communication.
• Respect pacing - rest, breaks and sensory regulation are legitimate supports.
• Unless you've lived a moment in the shoes of a person with invisible disabilities, you are *not* the expert - the person is.

💛

19/10/2025

🌼 Children’s Week is a national celebration of children’s rights and a reminder that every child deserves to be seen, heard and celebrated in every community.

At The Wondering Wattle, Over 60% of the people we support are under 17. As Support Coordinators, that shapes how we show up during Children’s Week (and every other week).

We work with families, schools, siblings and providers to make sure plans protect space for play by considering:
📍 unstructured time and sensory-friendly downtime in schedules for supports;
📍 inclusive community activities, sports and arts that kids actually enjoy;
📍 scheduling of therapy thoughtfully so it doesn’t crowd out childhood;

Play isn’t “extra”, it’s a right, a developmental need, and a source of joy. This Children’s Week, let’s keep clearing barriers so kids can do what kids do best: play, belong, get messy and thrive.

💛




📸 Credit: Andrew Ritchie/The West Australian

17/10/2025

We have a genuine “come as you are culture” in our team and in our practice as support coordinators

Its important because its authentic and relatable and means being able to drop just one heavy mask of expectation

In this same spirit, here’s a snippet from one of our team who is also mamma to several kiddos including participants with disabilities:

~~~

8:38am • Day 1 • Term 4

School sucks hairy stinky balls for my littlest love 🥹

He has, though, been working really hard on expressing his feelings and remembering his finger spacing when writing. He nailed it this morning. And for this I am super proud 🥰

We’ll try again tomorrow….🙃

~~~

[Warning: Bit of colourful language if you zoom in]

15/10/2025

🌼 NATIONAL CARERS WEEK

It’s likely "you are, know, or will be" one of the 3+ million Australians who care for family or friends, if not now then at some point in your lifetime.

At The Wondering Wattle, we work closely with participants and their carers. We’ve witnessed carer's wins, losses, frustrations and hopes. From all of us: thank you for carrying the heartbeat of "Helping Humans Thrive" every hour of every day.

This week we don’t just celebrate carers; we acknowledge the emotional, physical, social and financial load, and the quiet courage it takes. It’s not easy, and it can be very lonely (even if we're sure you’d say, “I wouldn’t have it any other way”). So, please ensure you connect in with Carer Gateway, Siblings Australia and your local support networks.

Would you like to celebrate a fabulous carer in your life? Feel free to share your 'shout out' and thanks in the comments below 👇

Brave is kind
💛

10/10/2025

A little more of our story - from germinating to flourishing, soft beginnings to bold, clear, and strong.

Pop back on Sunday to see our final reveal - we reckon you'll love it as much as we do.

💛

03/10/2025

05/09/2025

✨ We’re hiring experienced Support Coordinators & experienced Specialist Support Coordinators!

Are you an experienced Support Coordinator or Specialist Support Coordinator looking for meaningful work where values come first?

The Wondering Wattle is based in Adelaide, SA - with local, hybrid, and remote team members across Australia. These positions require you to live in Adelaide.

We’re growing and would love to welcome people who lead with heart, hold complexity with care, and practise with intention.

Here’s what we offer:
🌿 Permanent part-time (20+ hrs/week) with genuine flexibility - design your week around family, health, disability, culture, and life rhythms
🌿 Work-from-home options + community connections
🌿 A nurturing pod model (Support Coordinator + Relationship Coordinator) so you’re never “solo” on the hard stuff
🌿 Clear templates, reliable systems, and admin support so you can focus on relationships, not red tape
🌿 A culture of care: reflective practice, external supervision, warm team check-ins, and genuine psychosocial safety
🌿 Ongoing learning, peer consults & space for courageous conversations
💛 Work that changes lives - measured by outcomes that matter to participants, not by volume or velocity

You’ll be a great fit if you:
🌿 Have proven experience in Support Coordination and/or Specialist Support Coordination (complex case work welcome) 🌿 Hold relevant qualifications (Cert IV+ in disability, mental health, allied health, or community services) or equivalent experience
🌿 Understand the NDIS and the support coordination role in depth
🌿 Bring mindful, intentional practice - no tick-boxing; every plan, every meeting, every action is person-led and considered
🌿 Communicate clearly, collaborate well, and build trust with participants, families, and providers.
🌿 Are tech-confident in a remote team and have reliable transport when community visits are needed
🌿 Hold (or are willing to obtain) NDIS Worker Screening, First Aid, and Orientation Module
🌿 Can commit to 20 hours per week and show steadiness in holding complexity with kindness

Even better (not essential):
🌿 Lived experience of disability and/or family carers
🌿 Local knowledge of services and community networks

How to apply:
Send your resume + one-page cover letter to people@wonderingwattle.com.au sharing why you are values-aligned and how you practise with intention.

Applications close 30 September, 2025

Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.

28/08/2025

If you’re looking for quality, therapeutic, kind, skilled mentors for yourself or someone in your circle, then we highly recommend Bloom Mentoring Services

Participants we SC with, who have Bloom as part of their team all rate them a solid 10. Every interaction we have with Renee, Founder of Bloom, is a solid 10. That maths makes Bloom Mentoring a 20 out of 10, surely?! 😉

At Bloom Mentoring Services, we’ve been putting a strong focus on professionalising our workforce and making sure our team is equipped with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to provide the highest quality support to the people we work with. 🌱

We’ve had the privilege of hosting guest speakers on topics such as PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance), sensory processing and regulation, and autism inclusion and accessibility. We’ve held in-house training, such as progress report writing workshops delivered by our very own Janie; and we have also rolled out formal supervision sessions for staff 👏

We know that investing in professional development is about more than just ticking boxes, it’s about ensuring our Therapeutic Mentors and Support Workers are continuously building their knowledge and staying up to date with best practice approaches. This helps us provide supports that are inclusive, empowering, and person-centred.

We are committed to making sure our team feels confident and supported in their roles, because when our workforce thrives, so do the people and families we walk alongside. 💜

27/08/2025

The Wondering Wattle love community. So much so that it's one of our four founding values*.

Well done to the visionaries, supporters and key providers for creating community together today through this event - it's often a pretty lonely gig raising kids with disabilities, but today for just an hour we all got to un-lonely together.

💛

*alongside courage, connection and curiosity

20/08/2025

We understand that everyone’s access needs are different, and when it comes to sharing information about services and supports, we’re happy to do it in a way that feels meaningful and less brain-straining.

We also love receiving feedback — every suggestion, idea, or tweak helps us refine what we do and how we support.

With your guidance, we adjust until it makes sense for you, because at the end of the day, this is about making sure the way we work together feels right, supportive, and easy.

💛

13/08/2025

It's time to talk about the stuff that rarely gets talked about - disability, sexuality, and everything in between.

The Wondering Wattle is proud to be Major Sponsor of this one-of-a-kind conference sparking candid, cheeky, courageous conversations.

As a human-rights-driven organisation, we believe in every person's right to equity in every part of life - health, education, access, opportunity and, yes, pleasure, relationships, and intimacy.

On the program: neurodivergence, gender diversity, supported decision-making, parent perspectives, plus kink and sensuality in the disability space.

If you’re a support worker, professional, educator, or simply passionate about inclusive practice—this day is for you.

We’d love to see you there. Limited tickets still available: https://lnkd.in/gbfQYkrx