Inclusion at Heart

21/04/2026

I’ve been part of the Pain Revolution (community pain champion program) since Feb 2026, and it’s coming to an end soon. As part of the program, I’ll be running a small community event to share what I’ve learned.

Honestly… it feels a bit daunting. But this is a space I care deeply about, and I’m really looking forward to contributing in a meaningful way.

In the meantime, if you have any interest in understanding pain (especially chronic pain) in a more evidence-based, compassionate, and practical way — I highly recommend this podcast featuring Lorimer Moseley on ABC’s Conversations program.

It’s one of the best explanations of pain neuroscience that’s been shared during the CPC program — accessible, validating, and genuinely useful.

🎧 Listen here (available for download so you can listen offline): https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/conversations/lorimer-moseley-chronic-pain-neuroscience-physio/105411804

If this is an area you’re curious about — or relevant to your work or lived experience — I’d love to hear your thoughts after listening.

Professor Lorimer Moseley is neuroscientist, who specialises in the complexities and mind-boggling nature of pain - what it is, why it exists, how it works and when it can go wrong. For most of us, pain is a fundamental part of being alive, and staying alive and yet none of us will ever experience t...

12/04/2026

ASCIA Anaphylaxis Action Plan – 2026 Updates

There have been several important updates to the 2026 versions of the ASCIA Action Plan for Anaphylaxis and First Aid guidelines.

Key updates across all versions include:
• Baby infographics now include clearer facial features
• Updated wording to highlight that anaphylaxis can occur without skin symptoms
• Advice to use another adrenaline device if available if one is misfired or activated accidentally
• Clearer CPR guidance: commence CPR at any time if the person is unresponsive or not breathing normally
• Improved explanation of symptoms:
– Unresponsiveness (cardiovascular): dizziness, collapse, pale/floppy (especially in young children)
– Not breathing normally (respiratory): difficult/noisy breathing, wheeze, or persistent cough

Additional updates in the general (non-device) version:
• New infographics showing signs of mild/moderate vs severe reactions
• Visual guides to reinforce what actions to take

These changes continue to move toward clearer, more practical guidance—especially recognising that anaphylaxis doesn’t always present with obvious skin symptoms, which is a critical shift.

🔗 More info:

The Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) is the peak professional body of clinical immunology and allergy in Australia & New Zealand

09/04/2026

This caught my attention today 👀

There’s a $517M grant opportunity focused on kids aged 0–8 — which feels like a pretty strong signal that the shift toward earlier, more community-based supports is starting to roll out.

Reading between the lines, it looks like a focus on:
• building local supports around families
• increasing access to early intervention
• moving beyond a purely NDIS-based system

👉 If supporting 0–8s is your bread and butter, I’d definitely be looking into this grant.

It’ll be interesting to see whether this actually improves access for families… or just shifts pressure somewhere else.

Curious if others working in this space are seeing the same thing?

We are aware of recent phishing and scam emails impersonating GrantConnect. We advise all users to remain vigilant and to not click on links or open attachments that appear suspicious. If you are unsure about the legitimacy of a GrantConnect email, please email us at GrantConnect@finance.gov.au. Mor...

07/04/2026

There’s a growing narrative in Australia that we’re “doing too much” to support autistic individuals — and that school-based programs like Thriving Kids could replace supports like the NDIS.

But when you look at the data, the reality is far more complex.

🇦🇺 Australia is actually doing relatively well internationally
We have:
✔️ Higher identification rates (we’re recognising needs earlier)
✔️ A comprehensive policy framework across health, education, and disability
✔️ And a unique system in the NDIS that provides individualised, needs-based support

But here’s the critical issue 👇

👉 The NDIS is not just “extra support” — it’s the system filling the gaps left by everything else.

Now let’s talk about schools.

Around 70–80% of autistic students are already in mainstream education.
So it might seem logical to deliver more support through schools alone.

But right now:
• Only about half of autistic students are fully included in mainstream classrooms
• Adjustments and supports vary widely between schools
• Teachers are stretched managing increasingly complex needs
• Access to therapy and specialist input is limited or inconsistent

👉 Many students are already:
• Masking and burning out
• Falling behind
• Disengaging
• Or being quietly excluded

So where does Thriving Kids fit?

While well-intentioned, it is:
• A broad, population-level initiative
• Not designed for individualised or complex disability needs
• Not resourced to replace therapy, behavioural supports, or functional capacity development

💡 And importantly — it relies on a school system that is not currently equipped to carry that load.

This is the real risk:

If we reduce or remove the NDIS without rebuilding education and health systems first:

➡️ Schools become the default support system
➡️ Without the workforce, funding, or structure
➡️ And the children with the highest needs are the ones most likely to miss out

This isn’t about “too much” or “too little” support.

It’s about whether the system actually works.

Right now, Australia works because the NDIS fills critical gaps.

Without it — and without major reform across education and health —
programs like Thriving Kids simply won’t be enough.

We don’t need to replace one system with another.

We need to build a system where:
✔️ Education
✔️ Health
✔️ Disability supports

…actually work together to support young people to thrive.

The number of children and youth diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has increased two to fourfold in just 15 years across OECD countries. Current evidence suggests that this is largely due to an increase in the detection and diagnosis of ASD, not in the underlying autism prevalence. The i...

06/04/2026

Thinking about an apprenticeship or supporting someone who is? This is worth knowing…

The Australian Government’s Key Apprenticeship Program is offering up to $10,000 in financial support to eligible apprentices in high-demand industries like clean energy and housing construction. (Apprenticeships Australia)

👉 What this means:
• 💰 Up to $10,000 for full-time apprentices (or $5,000 part-time) (Apprenticeship Support)
• 🛠 Paid at key milestones throughout the apprenticeship
• ⚡ Supports careers in future-focused industries (renewables, construction, infrastructure)
• 👷‍♀️ Also includes incentives for employers to take on apprentices

This program is designed to reduce financial pressure, improve completion rates, and help build Australia’s future workforce.

📅 Available for apprentices who start or restart from 1 July 2025

If you’re working with young people, career changers, or anyone considering a trade pathway—this could be a game changer.

31/03/2026

I came across this really helpful physio-led explanation of hypermobility, based on education and research from the The Ehlers-Danlos Society and other credible sources.

Important point for our community:

👉 If you already have a diagnosis of HSD, there is usually no practical benefit in chasing a diagnosis of hEDS.

Right now:
• Management is the same (symptom-based treatment)
• Functional impact can be just as significant in HSD as hEDS
• Support should be based on disability, not the label

Unless there’s concern about a genetic form of EDS, changing the label often doesn’t change care, outcomes, or supports.

👉 For children and adolescents: under current diagnostic guidelines, most will be diagnosed with JHS (Joint Hypermobility Syndrome) rather than hEDS or HSD (assuming the clinician is following up-to-date criteria). This is due to ongoing development and the need for diagnostic stability over time.

With new diagnostic criteria expected in December 2026, things may shift — but for now, it’s worth asking:

👉 What will actually be different for me if the diagnosis changes?

For many, the answer is: not much — except more appointments, cost, and stress.

HSD is a valid and sufficient diagnosis. It’s okay for that to be enough.

Learn about hypermobility, its causes, symptoms, types like hEDS and HSD, and how it can be managed with a multidisciplinary care approach.

26/03/2026

Fully funded 2-day course in Bracken Ridge. There are very limited places, so submit your expression of interest as soon as possible.

The Sunshine Coast Manufacturing Hub is offering a 2-day entry level learning opportunity in: learning how to weld. Fully Funded.

21/03/2026

👉 How to nail a job interview (ABC Listen)

A couple of quick highlights that make this episode worth sharing with clients / students:
• It tackles very real interview barriers—nerves, rambling, and blanking out—which are often what derail otherwise strong candidates 
• Features both a career coach and careers counsellor, so it blends practical strategy with guidance-based insight 
• Focuses on how to perform, not just how to prepare—which is where many people struggle most

Also, the broader podcast (This Working Life, hosted by Lisa Leong) is great because it combines research, workplace trends, and practical advice—not just surface-level tips 

If you’re sharing this with your networks (especially students or clients), you might frame it like:

“This is one of the more realistic takes on interviews—less about ‘perfect answers’ and more about managing nerves and showing up well.”

Dealing with sweaty palms, talking for too long, and fumbling your answers are all possible scenarios that can kill off your chances of getting the job. So how can you prepare yourself and perform in a way that gives you a solid chance of landing the role? Guests: Dave Wolovsky, Career coach, Effort...

03/03/2026

I'm in full agreement with Anthropic and love Claude AI anyway.

Pretty sure I won't use ChatGPT in the future due to their ethical decision on how the AI tool will be used.

Claude AI is now the top U.S. free app after Anthropic rejected Pentagon demands.

Anthropic’s Claude officially captured the number one spot on the U.S. Apple App Store’s free chart on February 28, surpassing OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

The surge in downloads follows Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei's decision to reject a Pentagon ultimatum demanding unrestricted military access, as the company refused to allow its models to be used for mass domestic surveillance or fully autonomous weapons.

Consequently, the U.S. government canceled Anthropic's $200 million contract and labeled the firm a supply-chain risk, prompting a wave of public support from users who chose to boycott OpenAI after it subsequently secured its own Department of Defense agreement.

02/03/2026

A good website to follow for your safety

⚠️Safety alert – Counterfeit weight loss products claiming to contain GLP-1⚠️

We are issuing an updated safety advisory after testing confirmed counterfeit imported weight loss products.

These products falsely claim to contain glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists or GLP-1 analogues, posing potential risks to your health.

Our laboratory testing of several imported unregistered products has confirmed that the products contain no GLP-1 or any GLP-1 analogues, despite being labelled as such.

GLP-1 receptor agonists (like semaglutide, tizepatide, liraglutide) are prescription-only medicines in Australia and should only be used under medical supervision.

For your safety, only buy prescription medicines from a local registered pharmacy. Do not buy unregistered GLP-1 products thorough social media or other digital platforms.

Read more: https://www.tga.gov.au/safety/safety-monitoring-and-information/safety-alerts/counterfeit-weight-loss-products-claiming-contain-glp-1

28/02/2026

📅 Mark your diaries / set your reminders!

📱 Australians will get a nationwide AusAlert test message on Monday 27 July 2026 at 2:00 PM AEST. During this national test, compatible mobile phones and devices across Australia will receive a test alert as part of the new national emergency warning system called AusAlert. 

🔔 What to expect:
• Your phone may make a loud alert sound and vibration even if it’s on silent or “do not disturb” for the most serious (critical) alerts. 
• The alert will appear automatically on the screen — followed by a clearly labelled test message. 
• You don’t need to do anything — it’s just a test to make sure the system works and to raise awareness. 

📆 Why this matters:
AusAlert is replacing the older SMS-based emergency alerts with a modern cell-broadcast system that can deliver warnings faster and more reliably, targeting even very small areas if needed. 

Stay tuned for more info from the official AusAlert website as the date draws closer!

Under the new Australia emergency alert system, alerts to be sent for bushfires, floods, biosecurity threats and other events which put lives at risk

25/02/2026

If you or your child has ADHD, this is a really helpful website to know about 💛

A huge review looked at results from 221 studies to understand what actually helps with ADHD — both medication and non-medication supports — across children, teens and adults.

Here’s the simple takeaway:
✔️ Some medications (like methylphenidate, dexamphetamine/amphetamines and atomoxetine) can reduce ADHD symptoms in the short term for many people.
✔️ In adults, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can also help (not that I believe in this too much)
⚖️ Some non-medication approaches look promising, but the evidence isn’t as strong yet.
❗ And importantly — we don’t yet have strong long-term evidence for any option.

Out of this research, a free online website was created that keeps updating the evidence as new studies come out:

👉 https://ebiadhd-database.org/

It’s designed to help people have informed conversations with their GP, paediatrician or psychiatrist — so decisions feel shared and personalised, not confusing or overwhelming.

If you like understanding the “why” behind recommendations, this is worth a look.

Evidence changes. That’s a good thing. It means we keep learning.

A comprehensive scientific platform synthesizing evidence from clinical trials for ADHD interventions.