Neurominded

01/09/2026

TOP TIP OF THE MONTH | Presume competence 🌱

What we see on the outside doesn’t always tell us what a child understands, knows or is capable of.

A child may communicate differently, need more processing time, find it difficult to demonstrate their learning, or participate in ways we don’t immediately recognise.

Presuming competence means starting from possibility, rather than limitation.

Try:
✨ Speaking to children, not about them when they’re present
✨ Giving enough time to process and respond
✨ Offering different ways to communicate, contribute and participate
✨ Avoiding assumptions based on speech, behaviour or support needs
✨ Asking, “What might this child understand that they haven’t yet been able to show me?”

Sometimes the most important shift isn’t changing the child or even the environment.

It’s changing what we assume is possible.

27/08/2026

There is something so powerful in this reminder.

Our role isn’t to decide who children should become, but to create the conditions where they feel safe, valued and supported to discover that for themselves.
To notice what lights them up. To make space for difference. To listen to what they’re showing us about who they are and what they need.

Because when children are genuinely accepted for who they are, they don’t just participate; they thrive.

A beautiful reminder to keep making space for every child to unfold. 🌱

25/08/2026

Disability rights aren’t an optional extra in inclusive practice, they’re an obligation.

From 1 August 2026, the Disability Standards for Education 2005 were extended to most early childhood education and care services, clarifying how existing obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) apply across the sector.

For services, this means understanding not only the rights of children with disability, but the practical responsibility to identify barriers, make reasonable adjustments and support children to access and participate in education and care on the same basis as their peers.

And importantly, these aren’t entirely new expectations.
Inclusion, equity and diversity are already embedded throughout the National Quality Framework, National Quality Standard and Approved Learning Frameworks. The recent changes provide further clarity around the legal obligations that sit alongside good inclusive practice.

ACECQA has now released an excellent suite of free Disability Rights and Obligations resources, including a six-session Team Meeting Package that supports teams to:

• understand disability discrimination and their obligations
• critically reflect on current policies and practice
• identify barriers to access and participation
• consider reasonable adjustments
• develop actions for continuous improvement.

We strongly encourage early childhood leaders and teams to explore these resources.

And if your team is ready to move beyond understanding the requirements and into what inclusion actually looks like on the floor, Neurominded can help.

Through tailored professional learning, consultancy and capacity-building projects, we work alongside services to translate inclusive principles into practical, sustainable approaches that make sense for your children, families, educators and context 💜

Children with disability have the right to access and participate in education on the same basis as children without disability, including with reasonable adjustments where required.

The Disability Standards for Education clarify how you meet your existing obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act.

ACECQA has free resources to support you.

Find the 🔗in the first comment.

23/08/2026

We’re looking forward to joining Connect and Access: Bridging Support in the Community this September 🌿

This free community event brings together local services, organisations and specialists to help neurodivergent individuals and their families better understand and connect with the supports available in their community.

Neurominded will be sharing a little about the supports available for children and families within early learning services, as well as our broader family support programs and services.

📅 Wednesday 16 September
⏰ 10am–12pm
📍 The Rise, Maylands

A great opportunity to hear about a range of local services, ask questions and learn more about the supports and pathways available.

Please share with anyone you think may benefit from coming along. 💛

20/08/2026

We were incredibly grateful to join Autism NT’s Thank You event at Government House recently. 💛

It was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the people and organisations who continue to contribute so much to the autistic and neurodivergent community across the Northern Territory.

We’re particularly grateful for our growing relationship with Autism NT and for the generosity, passion and commitment of the wonderful people behind the organisation. There is something pretty special about connecting with people who share a genuine commitment to strengthening inclusion, understanding and support within their communities.

Thank you to Autism Northern Territory (NT) Inc for including Neurominded in such a special afternoon; we’re excited to continue building our connection and working alongside you. 🌿

18/08/2026

🌟 CHILDREN’S WEEK WA 2026 COMMUNITY GRANTS ARE NOW OPEN! 🌟

Is your not-for-profit, community organisation or local government planning an event for Children’s Week WA, held from 24 October to 1 November 2026?

Meerilinga’s Children’s Week Community Grants Program supports eligible Western Australian organisations to create local activities and events that celebrate children, strengthen community connection and promote inclusion.

This year’s theme, based on Article 30 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, is:
“Children have the right to use their own language, celebrate their culture and practise their religion.”

If your organisation is applying for a grant, you might consider hosting one of Neurominded’s engaging and practical workshops:

💜 Communication, Identity and Belonging in Neurodivergent Children
🩵 Autistic Identity, Culture and Community
🧡 Understanding Belonging, Connection and Authentic Self-Expression
💚 Inclusive Participation and Voice

Through a neuro-affirming, strengths-based lens, our sessions help communities explore children’s rights, communication, identity, culture, belonging and neurodiversity; while developing practical strategies for creating environments in which every child is heard, valued and included.

Grant applications are competitive, so please check the eligibility requirements, funding conditions and key dates when developing your proposal.
Learn more about the Children’s Week WA Community Grants Program and apply:
👉 https://www.childrensweekwa.org.au/grants/

Let’s celebrate diversity, champion inclusion and create communities where every child belongs. 🌈

17/08/2026

🗣️ Last chance to register for our webinar this week! We look forward to seeing some familiar and new faces Wednesday night 👋

13/08/2026

A huge thank you to the incredible team at Ngala and Parenting Connection WA💛

We’re currently delivering our Parenting with Neurodiversity in Mind program, made available to families through the generous support of Ngala and Parenting Connection WA.

We’re so excited for the conversations, reflections and connections that will unfold over the next few weeks, but we also wanted to take a moment to acknowledge just how much happens behind the scenes to make a program like this feel genuinely welcoming and supportive.

The Parenting Connection WA team at Ngala haven’t just helped make this program possible, they continue to provide such thoughtful support throughout each session, helping families feel comfortable, making sure children are well supported, and creating the conditions for parents to really engage in the program.

It truly takes a team, and we feel very lucky to be working alongside this one. 💚

06/08/2026

💡 Top Tip of the Month

This one’s for the parents and caregivers.

When we think about regulation, co-regulation and self-regulation, we often focus on what our children need. But one thing we don’t talk about enough is that our nervous systems can have very different regulation profiles.

You might feel most regulated with quiet, predictability and space, while your child seeks movement, noise or connection. Or perhaps it’s the other way around.
Neither profile is right or wrong, they’re simply different.

The challenge is that when our regulation needs differ, we can unintentionally trigger one another. A child’s way of regulating may increase a parent’s stress, while a parent’s attempt to regulate themselves may not meet their child’s needs in that moment.
The first step isn’t changing your child - it’s noticing.

✨ What does my nervous system need right now?
✨ What might my child’s nervous system need?
✨ How can I honour both?

Sometimes the most powerful shift isn’t changing behaviour, it’s recognising that two nervous systems with different needs have come together in the same moment.

When we begin with curiosity instead of assumptions, we’re often able to respond more intentionally. And when our responses change, our children’s responses often do too.

💜 Different regulation needs don’t mean you’re getting it wrong. They simply invite a different response.

04/08/2026

🎓 August Webinar | Total Communication: More Than Words

Communication is so much more than words.

Join us this month as we explore what a Total Communication approach really means and how it can transform the way we support children’s expression, understanding and participation.

In this practical, neuro-affirming webinar, we’ll explore:

✨ What a Total Communication approach is
✨ Why recognising all forms of communication matters
✨ How visuals, gestures, AAC, environmental supports and play can create more inclusive learning environments
✨ Practical strategies you can begin implementing immediately

When we broaden our understanding of communication, we don’t just support children to communicate, we create environments where more children feel understood, included and able to participate.

Whether you’re a caregiver, educator, educational leader or inclusion professional, this session will leave you with practical ideas you can take straight back to your setting.

💜 We’d love you to join us!

📅 Register via the link in our pinned post or head to our Humanitix page for all the details.

Explore inclusive communication using visuals, gestures and AAC in early learning to support understanding, expression and participation for every child.