Siblings Support is Available

Are you a sibling or parent of a child or adult with additional needs who has siblings? Maybe you are an allied health professional, educator or work in the disability sector and work with siblings?

If you answered yes, then Siblings Australia is your go-to for programs and supports for siblings of people with disabilities. The sibling relationship can be one of life’s longest lasting and supporting that relationship is at the core of what they do. They help to maximise the well-being of siblings and build their capacity to navigate life’s journey as the sibling of a person with a disability.

Their programs and Supports include:

• SibWise: Designed for parents, healthcare workers, educators or disability professionals who care for, support or come into contact with siblings of children with disability. This learning program will assist people to better understand and respond to sibling needs and challenges.
• SibWorks: A peer support program for siblings aged 8-12. Facilitated by professionals in the health, education, disability or community services space whose work brings them into contact with siblings of children with disability. The program is designed to support siblings by building their emotional well-being and resilience and connecting with others who share the same experience.
• SibConnect: National, state-based, peer support groups that provide an opportunity for siblings to connect in person, and exchange experiences and provide mutual support, whether that be over a coffee or game of bowling. Recognising that, sometimes, ‘no-one understands a sib like another sib’. This program provides opportunities for siblings to connect with others who understand the sibling experience better than anyone.
• SibChat: An online private chat group (hosted on Facebook) exclusively for adult siblings to find support and connect with others who understand the sibling experience. Provides an opportunity for siblings to connect online in a moderated forum, exchange experiences, and provide mutual support.

Subscribe to Siblings Australia updates via their website .

They’d also love to hear from anyone with a TeenSib (aged 13-17 years) that would be interested in helping them create some teen-specific activities, such as:

• A discord server for teens to connect and chat via an online community.
• Collecting written/videoed stories of teen experiences as a sibling.
• Online/in-person peer groups for teens to meet and hang out with each other directly.