The Inclusive Movement

12/07/2026

We will be talking more specifically about media coverage framing the autistic students guidelines another day, but this post was triggered by the headline we posted a couple of days ago.

It’s something I have been thinking about and frustrated about for a while now.

So often, especially in media, rights are depicted as “either/or” - as in, one group has rights at the expense of the rights of another. We’ve all seen it - students with disability are framed as being at the expense of teachers workload and wellbeing, teacher workplace bargaining around workload is shown as being detrimental to the rights of students with disability to support and accommodations.

It’s an easy angle to take and it’s one that appeals to populist framings. It’s clickbait, and catchy, and it gets attention.

But here’s the thing- that’s not how rights work.

I wonder if one of the biggest mistakes we make is treating teachers’ rights and students’ rights as though they’re competing with each other.

As though one has to lose for the other to win.

That isn’t actually how human rights work. One of the core principles of human rights is that they’re universal, indivisible, interdependent and interrelated.

Fancy words, but a pretty simple idea.Everyone has human rights. And our rights are connected.

If teachers are expected to do impossible jobs without enough support, that’s a human rights issue.

If disabled students can’t access their education because they aren’t getting the accommodations support and adjustments they need, that’s a human rights issue too.

If the rest of the class misses out because schools are under-resourced, that’s also a human rights issue.

I don’t see those things as competing. I see them as symptoms of the same problem.Maybe we’re asking the wrong question.

Instead of asking, “What about teachers?” or “What about disabled students?” what if we asked why we’re still building education systems that make it feel like we have to choose?

Because I don’t think we should have to.

Teachers deserve safe, sustainable workplaces.
Students deserve an inclusive education.
Both of those things can be true at the same time.

In fact, I’d argue they depend on each other.

- When teachers are supported, students do better.

- When students are supported, teachers are better able to teach.

- When their disabled peers and teachers are supported, students without disability also become better off

That’s what people mean when they say human rights are interdependent. One group’s rights help make everyone else’s rights possible.

So maybe human rights in education were never about teachers’ rights or students’ rights or disabled students rights or their non-disabled peers rights… maybe rather we need to ask -

“why are no ones rights being realised”?

*** visual created by AI based on my words here ***

06/07/2026

If we truly value co-design, we need to value lived expertise.

Over the past few weeks, I have participated in several consultations focused on improving outcomes for people with disability which has highlighted something that continues to concern me.

- Community organisations were invited to participate and were remunerated for their time and expertise.

- People with lived experience - the very people the consultation was designed to learn from - were required to apply to attend and, despite making significant contributions to the discussion, were not remunerated for their expertise.

This isn’t about any one organisation.

It’s about a broader question for our sector:

What message are we sending about whose expertise we truly value?

For many people with disability, parents, carers and family members, participating in consultation isn’t as simple as attending a meeting.

It often involves coordinating support, arranging transport or respite, navigating accessibility barriers, managing fatigue, balancing work and family commitments, and carrying the emotional labour of sharing deeply personal experiences.

Lived experience is not anecdotal.

It is expertise developed over years of navigating systems, identifying barriers, adapting environments, advocating for change and discovering what genuinely supports inclusion.

If we are committed to authentic co-design, then lived expertise should not be viewed as a voluntary addition to the conversation - it should be recognised as a core contribution to it.

Too often, disability-related work still carries an underlying expectation that people will contribute “because they care.”

Yet we would rarely expect professionals from other disciplines to contribute their knowledge without recognising its value.

The strongest policies are created with people with disability, alongside families, alongside professionals, and alongside organisations - each bringing a different form of expertise that deserves equal respect.

I’d be interested to hear: What practices have you seen that genuinely value lived experience as expertise?

06/07/2026

We are now inviting applications for our 2026 International Day of People with Disability event for those that may have a story to share, presentation to contribute or special performance they would like to add to our special day.

We invite submissions in all formats ( written, text, audio, video submission);

- via the below link
- via message
- via email to [email protected]

Know someone you think might like to be involved, tag them below!

https://www.pilbaradisabilitynetwork.com.au/presenter-applications

Image description:
Graphic promoting the International Day of People with Disability Event – Karratha 2026 by the Pilbara Disability Network. The design features the headline "Share Your Story" in bold blue, gold and black text, inviting speakers and presenters with lived experience, professional expertise or innovative ideas about disability, inclusion, accessibility and community connection. It also includes event details: 10–30 minute presentation sessions on Tuesday 8 December 2026, alongside the Pilbara Disability Network logo in the top right.

06/07/2026

Ableism in the workplace is often systemic, normalized, and easy to miss unless you are directly impacted by it.

It is the belief that neurotypical or non-disabled ways of working are the default and that anyone who differs should adapt, mask, or compensate to be seen as “professional” or “capable.”

In workplaces, this can look like:

🎈 Shaming natural regulatory behaviours like stimming, fidgeting, or movement breaks
🎈 Ignoring sensory needs such as noise levels, lighting, or environmental overwhelm
🎈 Using functioning labels that oversimplify ability and restrict access to support
🎈 Enforcing rigid expectations around scheduling, communication, and productivity
🎈 Punishing difference by treating accommodations as an inconvenience or weakness
🎈 Forcing neurotypical norms like eye contact, tone, or stillness as professionalism
🎈 Rewarding overwork, burnout culture, and constant availability
🎈 Discouraging accommodation requests or framing them as an unfair advantage
🎈 Treating disability or neurodivergence as incompetence rather than difference

The impact of ableism can include burnout, masking, anxiety, reduced opportunity, and internalized shame around support needs.

Ableism asks, “How can you change to fit this system?”
Accessibility asks, “How can this system change to support you?”

At Blue Sky Learning, our neurodiversity-affirming therapists and coaches support individuals in recognizing ableism, unlearning internalized shame, and building sustainable ways of living and working.

Book a free 20-minute consult at www.blueskylearning.ca or email [email protected]

Follow for more neurodiversity-affirming mental health education and support.

06/07/2026

One of the biggest questions I hear from GROW Practitioners is:
“I understand the framework… but how do I apply it when the system around me isn’t neuroaffirming?”

That is exactly why Level 2 exists.
Because understanding neuroaffirming practice is only the beginning.

The real challenge comes when you’re navigating competing perspectives, limited funding, complex presentations, risk, schools under pressure, multidisciplinary teams, and systems that weren’t designed with neurodivergent people in mind.

Level 2 is where we develop the confidence to hold complexity.

Together, we explore advanced formulation, systemic advocacy, clinical reasoning and implementation across real-world situations.

Not through hypothetical case studies.

Through the kinds of complex scenarios practitioners encounter every day.

You’ll learn how to:
• confidently formulate intersecting and highly complex presentations
• strengthen reports, recommendations and advocacy using clear clinical reasoning
• navigate difficult conversations with schools, organisations and multidisciplinary teams
• support families experiencing systemic fatigue and repeated barriers
• influence environments, attitudes and systems—not just individual outcomes

This is also where many practitioners begin shifting from being excellent clinicians to becoming trusted leaders within their organisations and communities.
Because lasting change doesn’t happen through one therapy session.
It happens when practitioners have the confidence to influence the systems surrounding the people they support.
If you’ve completed Foundations + Level 1 and you’re ready to deepen your practice, we’d love to welcome you into the next Level 2 cohort.

Continue the framework.
Become a leader in neuroaffirming practice.
Link in bio.

04/07/2026

Most professional development gives us knowledge.

The challenge is knowing how to apply that knowledge when we’re sitting alongside a child, a family or a support team navigating real life.

That is where many practitioners tell me they feel stuck.
Not because they lack compassion.
Not because they lack skill.
But because they haven’t been given a practical framework that connects contemporary neuroaffirming practice with everyday clinical decision-making.

The GROW™ Neuroaffirming Framework was developed to bridge that gap.

It brings together lived experience, developmental science, behaviour support and practical application into a framework that helps practitioners understand behaviour within the context of the whole person.

Rather than asking,
“How do I respond to this behaviour?”

we begin asking,
“What is this behaviour telling us?”

That shift changes the questions we ask.
The assessments we complete.
The goals we write.
The recommendations we make.
And ultimately, the experiences families have when they work with us.

The Foundations + Level 1 Program introduces practitioners to the GROW™ Clinical Neuroaffirming Framework through 5 online modules + live workshops, practical resources and implementation tools that can immediately be integrated into clinical practice.

If you’re ready to move beyond behaviour management and deepen your understanding of neuroaffirming practice, we’d love to welcome you into our July cohort.

Learn the framework. Become a GROW™ Practitioner.

Find out more via the link in our bio.

30/06/2026

Last Chance to Claim Your Professional Development This Financial Year!

If you’ve been thinking about investing in your professional learning, this is your reminder.

Many of our Inclusive Training Hub courses may be eligible to be claimed as a work-related professional development expense where the training is relevant to your current role and aligns with Australian Taxation Office (ATO) requirements.*

Whether you’re a therapist, educator, support worker, early childhood professional, allied health clinician, community services worker or leader, now is a great time to explore practical, neuroaffirming training that you can immediately apply in your everyday practice.

Our self-paced courses are designed to help you build confidence in:
✨ Neuroaffirming practice
✨ Autism and ADHD across the lifespan
✨ Positive behaviour support
✨ Executive functioning
✨ Inclusive education
✨ Community inclusion
✨ Universal Design for Learning
✨ Supporting families
…and much more.

Browse our full course library and enrol before midnight tonight (30 June) to make the most of this financial year.

👉 https://theinclusivemovement.mykajabi.com/courses

At The Inclusive Movement, we’re passionate about creating training that doesn’t just provide knowledge - it helps create meaningful, lasting change for the people we support every day.

*Please note: Individual circumstances vary. We recommend checking with your employer, accountant or the Australian Taxation Office to confirm whether your enrolment is tax deductible based on your role and circumstances.



Image Description (Alt Text):
A promotional graphic from The Inclusive Movement featuring the heading “Last Chance to Claim This FY!” with a large stopwatch displaying “Midnight June 30.” The graphic highlights “Tax-Deductible,” “Professional Development,” and “Register Today,” alongside an image of a professional participating in online learning. A call-to-action at the bottom reads, “Register Before Midnight — June 30.”

28/06/2026

So looking forward to this local Karratha event 🤗 chatting about one of our favourite topics!

Introducing our Keynote Speaker for our ‘Wired Differently’ Conference.

Carol Hegan (An Atypical Life and The Inclusive Movement )

Carol brings a world of knowledge and experience to our conference. We cannot wait to hear what she has to share with us.

Get your tickets here: www.pwbn.com.au

(If you wish to book for a group, please let us know so we can ensure you are all sitting together)

25/06/2026

A friendly reminder this great program hosted by Karratha Central Healthcare is running at our Happy Hub this school holidays 🤗

Did you say free School Holiday Program? 👏

SibWorks is a supportive and engaging program designed for children aged 8–12 years who are navigating life alongside a sibling with additional needs.

SibWorks provides a safe space where children can share experiences, build friendships, and strengthen emotional wellbeing.

Our next program is running over the school holidays:
📆July 7th, 8th + 9th
🕘10am - 3pm
📍Hosted at the Happy Hub - The Inclusive Movement

Book online:
https://karrathahealthcare.org.au/book-online/
Or call/txt Jamie on 0418 226 940