About

For 15 years i have had the sole care of my "perpetual toddler" daughter who has special needs. I can no longer, nor wish to "cope" in "normal" society with my daughter. Not only is the government and disability services insane, they also have no Heart and won't Act until a parent/carer goes into crisis. Yes, the NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme) is coming for thise "lucky" enough to live in Australia - but for some it's not coming fast enough. ..  And families are still having their funding cut/sliced/mutilated in the face of this promise that the NDIS is going to solve everyone's problems and create the perfect future for our "kids".

Well it ain't.  Not unless we MAKE/CREATE it. I won't talk about the "cost" on the tax payer or all the meaty capitalists ready to cash in on the "funding" and slurp it up into their coffers and career paths coming into capitalise and triplify the amount of resources being put into administration than under the OLD system. At least before you could walk into a Disability Services office and Someone would have enough cumulative experience to be able to give you an informed answer about your question. Now most turn to Google (and charge $92/hour for the "service") which i could just go home and do myself and stay equally as lost as i was before.

Ok rant over. Yes I'm angered every time i think about what some families are going through being alone and isolated in a community where maybe people are just afraid to reach out to eachother... Or think its someone else's job to do so for them... I have Actively realised that: It ain't.  Its OUR job to create the NATURAL COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENT for and where our "kids" may be free to BE Autistic - or whatever their different ability is.... And that's what I'm doing.

I am one parent.
I seek other families and people who are willing to be part of a participatory natural lifestyle village concept. I'm terrified at the scale of what I'm embarking on. But i won't give up because if i do - we (my daughter and I as a family unit) won't survive. There's only 1 way and that's: Forward.

My Beach Walk Blog Part 1


My Beach Walk Blog Part 2

I am currently Living in Bali with my 16 year old Special Needs Daughter Freyr who has Rubinstein-Taybi Syndrome (prognosis: a bit of a "mix" of CP, Autism and Downs Syndrome). My daughter attends a local bi-lingual Special School here - she has friends here and I have support from local carers. My living and carer expenses are being sustained through Child Support Income I receive from her father in Australia. I am currently learning about building with bamboo and sustainable design and renewable systems that i intend to incorporate into a Collective Development here where families will be able to come and visit or live 'permanently' as part of a Supported Village: Special Needs Family Revivement Community - BALI. The base of the Development will be a Local Yayasan/Foundation School running a school and post-school age program. The International Family financial and non-financial contributions will become an invested in the school and yayasan/Foundation through a PT business connected to the yayasan which will manage the International family-accommodation. 

My role is to consult on-the-ground and organise for the co-development with local Indonesian organisations and contractors to bring to life this Vision I have for Revivement for families - local and international and a special place for our kids and ourselves to "belong" and inhabit and lead healthful supported lives... one month a year... 6 months/year... all year... Through Collective Contribution and our "kids" being able to live in Natural Community with others as well as their families and volunteers... having a program that can involve: natural building, gardening, harvesting food, preparing food, yoga, music, meditation ... Ive seen wonderful examples of schools here in Bali where you can FEEL the relishment of the kids themselves and the CARE of the people working with them. I really feel HUMAN again... and a Huge sense of relief... at not being treated as someone's "client" as we were in Australia. 

Click Here to receive our Prospectus. For Families/ For Therapists/ For Volunteers/ For Special Needs Individuals/Groups; For Disability Organisations. 

I am currently looking at working with an Australian organisation (not-for-profit) interested in making a Family Retreat to be held here in Bali in June/July this year. The retreat will be an opportunity for carers to receive respite but also to receive (pre-booked) therapy from Australian Therapist/s potentially using their NDIS therapy budget. This therapy will focus on working with and getting to know the child in their natural environment (with their family as opposed to in a clinic) and helping holistically with issues usually labelled as "behaviours" - by educating parents and enriching their understanding of their child's specific needs. [Dr Antonio] ... Also, families may be able to bring their carers from Australia using their ordinary NDIS funding (as wouldn't you say taking a family holiday together is  "reasonable and necessary" ?) We plan to cater for around 10-15 (20) families for our first retreat which will be located in Lombok. Please sign up HERE for more info.