Understanding Inclusion via the lived experience of children with disability

The views and voices of children and young people living with disability are the hardest to find and hear, their views are rarely sought, and they are rarely chosen by adults to represent their schools, attend summits and forums, or be members of student representative councils, youth advisory committees, or other participatory structures. They are therefore one of the most marginalised groups of citizens in South Australia. During 2020/21 the Commissioner undertook a targeted listening project in a range of education and community settings to connect to and hear directly from this group of children and young people. This session will shine a light on the experiences of children and young people living with disability and seek to address some of the current knowledge gaps by reporting on what children and young people with disability have said about their lives.

Our Speaker

• Helen Connolly, South Australian Commissioner for Children and Young People – From Checkbox to Commitment: What children and young people with disability said about identity, inclusion and independence

Our Panelists

• Katherine Hawkins, Executive Director, Inclusion and Reform, Department of Human Services

• A/Professor Pammi Raghavendra, Disability and Community Inclusion, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University

• Penny Miller, Neurodevelopmental Service Stream Lead, Novita

• Ruby Nankivell, Peer Crew Leader, South Australian Council on Intellectual Disability

• James Beaumont, Peer Connector, Enabled Youth Disability Network

Our MC

• Rosanna Mangiarelli, Presenter and Reporter, 7NEWS Adelaide / HDA Ambassador