Useful Resources
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
ADHD Support Australia - https://www.adhdsupportaustralia.com.au/
Online resource created by an ADHD parent for parents of children with ADHD providing up-to-date information including a services and specialists directory, resources, live speaker events and parent courses.
Additude - https://www.additudemag.com/
An online resource for families and adults with ADHD, learning difficulties and related conditions which provides practical information on medication/treatment options, symptom management tips, as well as podcasts, forums, blogs and webinars.
Autism
ASPECT (Autism Spectrum Australia) - https://www.autismspectrum.org.au/
ASPECT is Australia’s largest service provider for people on the autism spectrum. The service is one of the largest of its kind in the world, and includes information and advice, diagnostic assessments, behaviour support, parent and family support, and adult programs.
Positive Partnerships - http://www.positivepartnerships.com.au/
A service aimed at improving the educational outcomes of children on the autism spectrum. The service provides a series of workshops for parents and carers across Australia (including rural and remote regions) on how to support children with ASD to learn best.
Parenting
Raising Children Network- https://raisingchildren.net.au/
An Australian parenting website which provides evidence-based, scientifically validated information about raising children and self-care for parents which uses everyday language and real-life examples.
Resourcing Parents - http://www.resourcingparents.nsw.gov.au/
A NSW-based parenting website with information to parents and carers of children aged 0-18 years. The website includes a calendar of local Parenting Education programs which is current and regularly updated.
Learning Difficulties
Do2learn - http://www.do2learn.com/
A worldwide online resource for parents and teachers with a “toolbox of strategies” for supporting the learning of children with special needs.
Learning Difficulties Australia - https://www.ldaustralia.org/
An association of teachers and other professionals dedicated to assisting students with learning difficulties through effective teaching practices based on scientific research.
Learning and Mental Health
KidsMatter - https://www.kidsmatter.edu.au/
An Australian mental health and well-being initiative that provides a framework for supporting children’s mental health needs, specifically in the school and early childhood sector.
WayAhead - http://understandinganxiety.wayahead.org.au/anxiety-in-children/
A website dedicated to educating people on mental health difficulties, and linking them with appropriate services and resources to improve their wellbeing.
HealthDirect - https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/anxiety-in-children
A free Australian service providing trusted information and advice on a range of health conditions, symptoms and disorders. The service has a free 24/7 helpline, a service finder and an easy-to-use app.
Kids Helpline - https://kidshelpline.com.au/v
A free, private and confidential, telephone and online counselling service specifically for young people aged between 5 and 25 in Australia. The website also provides support for children, teens, parents and teachers supporting someone with a mental health difficulty.
HelpGuide - https://www.helpguide.org/
An A to Z guide to mental health and wellness with simple and easy-to-understand fact sheets on a range of mental and emotional health difficulties.
Child Health
KidsHealth - https://kidshealth.org
An online resource with doctor-reviewed advice on hundreds of physical, emotional and behavioural topics from before birth to adolescence, with separate sections for parents, kids and teens.
Better Health Channel - https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au
A Victorian website providing health and medical information to improve the health and wellbeing of the population, focusing on developments in medical research and practice.
Drug and Alcohol Information
Positive Choices - https://positivechoices.org.au/
Positive Choices is an online portal to help Australian schools and communities access accurate, up-to-date evidence based alcohol and other drug education resources.
Trauma
Australian Childhood Foundation - https://www.childhood.org.au/
An organization dedicated to keeping children safe from the trauma of abuse, violence and neglect. The website has links to a range of resources for parents and professionals working with families who have experienced trauma.
Government Services
NESA (National Education Standards Australia) - http://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au
NESA replaced the Board of Studies in 2017 and is responsible for developing evidence-based policy to improve student achievement and support teachers. NESA determines disability provisions for the Higher School Certificate Examinations.
NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme - https://NDIS.nsw.gov.au
The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) is an independent statutory agency whose role is to implement the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), which will provide funding to support Australian’s with a significant and permanent disability and their families and carers.
Educational Access Schemes -https://www.uac.edu.au/future-applicants/scholarships-and-schemes/educational-access-schemes
Educational Access Schemes (EAS) aim to help students, whose education has been negatively affected during Year 11 and/or Year 12, receive an offer to university.
ADHD Support Australia - https://www.adhdsupportaustralia.com.au/
Online resource created by an ADHD parent for parents of children with ADHD providing up-to-date information including a services and specialists directory, resources, live speaker events and parent courses.
Additude - https://www.additudemag.com/
An online resource for families and adults with ADHD, learning difficulties and related conditions which provides practical information on medication/treatment options, symptom management tips, as well as podcasts, forums, blogs and webinars.
Autism
ASPECT (Autism Spectrum Australia) - https://www.autismspectrum.org.au/
ASPECT is Australia’s largest service provider for people on the autism spectrum. The service is one of the largest of its kind in the world, and includes information and advice, diagnostic assessments, behaviour support, parent and family support, and adult programs.
Positive Partnerships - http://www.positivepartnerships.com.au/
A service aimed at improving the educational outcomes of children on the autism spectrum. The service provides a series of workshops for parents and carers across Australia (including rural and remote regions) on how to support children with ASD to learn best.
Parenting
Raising Children Network- https://raisingchildren.net.au/
An Australian parenting website which provides evidence-based, scientifically validated information about raising children and self-care for parents which uses everyday language and real-life examples.
Resourcing Parents - http://www.resourcingparents.nsw.gov.au/
A NSW-based parenting website with information to parents and carers of children aged 0-18 years. The website includes a calendar of local Parenting Education programs which is current and regularly updated.
Learning Difficulties
Do2learn - http://www.do2learn.com/
A worldwide online resource for parents and teachers with a “toolbox of strategies” for supporting the learning of children with special needs.
Learning Difficulties Australia - https://www.ldaustralia.org/
An association of teachers and other professionals dedicated to assisting students with learning difficulties through effective teaching practices based on scientific research.
Learning and Mental Health
KidsMatter - https://www.kidsmatter.edu.au/
An Australian mental health and well-being initiative that provides a framework for supporting children’s mental health needs, specifically in the school and early childhood sector.
WayAhead - http://understandinganxiety.wayahead.org.au/anxiety-in-children/
A website dedicated to educating people on mental health difficulties, and linking them with appropriate services and resources to improve their wellbeing.
HealthDirect - https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/anxiety-in-children
A free Australian service providing trusted information and advice on a range of health conditions, symptoms and disorders. The service has a free 24/7 helpline, a service finder and an easy-to-use app.
Kids Helpline - https://kidshelpline.com.au/v
A free, private and confidential, telephone and online counselling service specifically for young people aged between 5 and 25 in Australia. The website also provides support for children, teens, parents and teachers supporting someone with a mental health difficulty.
HelpGuide - https://www.helpguide.org/
An A to Z guide to mental health and wellness with simple and easy-to-understand fact sheets on a range of mental and emotional health difficulties.
Child Health
KidsHealth - https://kidshealth.org
An online resource with doctor-reviewed advice on hundreds of physical, emotional and behavioural topics from before birth to adolescence, with separate sections for parents, kids and teens.
Better Health Channel - https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au
A Victorian website providing health and medical information to improve the health and wellbeing of the population, focusing on developments in medical research and practice.
Drug and Alcohol Information
Positive Choices - https://positivechoices.org.au/
Positive Choices is an online portal to help Australian schools and communities access accurate, up-to-date evidence based alcohol and other drug education resources.
Trauma
Australian Childhood Foundation - https://www.childhood.org.au/
An organization dedicated to keeping children safe from the trauma of abuse, violence and neglect. The website has links to a range of resources for parents and professionals working with families who have experienced trauma.
Government Services
NESA (National Education Standards Australia) - http://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au
NESA replaced the Board of Studies in 2017 and is responsible for developing evidence-based policy to improve student achievement and support teachers. NESA determines disability provisions for the Higher School Certificate Examinations.
NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme - https://NDIS.nsw.gov.au
The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) is an independent statutory agency whose role is to implement the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), which will provide funding to support Australian’s with a significant and permanent disability and their families and carers.
Educational Access Schemes -https://www.uac.edu.au/future-applicants/scholarships-and-schemes/educational-access-schemes
Educational Access Schemes (EAS) aim to help students, whose education has been negatively affected during Year 11 and/or Year 12, receive an offer to university.