Valued Lives

02/02/2026

Valued Lives is deeply saddened by the tragic passing of a Mosman Park family, a loss that has affected the disability community. Our thoughts are with all those who have been impacted by this heartbreaking event. We are not affiliated with the family.

This unfolding tragedy highlights the immense and ongoing pressures faced by people with disability and their families, and the critical role that disability capacity-building providers play in delivering wraparound support. When supports are limited, people with disability remain at heightened risk.

Families and carers depend on services as essential lifelines, particularly during periods of transition or escalating complexity.

At Valued Lives, we are increasingly witnessing the overwhelm experienced by families we support, alongside significant uncertainty regarding grant funding beyond 30 June 2026, with no known opportunity for continued service delivery. This uncertainty places further strain on families and the continuity of vital community supports.

We remain firmly committed to advocating for people with disability and their families during this deeply challenging time.

If you or someone you know has been impacted by this news and needs support, please reach out to the following services:
Lifeline WA 13 11 14
Beyond Blue 1300 224 636
headspace 1800 650 890

A suspected murder-suicide in Perth has put the spotlight on families with high needs children, with speculation that the Clune family were not getting the support they needed in the lead up to their deaths.

07/01/2026

EVENT CANCELLED

Following extensive consultation, families shared that a two-day event is not meeting their current needs. Recent events affecting our community have further highlighted the limited capacity and emotional bandwidth many families are experiencing at this time.

In response, we’ve chosen to redirect our resources toward providing intensive 1:1 support that families have identified as most essential.

If you wish to speak with our Peer Mentors for a free and confidential conversation, please call 1800 844 933 or email [email protected]

24/12/2025

As the year draws to a close, we want to pause and say thank you.

Thank you for your trust, your conversations, and for walking alongside us through another year.

We’ll be taking a short break to rest and spend time with our families.

Our office will be closed from 25 December to 11 January, and we’ll be back on 12 January.

We wish you a festive season filled with rest, warmth and the simple moments that matter most — time together, quiet reflection, and care for yourself and those you love. May this season offer space to breathe, reconnect and begin the new year gently.

We look forward to seeing you again in January.

04/12/2025

✨ We were so proud to represent Valued Lives on a global stage this week! ✨

Our team was invited to be part of BHP’s worldwide livestreamed panel in celebration of International Day of People with Disability — alongside amazing speakers and interpreters who helped create a truly inclusive conversation.

We shared stories, insights and real experiences about what inclusion looks like in everyday life… and why it matters. Not just for workplaces, but for communities, families, and the people we stand alongside every day.

A huge thank you to BHP for creating space for lived experience leadership and for shining a light on accessibility and genuine belonging. 💙

Let’s keep championing inclusion — not just on IDPwD, but every day in the way we show up, connect, and make room for everyone.

03/12/2025

🌍 Celebrating International Day of People with Disability — Valued Lives Style! 🌍✨

This week, our team came together in three very different — but deeply connected — ways to honour inclusion, community and the power of people with disability leading their own lives. We did this in collaboration with City of Belmont, WA and Down Syndrome WA

💛 Camerados Public Living Room — Belmont Forum Association of Camerados

We set up our cosy Public Living Room opposite Big W, offering a welcoming space to sit, chat and share a cuppa (on us!).

Inspired by the Camerados philosophy, there was no agenda and no pressure — just people being people, shoulder to shoulder instead of face-to-face.

These spaces are not about “fixing” anyone. They’re about kindness, connection, and reminding each other that we all need friends and we all need purpose.

It was a beautiful way to mark International Day of People with Disability — community in action.

🏡 My Home My Way Workshop — Ruth Faulkner Library

Mags and Karen held a full-day session supporting people and families who dream of creating a home of their own.

We explored what Individualised Living Arrangements (ILAs) can look like — from developing a vision of home, to first steps, navigating fears and barriers, and building sustainable support over time.

My Home My Way is grounded in the belief that people with disability deserve real homes, in real communities, built around relationships and belonging — not service-based housing.

The room was buzzing, and the conversations were powerful. Everyone left with tools, resources, and hope.

🎨 On Tuesday our Creative and Digital Arts team in collabotation with City of Canning were at Hillview Intercultural Centre to Create & Celebrate with Inclusive Art and Interactive Activities.

From shrinky-dinks and air-dry clay, to digital animation stations and gentle sound-based experiences — families, young people, and community members came together to express themselves, play, connect, and simply be together.

We loved seeing people try new things, share ideas, and support each other. Another reminder that inclusion is not just a word — it’s something you make, moment by moment.

International Day of People with Disability reminds us that inclusion is strongest when it’s lived:

🏠 in the homes people design for themselves
☕ in the conversations shared between strangers
🎨 in creative spaces where everyone belongs

Thank you to everyone who joined us.

Let’s keep building communities where people with disability are welcomed, connected and thriving — every day of the year. 💫

01/12/2025

✨ International Day of People with Disability is nearly here!! ✨🌍

And we’re celebrating with a series of creative, inclusive and connection-focused activities!

🎨 Arts & Crafts & Interactive Activities
📅 Tuesday 2 Dec | 3:45–6:45PM
📍 Hillview Intercultural Community Centre

Come along and explore:
✨ Make Your Own Shrinky D**k with Gray – create a miniature masterpiece you can take home
✨ Clay Creatures with Tate – hand-build animals, characters or tiles using air-dry clay
✨ Digital Art & Animation Station with Lav – try digital character design and playful face animations
✨ Inclusive Music Experience with Grace – enjoy gentle sound play, drums, singing bowls and tuning forks

Plus: Modified games • Library of Things • Light refreshments

Register here:https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/international-day-of-people-with-disability-create-and-celebrate-event-tickets-1867959740869

🏡 My Home My Way Workshop
📅 Tuesday 3 Dec | 9:30AM–3PM
📍 Ruth Faulkner Library (Meeting Room 1), Cloverdale

This full-day workshop supports people and families exploring the possibility of building a home of their own. Topics include:
• Creating a vision of home
• First steps and practical supports
• Barriers, fears and safety
• Long-term sustainability and success

🛋️ Camerados Public Living Room
📅 Wednesday 3 Dec
📍 Belmont Forum, opposite Big W

We’ll be setting up a cosy Public Living Room—no agenda, no pressure. Just a warm space to sit, chat, relax and connect with others in the community.
Come as you are. Stay as long as you like. One conversation at a time 💛

Check out Camerados! https://camerados.org/set-up-a-public-living-room/

Let’s celebrate inclusion, creativity, and the strength of community together. We hope to see you there! 💫

20/11/2025

🌟 Have you reserved your spot yet? 🌟

Come to our free webinar on Wednesday next week, where you will hear up-to-the-minute information on the new Thriving Kids Program & Funding Periods, with the chance to ask questions.

If you're a parent or carer of a child with disability, looking to understand more about supports for your child and gain a bit more clarity for the road ahead, this session is for you!

We’d love to see you there — it will be a warm, welcoming space where you will feel supported, informed and empowered.

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1968478077921
and a Teams link to the webinar will be sent to your email the evening prior to the webinar.

See you there! 😊