Parents’ Support Group – Monthly Wednesdays

Switch Access & Switch-Adapted Technology Workshop – Wednesday 14 October 2026 6:30pm – 8:30pm

Host: Jessica from Disability Connect

Guest Presenter: Jacki Mayne-Davis (New Zealand Registered Occupational Therapist)

Location: Mt Richmond Specialist School, 30 Albion Rd, Ōtāhuhu.

Come join us! Everyone is welcome!

This in-person workshop is tailored for whānau supporting young people with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD). Grounded in the CanChild F-Words Framework (Functioning, Family, Fitness, Fun, Friends, and Future).

Discover how switch access can unlock new ways for your child or teenager to play, communicate, and participate in family life.

What we will cover:

  • The Big Picture: The neuroscience behind switch access: Body movements, motivation, skill development. The better we understand how our children learn, and what makes it enjoyable for them, the easier it is to see the value in committing to a new habit of facilitating regular switch practice.
  • Switch Success at Home: Practical tips on positioning, hardware selection, and how to integrate switches into daily routines – from playing with adapted toys to controlling appliances to accessing devices for communication, learning, and leisure.
  • Navigating the System: Clear guidance on funding pathways, local NZ suppliers, and working with your child’s school or day program to help you get the equipment your child needs and help them to use it in everyday situations.

Click here for a copy of the flyer.

This is a free event for people with disabilities and their whanau.

A charge of $50.00 will apply for any disability sector professionals attending.

For more information or to register please email admin@disabilityconnect.org.nz or phone Disability Connect 09 636 0351 (Please include any dietary or access requirements)

At Disability Connect our ethos is based on promoting cultural cohesiveness and inclusivity towards building a supportive community. We welcome all families caring for a person with a disability to attend this support group. Children are welcome, provided they are supervised by a family member.

Disability Connect offers cultural special support groups to families with children who have special needs as part of the CALD service (Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Disability Information and Advisory Service) for different ethnic groups. We have a “Chinese Families Disability Support Group” that runs every third Thursday of a month at the Anchorage Park Community House in Pakuranga (or on zoom) and also a “Parents’ Support Group” and “Parents’ Social Group” in Otahuhu (or on zoom). We welcome all families with special needs to join the relevant support group. It is a great opportunity for parents to share their experience and network with each other.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]