Parents of Deaf Children has created free workbooks to break through barriers and make the NDIS more accessible for families with Deaf/deaf children.
BY SUZANNE ROBERTSON
In 2025 Parents of Deaf Children (PODC) rolled out its Breaking Through Barriers Advocacy Series – a collection of practical, plain-language and free workbooks designed to make Australia’s National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) more accessible for families raising Deaf/deaf children.
We know how overwhelming the NDIS can feel. Policies and processes change constantly, and families are often left trying to interpret complex information while juggling therapy, schooling, and day-to-day life. Our goal in creating these resources was simple – to take the pressure off families by turning that complexity into clear, functional tools that make sense in the real world.
There’s no shortage of NDIS information online, but much of it is hard to understand. We wanted to bridge that gap – to create something that reflects lived experience, language access, and the practical realities of raising Deaf/deaf children. Each workbook is grounded in what we hear every day from parents, what we see as advocates, and what we’ve experienced navigating the system alongside families ourselves.
The Four Core Workbooks
1. NDIS 101 – What Every Parent of a Deaf Child Needs
This first workbook lays the foundation. It breaks down how the NDIS works for children with hearing loss, explains eligibility and evidence requirements, and walks families through setting clear, achievable goals. It also covers plan management options and funding categories in plain English, helping parents feel prepared and confident from their first planning meeting.
2. The NDIS Game Plan – Planning, Prep and Pathways
Once families understand the basics, Game Plan helps them take charge of implementation. It includes templates, mapping tools, and examples of what quality evidence looks like. Families learn how to build stronger reports, work with providers, and link supports directly to their child’s goals. This resource also unpacks the latest reforms under the new PACE central computer system, helping families stay ahead in a constantly changing environment.
3. Fixing Broken Plans – NDIS Reviews, Variations and Knowing Your Rights
Sometimes, plans fall short or decisions feel unfair. Fixing Broken Plans gives families step-by-step guidance through reviews and appeals, including plan variations under Section 48 and internal reviews under Section 100 of the NDIS Act. It includes practical scripts, templates, and timelines so parents can advocate confidently. Importantly, it reminds families they have rights to safety, respect, privacy, and fair treatment throughout every stage of the process.
4. Push, Pause, Pivot – Preventing Advocacy Burnout
This workbook recognises the emotional toll of constant advocacy. It helps families find balance and avoid burnout, using tools like the advocacy weather check-in and push grid to work out when to act, when to rest, and when to seek support. It’s about sustainability – reminding parents that their wellbeing matters as much as their child’s progress.
Creating functional resources that work
Each workbook was designed to be more than information – it’s a functional tool families can use. We didn’t want these to be tokenistic or overly technical. We wanted them to create real-world change – to be the kind of resource a parent could print out, take to a meeting, and use to advocate effectively.
Feedback has been incredible. Families are telling us the workbooks make the NDIS finally feel understandable. Many have shared them with their child’s therapists, support coordinators, planners, and Teachers of the Deaf. We’ve also seen them used by other community and disability groups because so much of the information applies across different support needs.
That was our hope from the start – that these workbooks wouldn’t just inform one parent, but would ripple outward. When a parent learns how to advocate, they share that knowledge with others – families just starting the journey and those yet to come. That’s the power of parent voices.
This series also led to the creation of a fifth resource – Language Access Lens: High School. Built on ideas first introduced in Push, Pause, Pivot, it focuses on how language access continues through education. While it’s a new addition, families have begun using it to start meaningful conversations in schools about communication, inclusion, and access.
With the completion of these workbooks, PODC’s NDIS advocacy series is now finalised. In 2026, we’ll turn our focus to supporting families as they navigate the education system – creating resources that equip parents with the knowledge and confidence to ensure their children have genuine access to language and learning throughout their schooling years.
This work was made possible through funding from the NSW Government’s Disability Advocacy Futures Program, and we are deeply grateful. Its support allows PODC to continue creating practical, rights-based resources that make a real difference for families.
Breaking Through Barriers is more than a name; it’s our purpose. Each workbook represents the strength, resilience, and lived experience of the families we serve. Together, they’re helping parents turn uncertainty into action, and advocacy into lasting change.
People can access the free resources at podc.org.au.
Name: Suzanne Robertson
Affiliation: President of Parents of Deaf Children, a non-profit organisation supporting families with babies, children and teenagers with hearing loss in NSW and the ACT.
Location: Sydney Australia.
