Promotional image for The Reily Foundation’s Parent Inclusion Program, showing a close-up of people in a discussion circle. Text on the image reads: “Empowering parents with disabilities to navigate the child protection system.”

Parent Inclusion Program

The Reily Foundation’s Parent Inclusion Program is a targeted initiative designed to support parents with disability who are navigating the child protection system in South Australia. This program recognises the systemic barriers and discrimination faced by parents with disability and delivers tailored support to improve engagement, advocacy, and outcomes within child protection processes.

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About the grant

Through this initiative, the Reily Foundation will provide peer-led mentorship, adaptive parenting workshops, and supported education services to parents with disability. Delivered by individuals with lived experience, the program bridges a critical service gap for families often excluded or misunderstood by mainstream support systems.

This approach equips parents with disability with the information they need to meaningfully participate in decisions about their children, and works to challenge the systemic bias within the child protection system. The program will also contribute to broader sector reform through data-informed reporting and policy submissions developed in collaboration with lived experience.

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Project goals

The key goals of this project are to:

  • Improve child protection outcomes for parents with disability through increased understanding, engagement, and education.
  • Deliver peer mentorship and tailored parenting education for up to 60 families over three years.
  • Build sector capacity through the inclusion of lived experience in system reform and consultation.

 

The expected outcomes of this project are:

  • Reduced risk of family separation due to unsupported disability-related needs.
  • Stronger engagement between parents and Department for Child Protection (DCP).
  • Greater recognition of the rights and capacity of parents with disability in South Australia.

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Related content

Nadia, a brunette with shoulder-length hair wearing a red blouse, smiles at the camera.

“Parents with disability are often seen through a lens of risk rather than strength. This program is about restoring that balance -ensuring that families are supported, seen, and respected throughout their child protection journey.”

Nadia Bergineti, CEO, The Reily Foundation
Hayley, a woman with long light-brown hair, smiles at the camera. She is wearing a navy blazer over a black top and there are some blurred trees in the background.

“As someone who has walked this path, I know how isolating and overwhelming the child protection system can feel for parents with disability. The peer-led Parent Inclusion Program stands for every parent who has felt unheard or underestimated. Our work is about empowering families with the tools, support, and respect they deserve – so they can advocate for themselves, stay connected to their children, and be seen for their strengths, not their challenges.”

Hayley Brown, Project Manager and Workshop Facilitator, The Reily Foundation

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