Siblings Australia is a unique national organisation committed to providing support for brothers and sisters of people with special needs; including disability, chronic illness and mental health issues. We provide workshops, print and web-based resources and networking opportunities for families and providers across Australia and overseas.

 

The program developed from the concern of an experienced health professional and journalist, Kate Strohm, who grew up in a family with a sister with cerebral palsy.

From her own experiences, and then through talking with other siblings and service providers, Kate understood the need to develop supports for siblings of children with special needs as they move through to adulthood. In 1999 she established the Sibling Project within the Department of Psychological Medicine, at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Adelaide.

In 2003 a national incorporated body developed from this project and since then Kate has been the Executive Director of Siblings Australia Inc. Her book, Siblings: Brothers and Sisters of Children with Special Needs, has been published in Australia, the US (as Being the Other One) and the UK, and has been translated into Korean. A second edition of Siblings is due out in early 2013.

The organisation Mission Statement says it all. Siblings: Acknowledged, Connected, Resilient.

 

Siblings can often be overlooked, which can lead to feelings of isolation. If this continues, children can become vulnerable to a range of emotional and mental health problems. However, if siblings are acknowledged, and connected to sources of support, they are likely to become more resilient.