Karen is the CEO of the Association for Children with Disability (ACD). At the heart of ACD is our love for our children and our vision that children with disability and their families have the same rights and opportunities as all children.
ACD supports thousands of Victorian families to advocate for their children. Education is the number one issue raised by families.
Karen has held a range of leadership roles in the not-for-profit sector and has been a foster carer almost 20 years. Karen is the mother of two children. Her eldest is 18, is autistic and has an intellectual disability.
Strong partnerships between families and schools benefit students with disability
ACD advocates to improve the lives of children with disability and their families. They are a trusted source of information and advocacy support to thousands of Victorian families of children with disability.
Families identify leadership, culture and strong collaboration as the cornerstones of education working well for their children with disability.
There are many practical steps school leaders and educators can take to build strong partnerships between families and schools to benefit students with disability including: effective student support group meetings, creatively including the voice of children, connecting families to support and maximising how NDIS funded therapy can add benefit at school.