The belonging project: report of outcomes

Little is known about the ways that children with disability and their families connect with places and people, or about their perspectives on belonging, particularly within regional communities. Connectedness and a sense of belonging are not only critically important for wellbeing but also for understanding inclusion and exclusion. The Project Team from the Northern Rivers Social Development Council and the Centre for Children and Young People at Southern Cross University engaged with 33 families across the Tweed Shire. Children were asked to draw a map of their lives to show the places they like to go and the people they go there with. Parents were interviewed about what worked well and what the barriers were to inclusion for children and families. The outcomes of the research are built on the lived experience of children and families and tell us what is important and what makes it hard to feel like a valued member of the community.