Kathleen Browne - Specialist Social Worker

My story: when my son’s funding didn’t work

For two years, my son’s NDIS plan didn’t work.

On paper, he had funding.
In real life, it wasn’t enough — and it wasn’t structured properly.

We ran out early, not because his needs were small, but because:
• the supports didn’t match how he lived
• there was no planning for the year
• everything was reactive instead of designed

Each time the funding ran out, everything stopped.

I was trying to hold life together as a parent while fighting a system I didn’t yet understand.
It was exhausting and frightening.

Not because I didn’t care.
But because I hadn’t been shown how to build a plan that truly reflected my son’s life.

What changed

Eventually, I stopped accepting the plan I was given and learned how to structure it so it could last.

When I built a plan that matched real life, something changed.

The funding lasted.
The supports stayed.
My son had consistency.
And I stopped living in fear of it running out.

That experience is where my work began.

Why I care

No parent should have to:
• explain why supports suddenly stop
• live in fear of funding running out

Running out of funding isn’t a personal failure.
It’s usually a planning failure.

And planning can be learned.

That’s why I help families:
• build clear, structured plans
• plan for the full year
• match funding to real life
• protect their child’s supports

Because when the plan works:
Parents breathe again.
Children get consistency.
And families stop living in crisis mode.

33 Days Away: A Special Needs Parent's Story

I didn’t leave because it was easy.
I left because I planned — carefully, deliberately, and with my child’s needs at the centre.

For years, my life revolved around appointments, funding decisions, support workers, and systems that don’t always align. Like many special needs parents, I learned to be everywhere at once — advocate, coordinator, carer, problem-solver.

But I also learned something else:
If I didn’t build a life that could hold both care and space, I would burn out.

So when I planned a 33-day overseas trip, I didn’t ask, “Can I leave?”
I asked, “How do I make sure my child is safe, supported, and settled while I’m gone?”

I created structure, not chaos.
One main person coordinating care.
Clear routines that stayed the same.
Who knew what worked — and what didn’t.
Emergency plans I hoped I wouldn’t need, but had anyway.

I prepared my child with honesty, not false reassurance.
We talked about time, return dates, and who would be there in my place.
Nothing was rushed. Nothing was hidden.

And then I left.

Not because I stopped being a parent —
but because I trusted the systems I had built.

Was it emotional? Yes.
Did I check in? Of course.
Did everything go perfectly? No — and it didn’t need to.

What mattered was this:
My child was supported.
Life continued.
And I returned steadier, clearer, and more present than I’d been in years.

This trip didn’t happen despite special needs parenting.
It happened because I learned how to plan for it.

Special needs parenting doesn’t mean your life stops.
It means your planning gets better.

And sometimes, choosing to leave — with care in place — is part of staying well.

But because I trusted the systems I had built.

Navigating disability care can feel exhausting, lonely, and deeply frustrating when systems don’t align with your child or your family.
We help you align care, supports, and decisions—so parenting feels steadier and more ma

We helo families navigate special needs parenting,

Have a child with a disability?
Struggling to balance care, family life, and your own goals?

Our goal is to help families navigate special needs parenting by creating balance between care, family life, and personal goals.

I’ve done it — and with the right support, so can you.

👉 kathleenbrowne.com.au

Hi, I’m Kathleen Browne 👋
I’m a Social Worker supporting families with children aged 0–17.

This is what I do:

I help families navigate disability parenting and everyday life, creating balance while caring for a child with a disability and staying connected to their own goals and aspirations.

I work alongside parents and carers to:

-make sense of disability supports

-reduce overwhelm

-bring clarity to everyday decisions

-support the whole family, not just the child

Because caring for a child with a disability shouldn’t mean losing yourself in the process.

If you’re looking for support that understands both parenting and life, you’re in the right place 🌿

📍 NSW
💬 Message me to connect
www.kathleenbrowne.com.au

Good morning New York

Breakfast once more, second last day NYC.

The Fab 5 let loose in New York City for the day. Oooh Lala, let’s go people.

How Do I Know If My NDIS Plan Is Funded Correctly?

It’s one of the most common questions I hear — and it’s a really important one.
The short answer? You’ll know your plan is funded correctly when it actually meets your needs and goals.

Here’s what that means in practice

1. Your supports match your goals.
Every goal in your plan should have a clear pathway to achieving it — through the right therapies, supports, and capacity-building items. If your goals look great on paper but you can’t fund what you need, the plan isn’t working.

2. You’re not constantly “making do.”
If you’re always having to cut sessions short, share supports, or pay out of pocket, it’s a sign the plan doesn’t reflect your real-world needs.

3. The plan includes the right mix of supports.
A well-funded plan usually has Core, Capacity Building, and Capital supports that balance daily living, skill development, and longer-term outcomes.

4. There’s evidence behind the funding.
Funding decisions are based on evidence — reports from social workers, therapists, and other professionals. The better your evidence, the stronger your plan.

5. You feel confident, not confused.
If you don’t understand your plan or aren’t sure how to use it, that’s a red flag. A good plan should be clear, usable, and empowering.

If your plan doesn’t fit your life, it’s not funded correctly.
You can fix that by gathering the necessary evidence, setting clear goals, and working with an NDIS Specialist Support Coordinator/Social Worker who understands both you and the system.

If you’d like help reviewing your NDIS plan, I can help you find out exactly where your funding sits — and how to get it working for you.

📞 Kathleen Browne
NDIS Social Worker & NDIS Plan Designer
[email protected]
| 0477 292 355