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In November 2025, Kate and Emma from The Sibling Project travelled to Sydney to present at the Australasian Society for Intellectual Disability Conference. Their presentation, Supporting the mental health of siblings of children with intellectual disability: What are their support needs and preferences? shared findings from research exploring how siblings look after their mental health, the barriers they face in accessing support, and the types of support they believe would best meet their needs.

The study highlighted the importance of peer support and the value of listening to siblings' own experiences when designing mental health supports. The findings reinforce that supporting siblings not only benefits their own wellbeing, but also strengthens families and the relationships they share with their brothers and sisters.

The conference was a wonderful opportunity to share our research, connect with others working in the disability field, and continue advocating for greater recognition and support for siblings and their families.

Congratulations to Caitlin Gray, who was awarded her PhD for her thesis Perspectives of Sibling Experiences in Families of Children with Neurodevelopmental Conditions. Caitlin is a highly valued member of the Sibling Research Team, and her work has made an important contribution to understanding the unique perspectives and needs of siblings in these families. We would also like to sincerely thank all of the siblings and parents who generously shared their time and experiences to make this research possible—their insights have been invaluable in shaping knowledge that will inform future support and practice.

Emma and Kate from The Sibling Project team attended the 2025 Prospective Student Evening at The Kids to share post-graduate research opportunities with interested students.