Natalie has over 20 years of experience in working with people with complex needs in non-government organisations, post-school programs, health, education and in private practice.
Natalie is an AASW Accredited Social Worker who obtained a Bachelor of Social Work in 2004 from The University of New South Wales. While studying, Natalie worked as a Support Worker with adults with very complex needs. This was a turning point in Natalie’s life, with the people she spent her days with, their families, and her colleagues contributing so much more to her learning and future than they would ever know.
After several years in post-school program management and policy development. Natalie became a part of the community she served, as the mother of two beautiful sons with Autism and Severe Intellectual Disabilities. She is an active community member who has volunteered her time and expertise to many local programs and support groups and has sat on several local charities.
Since the inception of the NDIS in the Nepean-Blue Mountains, Natalie has honed her therapeutic skills as a member of multidisciplinary teams as an Early Childhood Keyworker and Social Worker utilising her skills in augmentative communication, sensory and emotional regulation, and skill development to build the capacity of participants and those supporting him. She also served several years as a Specialist Support Coordinator and provided consultancy services in policy development and compliance, before choosing to work in Specialist Behaviour Support in 2020.
Natalie is passionate about person-centered behaviour support, and ensuring that strategies are evidence-based, respectful, and driven by the needs, goals, and human rights of the individual. She is invested in making Behaviour Support accessible to those who are responsible for everyday implementation, and in ensuring that the voice of the participant is central to their supports. Natalie has a particular interest in creating optimal environments where augmentative communication and regulation supports are used to develop skills, promote meaningful engagement in home, school, and community life, and reduce behaviours of concern.
Natalie enjoys working with children, adolescents, and young adults, with strengths in supporting those with very complex needs. She is skilled in supporting those with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Intellectual Disability, Language Disorders, and comorbid medical or psychosocial disabilities. She is a firm believer that everyone has a voice to be heard, and takes an active approach to implementation, with priority given to spending time therapeutically with participants to build rapport, develop skills, and to teach and model strategies for those responsible for everyday implementation. Natalie enjoys working with families to develop their skills in supporting their loved ones, and in developing their capacity and coping skills.
Natalie brings lived experience of disability to her work, as the mother of two sons with Level 3 Autism, Severe Intellectual Disability, and ADHD. She brings a wealth of compassion and humour to her role, is passionate about creating a better world for her boys and those she supports, and is a fierce advocate for systemic change.
