Having a child who is autistic means that certain needs have to be considered with everything we do. We are working hard in developing skills that will enable her to manage and navigate the world as “normally” as we can and in a way that supports her with where she is at as we like to build on her sensory capacity.

Going to a pool isn’t something we do often as it can be loud, busy and overwhelming. Over the weekend we used the new Cèrge app where I was able to notify staff at Gurri Wanyarra Wellbeing Centre of our needs. As we are trying to capacity build I requested “business as usual” so that they would treat us just like everyone else. We didn’t want a fuss to be made or to be treated differently.

The Cérge app is a fantastic tool to be able to ask for specific things, we know now we can ask for a quieter space or lane if we need that on the day or to let them know we are coming but that we are ok. It’s just nice to give them a heads up and I can see how Cèrge will be very useful on a range of locations and experiences.

If you’re a parent of a child with additional needs, or if you have additional needs yourself, I highly recommend the Cèrge app - it’s going to change the landscape for inclusive practice.