Siblings of individuals with special needs know how hard their parents work to ensure all of their sibling’s needs are met, and often see their parents struggle to meet these needs. Many feel like they can’t make mistakes because that would add to their parents’ burden, so they believe they must be perfect at all times. This is an impossible standard to meet, and can lead to stress and feelings of inadequacy.

Typically developing siblings may be lonely because they don’t have peers who have siblings with special needs. Some typically developing children are expected to help care for their sibling with special needs from a young age, even if that sibling is older. Because of the sum of their experiences, from feeling as though they are on their own to handle their problems to feeling pressure to be perfect to being given responsibility for their brother or sister, some siblings of children with special needs feel as though they are forced to grow up too quickly.

The MDI sibling programme aims to meet the overarching goal as follows: 

To promote independence, confidence, and peer-connection by providing opportunities to meet other siblings who they can gain peer support from through therapeutic and fun activities. This programme will provide a safe space for siblings to express themselves and gain peer support through interacting with other siblings and having a shared experience.

MDI also offers the following services to siblings:

1. Siblings Counselling-This is open to adult siblings and adults with  a parent with MD who do not have the condition themselves.

2. Siblings Play Therapy  - This is open to child siblings and children with a parent with MD who do not have the condition themselves.

3. Siblings chat ups-In person peer connection events which allow supportive interactions through therapeutic activities. Our first Siblings Day took place in August which consisted of a Music Therapy session followed by a trip to Emerald Park. (pictured left)