2026-Online Whānau Workshop - Switch Access and Switch-Adapted Technology

Discover how switch access can unlock new ways for your child or teenager to play, communicate, and participate in family life. This online workshop is tailored for whānau across Aotearoa New Zealand, supporting young people with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD). Grounded in the CanChild F-Words Framework (Functioning, Family, Fitness, Fun, Friends, and Future), we move beyond the technical to focus on what matters most: your child’s joy and engagement. We’ll explore how to presume competence and find "the spark" of motivation that makes learning to use a switch meaningful.  We’ll figure out the logistics of how to get those switches out and start using them in natural opportunities across the day. 

What we will cover:

• The Big Picture: The neuroscience behind switch access: Body movements, motivation, skill development. The better we understand how our children learn, and what makes it enjoyable for them, the easier it is to see the value in committing to a new habit of facilitating regular switch practice.
• Switch Success at Home: Practical tips on positioning, hardware selection, and how to integrate switches into daily routines - from playing with adapted toys to controlling appliances to accessing devices for communication, learning, and leisure.
• Navigating the System: Clear guidance on funding pathways, local NZ suppliers, and working with your child’s school or day program to help you get the equipment your child needs and help them to use it in everyday situations.

Interactive Online Format:

While we are meeting virtually, this session remains highly collaborative. You’ll join with other parents and caregivers to share lived experiences and solutions. We will use stories from your own experiences along with video examples from locally and internationally to inspire you in your young person’s switch access journey.

Whether you are just starting your switch journey or looking for fresh ideas to liven up your home toolkit, this workshop offers the support and resources to help your tamariki and rangatahi thrive.

About the presenter: 

Jacki Mayne-Davis is a New Zealand Registered Occupational Therapist local to Tāmaki Makaurau | Auckland, who trained in Occupational Therapy at James Cook University, Townsville, Australia.  She runs her own private practice, POP Occupational Therapy, pursuing her passion of empowering whānau with knowledge and resources to more confidently support their babies, children or young people, living with complex conditions such as Cerebral Palsy, Autism, Developmental Delay.