Wednesday – Thursday, 20-21 May 2026 | Hotel Realm, Canberra
For most of us, our adult lives really got going when we moved out of the family home and into a place of our own. Whether we made that first leap alone or with housemates, whether we rented, were hosted, or bought our own place, we likely enjoyed creating a space from which we could explore the world and be independent of our parents.
People with disability don’t always follow the same journey. Some end up in group homes, others remain in the family home with ageing parents. Many find themselves in living arrangements entirely decided upon and organised by others.
That’s not what we want for our loved ones with disability, which is why we convened the Imagining Home conference. This two-day conference invited people with disability and their families to explore the many options available for creating a home.
We addressed topics such as
- Whether a person can live in a home of their own when they have significant support needs (the answer is yes, and you’ll see examples)
- How to ensure the person is safe and well-supported
- Whether a person can successfully leave institutionalised care and move into a place of their choosing (they can, and you’ll see examples)
- Why home is about so much more than finding the bricks and mortar.
We heard from an amazing lineup of speakers, including many people with disability who have successfully moved out of their family homes. We saw how the nature of the person’s impairment doesn’t prevent them from living in their own place, and the clever ways support can be put in place to ensure every person with disability can be well-supported to thrive.
Where and when
The conference was held at Hotel Realm in Canberra from Wednesday to Thursday, 20-21 May 2026.
