Sylvana Mahmic brings together lived experience, research, co-design and policy to develop practical approaches that strengthen family capability and leadership, advance parent peer work and influence the systems that support children, families and communities. Across three decades in early childhood intervention, she has influenced policy and reform across early childhood, disability, inclusion and family participation through more than 15 government and sector advisory roles, including six Ministerial appointments.

As CEO of Plumtree Children’s Services, Sylvana has led the co-design of initiatives with parents that have expanded peer leadership, strengthened community inclusion and increased the participation of children and families. She co-created Now & Next, a parent-led peer program, and Pictability, a visual planning resource used by families and professionals, which together have supported more than 2,000 families in Australia and internationally. She has also supported the establishment of two independent parent peer-led organisations.

Her doctoral research explored how parent participation in planning can be strengthened within an individualised funding context. Her work is also informed by her lived experience as the parent of an adult son with disability who has self-managed his funding since 2009.

Qualification: BEd MEd

Additional Language: Bosnian

Leadership in Practice

Recognitions

Early Childhood Intervention Best Practice Network

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