Parents Workshop with Troy Fry
Essential for Living – Asking Better Questions, Becoming Better Advocates
Saturday, April 18, 2026 | 3:00-5:00pm
University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Ultimo
This workshop is for parents who want clarity, not more confusion.
If you’ve ever questioned whether goals truly reflect what your child needs…
If you’ve felt unsure about how priorities are decided or whose voice matters most…
If you want to feel confident asking questions and advocating with purpose…
This workshop is for you.
Join internationally respected practitioner Troy Fry, co-author of Essential for Living, for a practical and thought-provoking session created specifically for parents and caregivers of individuals with disabilities.
What is the Essential for Living
At its heart, Essential for Living is not just a curriculum, it is a way of thinking.
It encourages parents and professionals to pause, reflect, and refocus on what genuinely improves a person’s quality of life, both now and in the future.
Rather than chasing long lists of goals, Essential for Living asks deeper questions:
- What skills are truly essential for safety, dignity, and participation in everyday life?
- What will make the greatest difference right now?
- Are we prioritising what matters most — or what is simply familiar?
The Essential for Living is grounded in clarity, respect, and compassion. It recognises that progress looks different for every individual and that meaningful outcomes come from intentional prioritisation.
Why this workshop is relevant for all parents
This workshop is relevant whether your child is young or older, verbal or non-verbal, supported at home, school, or in the community.
Essential for Living provides parents with a clear, practical lens for decision-making, especially when navigating complex systems and competing advice.
Parents and carers will leave with:
- Greater clarity around priorities
- Stronger, more confident advocacy skills
- A clearer understanding of why certain goals matter more than others
- Improved conversations with educators, therapists, and support teams
Most importantly, it supports parents to move from reacting to services to actively shaping the direction of support.
Essential for Living doesn’t tell parents what to think, instead it helps them ask better questions, so decisions are grounded in values, evidence, and real-life impact.
What you’ll gain from this workshop
You will be supported to:
- Rethink how priorities are set
- Learn about the Necessary Nine® skills
- Reconsider what meaningful progress really looks like
- Ask better questions in planning meetings and reviews
- Become a stronger advocate for your child’s quality of life
A key part of this workshop will focus on the Necessary Nine®, a foundational component of Essential for Living.
The Necessary Nine represent nine essential skill domains that have the greatest impact on a person’s safety, independence, participation, and quality of life.
Rather than spreading attention across dozens of competing goals, the Necessary Nine help parents and professionals focus on what truly matters most.
During this workshop, parents will be supported to understand:
- What the Necessary Nine® are and why they matter
- How these priorities apply across ages, abilities, and support settings
- How the Necessary Nine® can guide decision-making when goals feel overwhelming or unclear
- How to use this framework to ask more informed questions in meetings and planning conversations
This lens helps parents step back from short-term pressures and refocus on long-term quality-of-life outcomes.
What to expect from the day
✔️ Live Q&A with Troy Fry
Bring your real questions. Troy will respond directly to parent concerns, challenges, and uncertainties — with clarity, honesty, and deep respect for family experience.
✔️ Practical, usable insights
This workshop bridges theory and everyday life, helping you apply the principles of Essential for Living in ways that make sense for your family.
✔️ Connection with other parents
Spend time alongside other parents who are navigating similar questions and decisions. This session creates space to share perspectives, reflect together, and feel less alone in the journey.
✔️ Accessible and value-focused
We’ve worked hard to keep this workshop as affordable as possible, because access to quality information matters.
Many families may be able to use NDIS funding (for example, Capacity Building supports). Please check with your plan manager or support coordinator for individual advice.
Why learn directly from Troy Fry?
As co-author of Essential for Living, Troy Fry brings both depth and clarity to the framework.
In this workshop, Troy shares not just what Essential for Living is, but why it matters — helping parents understand the principles deeply, not just the terminology.
This is an opportunity to step back, reflect, and strengthen your role as a thoughtful, informed advocate for your child.
Event details at a glance
🗓 Date: Saturday 18 April
⏰ Time: 3:00–5:00pm
📍 Location: University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Sydney
👥 Who should attend: Parents and caregivers of individuals with disabilities
When parents ask better questions, better outcomes follow.
👉 Places are limited. Registration essential.
Access Points
Main Entrance – Broadway (Building 11)
The most direct access to the conference venue is via the main UTS entrance on Broadway. Once inside Building 11, signage and staff will guide you to the conference check-in area and lecture theatres.
Please note: The Wattle Street entrance will be closed on the weekend due to UTS campus security measures. If you’re arriving by public transport, follow signs from Central Station via The Goods Line for easy access to the Broadway entrance.
Getting There
UTS is located on the southern edge of Sydney’s CBD and is easily accessible by train, bus, light rail, taxi, or car.
- By Train:
Exit at Central Station (Devonshire Street exit). UTS is approximately a 5-minute walk via The Goods Line pedestrian walkway. - By Light Rail:
Alight at Paddy’s Markets or Central Chalmers Street stop, both a short walk to UTS. - By Bus:
Multiple bus routes stop directly along Broadway, within metres of the campus entrance. - By Car:
Paid parking is available at nearby Secure Parking stations, including Central Park Mall (Broadway) and UTS Car Park on Thomas Street.
Accessibility
Building 11 offers step-free access, elevators, accessible restrooms, and wheelchair-friendly pathways from all major entrances. If you require additional accessibility support or reserved seating, please contact our team at [email protected].
Plan Your Visit
For detailed maps, parking, and transport information, visit the UTS Campus Access and Maps page.
In Person Workshop (Sydney)
$55.00 + GST
University of Technology Sydney (UTS) 15 Broadway, Ultimo NSW 2007
Super Kids acknowledges each individual’s personal preference to use identity-first or person-first language to describe themselves or their loved one. We interchangeably use both language conventions and therefore refer to both Autistic children and children with Autism.