Raising a child in this day and age is a full-time job at the best of times but, if your little one has special needs, it’s a doubly-difficult task.

To help local families in this situation out, Kinross Wolaroi next week is hosting a special three-day respite event with its Inaugural Sony Foundation Camp in December.

School coordinator Alex McLennan said that the camp represents not only a new initiative for the school, but also for the foundation itself.

“It’s not only the first time that we’ve held one of these here, but it’s the first one outside of Sydney, this side of the mountains,” Mr McLennan revealed. “My son’s been to a couple of camps — he’s autistic — and, when the opportunity came to hold one here, we jumped at it,” he added.

The school, he explained, sees a lot of plusses... not just for parents like himself, but for the volunteer Year 11 and Year 12 students who are helping-out.

“The main benefit we see is growth among themselves, to see what it’s like to be in that caring role; we expect that it will be challenging, but rewarding. While many of the attendees are autistic, they are not exclusively so, they are all special needs, however, they may be physical, or cognitive disabilities,” Mr McLennan explained.

With government-funded respite services for parents with special needs children far less developed in country areas compared to the city, places for third first event filled fast, he told 'Orange City Life'.

“We set it at 15 for the first event, and it has now been filled, and we really only kept it to Orange and surrounds. Almost all of the parents don’t have regular respite, so we were glad to provide a spot for them.

“The children will be staying over as well, so it will be three days' total respite to give their families a bit of a break,” Mr McLennan said.

The Sony Foundation — the charitable arm of the electronics giant — has provided these free residential holiday camps for children with additional needs for nearly three decades, he concluded.

Student Molly Mason is among the young men and women from the school who have volunteered to be among the companions, of which there will be three to each attendee, for the event.

“I just wanted to be part of something bigger than myself, and to do something to help these kids so that they can hang out with kids like themselves, and have some fun,” Molly enthused.

“I wanted to also get something out of it, I enjoy working with kids, I work as a swim coach now, and I enjoy working with kids,” she added.

Fellow volunteer Abbey Cunial has family ties to the caring professions, and also enjoys working with the young.

“I wanted to help families in our community, my mum worked as a SLO (Support Learning Officer) at Orange High working with kids with autism, and I want to help those kids,” Abbey said. “I eventually want to go into medicine, and I do love kids, I do baby-sitting now also,” she added.

The decision to introduce the program to Kinross, Principal Dr Andrew Parry said, reflects the school’s commitment to serving its community while also providing meaningful leadership opportunities for students.

“This camp is about far more than just a few days of fun; it’s about giving children a sense of joy, belonging, and connection, while offering their families a well-deserved break,” Dr Parry said. “It’s also a powerful learning experience for our students, who will step into roles of genuine responsibility and compassion,” he added.

The camp will be held in the school’s boarding facilities, with each child camper paired with a trained Year 11 student who will provide 24/7 care throughout the program.

Medical and teaching staff from the school and the wider community will support the camp, ensuring all children can enjoy a safe, inclusive and enriching experience.

The program is offered at no cost to families, with all accommodation, meals, and activities fully provided.

For parents of special-needs children interested in future camps, go to: sonycamp@kws.nsw.edu.au