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smalltalk supported playgroups

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Do you have a child or children aged under five years of age? You may be eligible to attend a smalltalk supported playgroup.

smalltalk is a national program developed by the Parenting Research Centre to promote evidence-based strategies parents can use to enhance learning at home for children from birth to school age.

When you attend a smalltalk playgroup you can:

  • Have fun with engaing activities for you and your child.
  • Help your child's learning and development.
  • Connect with other families in your community.

smalltalk supported playgroups include a healthy snack for your child and run during school terms on the following days and locations:

Ironbark - Monday 9.30am - 11.30am

Kangaroo Flat - Tuesday 9.30am - 11.30am

Eaglehawk North - Wednesday 9.15am - 11.15am

Heathcote - Thursday 9am - 10.30am

 

Eligibility

smalltalk playgroups are for families who have at least one of the following characteristics:

A family member in the household holds one of the following:

    • a Commonwealth Health Care Card
    • a Commonwealth Pensioner Concession Card
    • a Department of Veterans’ Affairs Gold Card or White Card
    • Refugee visa (subclass 200)
    • In-country Special Humanitarian visa (subclass 201)
    • Global Special Humanitarian visa (subclass 202)
    • Temporary Humanitarian Concern visa (subclass 786)
    • Protection visa (subclass 866)
    • Emergency Rescue visa (subclass 203)
    • Woman at risk visa (subclass 204)
    • Bridging visas, A-E.

    In addition, the following families are also eligible:

    • families in which a family member identifies as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
    • families who are looking after children in kinship care arrangements (out of home care)
    • families referred from Child FIRST or Child Protection
    • families referred from or receiving Enhanced Maternal and Child Health Services.

    For more information please contact Tiffany Holschier on 0498 642 909 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

smalltalk in-home support

In-home support involves a qualified facilitator visiting a family in their own home. Parents receiving in-home support may also be attending a supported playgroup. During these home-based sessions, parents see practical examples of the smalltalk strategies, and can practice these ideas with guidance from a qualified facilitator.

Duration

In home support sessions vary depending on if the family is also attending a supported playgroup.

If a family is attending a supported playgroup, the facilitator will implement five in-home coaching sessions (one session a fortnight). If the family isn’t attending supported playgroups, the trained facilitator will implement 10 in-home coaching sessions (one session weekly). Sessions can run for 1-1.5 hours.

Aim

To support parents to raise happy, healthy children by:

  • Seeking and sharing scientific knowledge of effective parenting.
  • Developing research-based practical solutions to contemporary parenting challenges.
  • Building the capability of the community to support parents.
  • Providing parents with ideas and information to create a positive learning environment to support children’s learning and development.
  • Getting more families into a supported playgroup.
  • Helping families and children to connect with other support services.

Eligibility

The target group for In-Home Support is families who are eligible to attend Supported Playgroups (see above) and have at least one of the following characteristics:

  • parent aged 25 years or less
  • mother has not completed high school
  • single parent family• ten or less books in the home.

 

For more information please contact Tiffany Holschier on:0498 642 909 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

NDIS physiotherapy Bendigo services

Our Physiotherapy team provide Early Intervention or Therapeutic supports to help children with an NDIS plan achieve their physical goals.

We can help you by:  

  • Making time to discuss your plan.
  • Working together as a team with your family and other supports.
  • Discussing the frequency and flexibility of service.
  • Supporting Assistive Technology and Equipment applications and prescription.

We will work with your family to:

  • Set goals
  • Find fun ways to put therapy into daily life
  • Keep checking our progress
  • Improve the strength and movement of children under our care so they can fully participate in their community.
  • You can meet with our physiotherapist through a Telehealth or face-to-face appointment.

Please call 5406 1200 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to make an appointment or discuss your plan with our physiotherapist.

Having trouble with your feet? We also have a podiatrist available to work with you.

Have you seen our new flyer for the NDIS physiotherapy service? To check it out pdf click here (3.79 MB)

Last updated: September 2020

Cradle to Kinder program

Being a new mum can be a challenging time, particularly for those in difficult circumstances.

Cradle to Kinder is a specialist service that offers early parenting support and advice to vulnerable young mothers and their children that starts during pregnancy and continues until the child is four years old (usually when kindergarten begins).

Cradle to Kinder aims to build positive parent-child relationships and give young families the skills and support necessary to raise healthy children in positive and loving environments.

Is Cradle to Kinder right for you?

MacKillop Family Services, in partnership with Bendigo Community Health Services and CatholicCare Sandhurst, provides Cradle to Kinder to young families living in the Loddon region.

The program is available to pregnant women aged 25 years and under who:

  • are, or have been in out-of-home care
  • have a learning difficulty
  • are Aboriginal (Aboriginal families may be referred directly through a Koori service or the local Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency).

Support available

Once accepted into the Cradle to Kinder program, our support team will work with you to coordinate access to services that can include:

  • local community programs, like maternity services, playgroups and childcare
  • pregnancy and/or health and wellbeing advice and support
  • early parenting advice that focuses on caring for a new baby
  • connecting to community cultural groups
  • educational programs through TAFE or secondary schools, universities, training or short courses
  • accessing support options for parents/carers with disabilities and make referrals to appropriate services.

If you need additional assistance, we can help you access:

  • alcohol and drug programs
  • secure housing options
  • family counselling
  • mental health support
  • disability services.

We can also work with you to build independent life skills like cooking healthy meals for the family, managing a household budget, developing good communication between parents and how to access information on education and employment opportunities.

Accessing Cradle to Kinder

All referrals for Cradle to Kinder are made through Child FIRST. The referral can be made on your behalf by a GP, maternal child health nurse or other community health service.

If you would like more information or to speak with MacKillop’s Cradle to Kinder Co-ordinator for the Loddon region, please call 1300 471 799.

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