smalltalk Supported Playgroups
Do you have a child or children aged under five? 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 through engaging activities for you and your child
- Help your child’s learning and development
- Connect with other families in your community.
"It’s one of the best things. Tiff is great with my boys and helping me if I have any questions." – Renee
smalltalk supported playgroups include a healthy snack for your child and run during school terms on the following days and locations:
- Heathcote: Mondays, 10am–12pm
- Kangaroo Flat: Tuesdays, 9.30–11.30am
- Eaglehawk North: Wednesdays, 10am-12pm
- Huntly: Thursdays, 9.30–11.30am
- California Gully: Fridays, 9.30–11.30am.
Eligibility
smalltalk supported playgroups are for families who have at least one of the following characteristics:
A family member in the household holds one of the following:
- Commonwealth Health Care Card
- Commonwealth Pensioner Concession Card
- 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.
Eligibility also extends to families:
- Where a family member identifies as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
- Who are looking after children in kinship care arrangements (out-of-home care)
- Referred from Child FIRST or Child Protection
- Referred from or receiving Enhanced Maternal and Child Health Services.
For more information, please contact Tiffany or Rachel on (03) 5406 1200 or email
smalltalk in-home support
In-home support involves a qualified facilitator visiting you at your own home. During these sessions, you’ll see practical examples of the smalltalk strategies, and can practise these ideas with guidance from a qualified facilitator.
Note: Parents receiving in-home support may also attend a supported playgroup.
In-home support sessions vary depending on whether you are also attending a supported playgroup.
If you attend a supported playgroup, the facilitator will implement five in-home coaching sessions (one session a fortnight). If you aren’t attending a supported playgroup, 10 in-home coaching sessions (one session weekly) will be implemented. Sessions run for 1-1.5 hours.
The aim of in-home sessions is to support parents to raise happy, healthy children by:
- Seeking and sharing scientific knowledge of effective parenting techniques
- 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.
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:
- A parent aged 25 years or less.
- A mother that has not completed high school.
- Single parent families.
- Have ten or less books in the home.
For more information, please contact Tiffany or Rachel on (03) 5406 1200 or
If you would like to refer to the smalltalk program please fill in the Online Referral Form here.
This form is for referrers and those who wish to self-refer.
