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:
- White Hills: Mondays, 9.30–11.30am
- Kangaroo Flat: Tuesdays, 9.30–11.30am
- Eaglehawk North: Wednesdays, 9.15–11.15am
- Heathcote: Thursdays, 9–10.30am
- Long 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 Holschier on 0498 642 909 or
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 Holschier on 0498 642 909 or
