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Supported Playgroups and Parent Groups Initiative

The Supported Playgroups and Parent Groups initiative is a Victorian government initiative that aims to provide quality play opportunities at a critical time in a child's development. These opportunities foster children's language development, develop motor skills, expose children to sensory experiences and enhance social skills. It also provides families with opportunities to establish friendships and long-term social support structures and develop parenting skills, capacity and confidence.

The Supported Playgroups and Parent Groups initiative (SPPI) was announced in the Victorian Government's social policy statement, A Fairer Victoria, in 2005-06 as part of a four-year package to give children the best start in life.  The initiative was initially rolled out to the fourteen municipalities where Best Start demonstrations were established. The 2008-09 Victorian government budget committed funding for the roll out of the initiative to the remaining fifteen municipalities where Best Start sites were located. This approach aims to build on the successful work of Best Start partnerships in building linkages for vulnerable families to the early years system through playgroups.  

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Objectives, Target Group and project links

Objectives

The objectives of the Supported Playgroups and Parent Groups initiative are to:

  • promote improved health, development and wellbeing outcomes for children
  • build parents' confidence and capacity and support the establishment of social networks
  • model and support developmentally appropriate play experiences and parenting practices; and
  • promote and support participation in the maternal and child health service and kindergarten programs and link families to other services and supports.

 

Target group

This initiative aims to engage vulnerable and disadvantaged families who may, for a range of reasons, under-utilise or have difficulties accessing universal early childhood services and supports, including playgroups and parent groups.

There are four population groups that are specifically targeted under this initiative.  They are:

  • Indigenous children and families
  • Culturally and linguistically diverse children and their families, with a particular focus on recently arrived families
  • Children and families affected by disability
  • Disadvantaged families with complex needs.

Supported Playgroups and Parent Groups project links

The following municipalities have been funded under the initiative. Where available, the relevant link to a website is provided:

For more information, see: 

Download Reporting Requirements template and guide

Supported Playgroups and Parent Groups sites are required to provide data reports twice a year. The reporting template, along with a guide to completing the data report ia available for downloading.

 

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Intensive Playgroups

    An intensive playgroup is currently being run at Moreland Hall (http://www.morelandhall.org/). This program provides an intensive support service for parents alongside a playgroup. The support for parents includes a family support service to enable supervised access to take place. It also provides opportunistic alcohol and other drug treatment and support service for parents. The playgroup has found that the parents are more likely to be involved as a result of the support being linked to the needs of their children.

    There have been a number of positive outcomes from this intensive playgroup. The playgroup has engaging families who do not access universal services (e.g. maternal and child health, kindergartens). This playgroup has also provided support, treatment and referral for children and parents .

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    Initiative Partners

    Playgroup Victoria

    Playgroup Victoria has been funded to support the establishment and implementation of this initiative. This support includes:

    • compiling the biannual statewide report on the implementation of the supported playgroups and parent groups initiative;
    • inviting new staff to participate in relevant existing playgroup networks;
    • providing resources and induction for new playgroup facilitators on request;
    • developing resource material for supported playgroups and parent groups as appropriate, and
    • providing other relevant training and development opportunities

    Find out more about Playgroup Victoria (http://www.playgroup.org.au/)

    Post and Antenatal Depression Association (PANDA)

    PANDA provides confidential information, support and referral to anyone affected by post and antenatal mood disorders, including partners and extended family members. PANDA also produces and distributes accurate information about post and antenatal mood disorders to health professionals and the wider community.

    As part of this initiative, PANDA offers additional support to some targeted sites where postnatal depression is identified as an initiative.

    Find out more about PANDA (http://www.panda.org.au/)

    Read about Best Start Initiative partners.