VEYLDF Alignment
Item uses these practice principles: Partnerships with families, Respectful relationships and responsive engagement, Equity and diversity, High expectations for every child.
Item responds to these sub-outcomes: Children interact verbally and non-verbally with others for a range of purposes.
Description
Parent–Child Mother Goose (P-CMG) is a weekly group program that aims to strengthen attachment and interaction between parents/carers and their young children (typically birth to four years old) by introducing them to the pleasure and power of sharing rhymes, songs and stories together. The program is run by two trained facilitators. There is no cost to families that attend the program.
Educators who undertake P-CMG's level one two-day training are qualified to run the Parent-Child Mother Goose program which:
- supports the development of secure parent–child attachment
- promotes children's language development
- enhances families' community inclusion.
Even if an organisation is unable to run a P-CMG program, training offers transferrable skills that Early Years educators can apply to developing children's communication, their sense of wellbeing, their inclusion, and also to building positive relationships with parents and carers.
Detailed Costs
Two-day, level one facilitator training workshop
delivered online: $420/person (excl. GST in 2023), or $450/person (excl. GST from January 2024 onward).
Face-to-face training in 2024: Melbourne metropolitan area $500/person. Refer to provider website for available dates.
For training outside the metropolitan area, costs would be on a case-by-case basis starting at $550/person for a regional Victorian venue within minimum 15 participants.
Implementation Considerations
Target population: parents/carers of children up to and including four years of age who need extra support because of personal or social circumstances, or because their children have special needs or are otherwise at risk.
Program/practice descriptions and details: facilitators model and nurture positive and joyful interaction between parents, carers and children, and encourage participants to use their program's songs, stories and rhymes in their daily family routines and interactions with their children. Songs and rhymes are available for free online.
Program adaptability: core elements include group format; songs, rhymes and storytelling; focus on parent–child interaction; and slow-paced delivery. Adaptations can be made to suit particular user groups and settings.
If you don't run a P-CMG program you will still build the skills and confidence to be able to tell oral stories, sing songs and rhymes without the use of any props (CDs, phones, books etc.). This is of huge benefit while you are in the kindergarten setting you will be able to sing songs during routine activities and not just at structured group times.
Training requirements: both facilitators of a group must have completed Level One training. After running a program for a year, facilitators are encouraged to deepen their knowledge of the program by undertaking Level Two accreditation at no cost.
Staffing: the program can be delivered by early childhood, primary and special needs educators, speech pathologists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, early childhood intervention professionals, maternal and child health nurses, psychologists, library practitioners and playgroup leaders. Services should consider the cost of backfill when determining the cost of accessing this resource.
Factors to consider: P-CMG can work with services and their Early Childhood Improvement Branch to help them meet minimum numbers, including by exploring the viability of recruiting additional participants from other services and health providers (for example, maternal and child health nurses, social workers, speech pathologists and primary school teachers).
Tools and systems: facilitators use planning, reflection and attendance forms. Families are invited to complete feedback forms.
Priority Area
Communication, Wellbeing (social and emotional), Access and inclusion
Strength of Evidence
Level 3 - Promising research evidence