Families NSW
Families NSW is a prevention and early intervention strategy to help parents give their children a good start in life. This means supporting families during pregnancy and in the early years of a child’s life, when development is rapid. Research shows that supporting families during this time will have a lasting influence on children in later life.
Families NSW seeks to support families with children aged 0-8 with a strong focus on:
- First time parents
- Teenage parents
- Families from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds
- Parents with a developmental disability
- Families with other special needs
Services
Centacare auspices Families First services in Forbes, Lake Cargelligo, Narromine and Bourke. Families First provides a number of services.
Home Visiting
Families receive regular home visits. Services offered range from general support, parent education with a focus on child development, play activities, parenting strategies, health, nutrition and budgeting.
Play Groups
Centacare family workers either conduct play groups or support existing play groups in their communities. Play groups aim to create parent support networks while providing children aged 0-5 with early childhood education experiences which prepare them for their transition to pre-school and school. Some more specialised play groups are the Bubs on Wheels group (pram walking group) in Narromine and the Kindy Gym at Lake Cargelligo and individualised versions of group activities in the home, i.e. Mini VIP (mini visiting play group) where families are given the opportunity to participate in play group activities in their own home with family members, neighbours and friends.
Parenting Education
Centacare offers regular parenting workshops in Forbes, Narromine and Bourke with popular programs 1-2-3 Magic and Triple P. Our family workers are accredited parenting educators and offer parent education and support on an individual basis as well as in group settings. We encourage and promote the concept of focusing on positive rather than negative behaviours, and nurturing our children’s mental growth by celebrating these.
Parent Groups
Parent groups are very much tailored to our clients’ needs. Examples are:
- Trangie Mothers Group
- Kini Aboriginal Mothers’ Group Bourke
- DAKS (Dads and Kids) Group Bourke
- Mums and Bubs Forbes
- Barmedman Mothers’ Group
All these groups have a very strong social component, supporting the creation of networks for parents while providing educational opportunities within parenting, health and family well being.
Community Events
Families NSW family workers have a strong involvement in local community events promoting and celebrating families and children. Centacare family workers are the driving force in local 'Birth to Kindergarten' early literacy celebrations. One of Centacare’s biggest community events is the Bland Shire Children’s Expo which has created partnerships with more than 40 agencies and reached over 800 families.
