Our Programs
CASE STUDIES
All names have been changed to ensure confidentiality.
CHILD FOCUSED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT – Gray Connect
An agency referred Lisa and her children to the Connect Program. The family had recently moved to the area, having escaped domestic violence to live in a safe house. Lisa had very limited English skills and no financial literacy.
Through the Connect Program, Lisa was able to access preschool for her eldest child and was encouraged to attend the playgroup with her youngest child. The program facilitator and referring agency worked in partnership with Lisa to help her access English classes and financial counselling.
Lisa now speaks reasonable English, has developed the confidence to use public transport, and has made friends. The family has moved from the safe house back into the community, where they have made many positive connections.
UNIVERSAL SUPPORTED GROUPS – Play & Learn
Karen and her husband recently moved to a remote community with their newborn daughter. Suffering from severe eczema, her baby was often very uncomfortable in the tropical climate. Karen showed signs of depression, following the move away from her family and her extreme anxiety about her daughter’s eczema.
Travelling to town for her weekly shopping, Karen took the opportunity to attend the Play & Learn group, seeking social support and information on child developmental stages. Through her weekly participation in the group, Karen started meeting other local mums and soon began joining them for lunch after the sessions. Those new connections had a positive impact on Karen’s anxiety and stress, and reduced her sense of isolation. Her increased confidence was obvious in the way she became more involved in the play activities and interacted more openly with other parents, some of whom shared the same isolating experience of living in a remote community.
Using a strengths-based approach, staff were able to build a trusting and open relationship with Karen and provide her with much needed information and support. Staff were also able to link her to other services in the community.
targetED SUPPORTED GROUPS – PARENT EDUCATION
In one example a Good Beginnings site conducted a parent education session attended by more than 20 parents and carers, including four dads, two of whom attended with their partners.
A guest speaker from Relationships Australia led the first part of the program, on the topic of generational parenting – how styles of parenting continue from one generation to another. The topic was chosen in response to an indication by many parents that they wish to parent differently from how they were parented.
The second part of the program was facilitated by a Good Beginnings Early Childhood Worker. The topic covered practical strategies to positively guide children’s behaviour, with one session covering children aged 0-3 and the other children 3-5 years of age.
Feedback was extremely positive. Parents found the sessions informative and helpful. Two dads who did not have custody of their children decided to continue with a post-separation parenting course run by Relationships Australia, having realised the importance of a collaborative approach to parenting, and attended with their ex-partners.
targetED SUPPORTED GROUPS – DADS GROUP
For the past two years John has been attending the Dads Playgroup with his son, Jack, who is four years old. His older daughter is six and is already attending school.
John has been a stay-at-home dad for six years while his wife works full time. Having given up full-time work, he expressed that he ‘would have gone nuts by now’ had it not been for the playgroup and the opportunity to talk with other men who share similar experiences.
John and Jack have formed valuable friendships with other dads and children through the playgroup. These friendships will be an important source of support in the transition to school, as many of the children will be attending the same school next year.
VOLUNTEER FAMILY SUPPORT
Case study 1
Kate and Tony have three children aged between three and seven years. One of the children, Tom, suffers from severe Autism. Kate works full-time and Tony part-time. When the pressures on the family reached breaking point?caused largely by the lack of support available for Tom, as well as Kate and Tony’s feelings of isolation and the strain on their marriage?the family self-referred to the Volunteer Family Support (VFS) program.
The VFS program was able to facilitate weekly visits to the family by a Community Parent, who offered much needed encouragement and hands-on support on an ongoing basis. The Program Coordinator was also able to advocate on behalf of the family to the Department of Education, gaining a place for Tom in a special education class. Furthermore, a referral to a family advocate resulted in ongoing support for the family in relation to the special needs of their son.
The family has remained together, grown in strength and report feeling much less isolated since their involvement with the VFS Program.
Case study 2
Jenny and Kevin recently migrated from China with no family or social supports in Australia, and were referred to the VFS Program by their local Early Childhood Nurse. Their young son was delayed in reaching his developmental milestones, and he lacked muscle tone. Good Beginnings linked Jenny with a volunteer, and it was quickly established that she kept the baby strapped in his bouncinette throughout the day. While Jenny had been provided with information from the Early Childhood Nurse, she was not able to implement the information, due to language barriers and her lack of family or social supports to assist.
Once linked with the family, the volunteer spent her time role-modelling positive parenting skills, introduced Jenny and her baby to ‘tummy time’, and was able to demonstrate the information provided by the Early Childhood Nurse. Within two or three weeks of being linked to the volunteer, the Early Childhood Nurse confirmed that the little boy was making good progress?showing improvements in his muscle tone and his ability to lift his head and sit up unaided. The child has since caught up with his developmental milestones.
Case study 3
Monika, a pregnant and newly-arrived migrant from India, had developed depression upon arriving in Australia, where she found herself very isolated and without family support. Her husband had to work long hours to support them and she was reluctant to leave their flat.
A hospital social worker referred Monika to the Volunteer Family Support program. A volunteer was linked with the family and was able to provide much needed friendship in the lead up to the birth.
When the baby was born, the volunteer was able to provide information on the available services in the neighbourhood, as well as emotional and practical support. Monika and the volunteer were able to start exploring the neighbourhood on foot, followed by visits to the park and, more recently, to a local Good Beginnings playgroup.
Within a month, Monika started attending the playgroup even on days when the volunteer didn’t, and has been able to enjoy new friendships with other mums, including some from India.
targetED SUPPORTED GROUPS
A young couple, Jessie and Tim, and their five-month-old baby Rose were referred to Good Beginnings after Rose had been admitted to hospital four times for failure to thrive. The two teenage parents were at first very shy and lacked confidence and their baby was always either crying or sleeping.
With the help of picture books and DVDs, they were introduced to basic parenting skills, the stages of child development, general hygiene, safe sleeping, interactive play and other important topics. After three weeks, Jessie and Tim were ready to try their baby on solids, which was discussed with them and then tried in the sessions. Another three weeks later, the baby’s development had picked up considerably and she was alert, laughing and interested in toys and music.
The parents’ confidence increased considerably and they became happy to join their daughter on the floor, giggling and laughing; something that was role-modelled by staff throughout the weeks but which they had thought was very strange at first!
The family exited the program with much greater knowledge about how to care for their baby; their new-found confidence showed on the faces of the whole family.
INTENSIVE FAMILY SUPPORT (HOME VISITING)
Child Protection made a referral to the Intensive Family Support program after notification of an injury to a two-year-old. The mum, Julie, had previously been a ward of the state and had an intellectual disability. Her daughter Keira was developmentally delayed, and Julie was pregnant with a second child. Single and isolated, she was living in a housing commission unit and relying on public transport to get around.
A Family Support Worker provided regular home visits to provide encouragement and positive affirmation to Julie, and to role-model positive parenting strategies. A volunteer was also linked to the family to regularly read to Keira and provide much-needed stimulation.
After eight months of weekly visits, Julie showed improved parenting skills and started purchasing books for the first time, despite not being able to read herself. Around this time, she also started to ask for information on nutrition, sleep and other parenting issues.
The Family Support Worker assisted Julie in Child Protection care plan meetings and rehabilitation sessions for her daughter, and helped her implement the strategies she learned during the session at home. The worker was also able to support Julie in custody, housing and financial issues, and attended court with her.
After 14 months of support, Julie clearly identified Good Beginnings’ professional intervention model as the most valuable and consistent parenting support she had ever received.
QUOTES
BABY GROUP
‘Sometimes it can be a bit isolating being home and caring for my gorgeous little girl, so the baby group is a real outing. We both love it. My daughter is always fascinated by other babies and toys and I get to talk to other people in similar circumstances. It’s fabulous!’
‘I really loved coming to the baby group. I learnt so much about my son’s development and picked up lots of helpful information about raising a baby. I have also gained many new friends through coming to the weekly group. It was an invaluable experience.’
PLAY & LEARN
‘I come to playgroup so I can keep my sanity.’
‘I know that I’m not going to be judged on my situation. I feel I can cope with all my children better because I’m listened to.’
‘I am reassured that no one is perfect.’
VFS PROGRAM, INNER WEST SYDNEY – ATTENDEES
‘The Volunteer Home Visiting program made an enormous difference to our family. Our volunteer was kind, friendly, insightful and supportive. She made us feel like seeing our little boy added to her life.
‘I found the staff at Good Beginnings to be caring, helpful and efficient. The speed at which we received volunteer support was so important to us. We did receive home help for six weeks after I was discharged from hospital, which was useful but ended at a time when I was still needing significant support. (The effects of cardiomyopapthy were present and I was on several medications with side effects.) Good Beginnings is the only service that offered long-term assistance, which is vital to so many families. It gave us weekly help and support as I recovered during 2006. It also allowed time for our volunteer to get to know and bond with our child. Daniel loved his weekly visits with Anne?she became another person for him to trust and have fun with. Thank you.’ (Sarah, client from April 06–Jan 07).
‘My husband and I have four 2½ year old toddlers?yes, that’s right, quads! To say it has been hard (and still is!) is an understatement. There is so much that needs to be done, especially when they were babies?making up formula, feeding, changing nappies, washing, cooking, cleaning, and the list goes on. When the volunteers arrived from Good Beginnings I was amazed at how they just got in there and helped, and did whatever was necessary to keep the kids happy, clean and fed. I wouldn’t survive if it wasn’t for the help and support that Good Beginnings provide?they certainly are a special kind of organisation to help families like ours in need and are an asset to our community.’ (Flora, client since 2005)
‘I write to commend you on a fantastic community service that Good Beginnings provides to the inner west community. When we came home with our premature twins earlier this year we had a very difficult time with very unsettled babies and no family support in Sydney. Good Beginnings matched us up with Paula, a volunteer from your service. Paula was a great support during a very difficult period and she assisted our family greatly. She helped me get out of the house with the twins and accompanied me on outings. Her experience as a parent and her great listening skills helped me feel better about being a new parent myself. It’s reassuring to know that community services like Good Beginnings exist to support parents in need. Thank you for the invaluable assistance that Good Beginnings and Paula provided our family.’ (Lisa, client from May–August 2007)
‘Having been through postnatal depression, an abusive marriage and divorce while in the Volunteer Family Support program, I can honestly say that I would not have fared so well had it not been for the support and assistance provide by my volunteer and the program Coordinator and their caring and personal attitude to all their clients. My volunteer provides me with great support and a sympathetic ear, while having an abundance of energy and imagination to play with my daughter. I struggle with depression and find the constant demands of a two-year-old exhausting at the best of times. The ongoing support of the Coordinator has also been exceptional, and has provided support far beyond my expectations during difficult times. This also includes the local Good Beginnings playgroup and the program newsletters, which are a great source of information. To have this ongoing experience for myself and my daughter is a privilege.’ (Dora, client from 2006)
VFS PROGRAM, INNER WEST SYDNEY – VOLUNTEERS
‘I decided I wanted to become part of Good Beginnings when I saw an ad in the local paper back in 2003. As a new mother, I would have loved to have had a volunteer visit after my daughter's birth nearly 30 years ago, as I had no family support and few friends who had children. I remember feeling very alone and was, I think, often too proud to seek help.
‘I have had many experiences as a volunteer community parent. I have always enjoyed helping people and you certainly get lots of that, whether in a practical way, through bathing/nursing babies or playing/reading to older children, or providing mums with information on community services they need, or just listening to their problems and reassuring them that 90% of other parents also experience these problems. (What I would have given for someone to have told me this!)
‘I hope I have in some small way provided support for parents to become more confident and self-sufficient in the everyday delight of bringing up children.’ (Anna, volunteer for Good Beginnings since May 2003)
‘I found the program suited me perfectly. As a newcomer to the city, I needed a way to meet people and to use some of my spare time productively. I really grew very fond of my families and it gave me great pleasure knowing that I hopefully made a difficult time a little easier. I have been in contact with Flora and will visit when I am in Sydney again at the end of the month.
‘The flexibility of the program really suited me. I also found that the back up and support was wonderful! My involvement in other organisations has demonstrated that this is not always the case, and believe me, it makes a huge difference. Everything was organised properly/professionally and ran smoothly. I knew I could rely on advice or that my views were listened to, and I valued that very much. I found I looked forward to each weekly visit and really appreciated the opportunity to interact with little children from an ‘older/grandmotherly’ perspective. I have discovered that the relationship you develop with children when you are older is quite different. I didn’t feel so rushed/pressured…it was lovely just to watch them discover things at their own rate.’ (Jodie, volunteer for Good Beginnings from August 05–July 07, when she moved to Melbourne)
‘The opportunity to be involved with another family where they are happy to admit they need help and you are able to give it is a wonderful experience. Often we want to have these opportunities but due to suspicion and caution on both sides it is sometimes hard for families to open themselves up and be willing to accept this sort of help. My first experience was gratifying and enjoyable. Thanks Good Beginnings for making it possible.’ (Paula, volunteer for Good Beginnings since May 2007).