early matters

We know there are times family relationships can get stuck. This often happens at big life stages such as:

• having a baby
• children starting kindergarten, or primary or high school
• separation or divorce
• becoming a stepfamily
• the death of a family member.

For all these adjustments, it’s important to get support and talk things through early.

Our early matters programs are designed to enhance your parenting skills and promote child wellbeing and healthy, safe family relationships.

Who is this service for?

We are funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services to provide early matters programs to families in Ballarat, and specific areas of Sunshine (Delahey and Kings Park).

How we can help

Parenting groups

Our free programs can help you to learn about emotional intelligence and build strong relationships with your children.

Emotional intelligence can help children, young people and adults to build resilience and cope better with life’s ups and downs. It can also help to reduce mental health difficulties and improve relationships, including between children and parents.

We run a range of face-to-face group programs in universal services. These include kindergartens, primary schools, hospitals, maternal and child health services, and play groups. We also provide some programs online.

Tuning in to Kids®

• Learn how to understand your child’s emotions and guide their behaviour with appropriate limits.
• 6 sessions
• For parents/carers of children aged 3 to 10
• Available in English and Vietnamese
  
  

Tuning in to Teens™

• Improve how you communicate and manage conflict with your young person.
• 6 sessions
• For parents/carers of tweens and teenagers aged between 10 and 16
  
  

Circle of Security Parenting™

• Learn how to recognise and understand your child’s emotional needs.
• 8 sessions
• For parents/carers of children who are newborn up to age 6

View and register for upcoming programs by clicking on the tiles below.

Family support

We offer short-term support, in the home or online, to help with parenting challenges you’re facing.

Our service:

• promotes the healthy development of children across a range of health and wellbeing domains.
• promotes parenting practices that enhance healthy and safe family relationships.
• works to support families to reduce the likelihood that they will require tertiary service interventions, such as the involvement of child protection.
• utilises a strengths-based, family-centred approach to support families with what they feel is important for them.

Getting started

You don’t need a referral for our services and we encourage you to get in touch with us using the contact details below.

When we first meet with you, we’ll ask some questions about you and your family.

This helps us to make sure that early matters is the best option for you at this time. If early matters isn’t appropriate for you, we can provide referrals to other services that might be helpful.

• Email [email protected]
• Call us in Ballarat on (03) 5337 9222
• Call us in Sunshine on (03) 8311 9222