Everyone knows best
26 August 2020
Mandy
Dempsey describes the Port Augusta Children’s Centre in South Australia as a
“one-stop shop” for early childhood programs.
Dempsey, the centre’s director for early childhood
development and parenting, and her team worked in partnership with about 200
parents and the local Aboriginal community to promote and improve attendance
and engagement in early years education.
The resulting support programs and services for families
were so successful that the centre was recognised with the AEU’s Arthur
Hamilton Award 2019 for Outstanding Contribution to Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander Education.
The groundswell began about five years ago when staff
wondered how they could get more children and their families to
attend playgroups.
Now the children’s centre underpins an innovative platform
that supports the whole community.
“We didn’t want to force them into something they were not
comfortable with, so we thought if we gave them a bit of an introduction they
might feel more confident about coming.”
An Aboriginal transition playgroup gave parents and children
a relaxed introduction to preschool routines and expectations and helped them
gain a sense of belonging in a new environment.
It worked so well that preschool attendance almost doubled.
Other initiatives
included a community-run radio program for people of all ages to share stories,
songs and jokes including in traditional languages and an outreach program Men
Behaving Dadly, which encourages men to spend more time playing with their
children, getting involved in sports, or just sharing quality time.
Flexible schedules
Dempsey says involving families in conversations about how
the centre operated was a key factor in increasing participation at all levels.
It turned out that while the families liked sending their
children to preschool, they wanted shorter hours over more days.
Now, preschool starts later, at 10am, and runs over four
days. “Giving parents more flexibility means they have more time to get up and
get children ready,” says Dempsey. “And because we’ve spread it over four days,
if they’re absent for one day it’s easier for them to make up any sessions they
missed.”
A recent survey of parents provided much positive feedback
and showed that the community has taken ownership of the centre’s operations.
“People liked that things changed because of their input,
and that’s what it’s about,” says Dempsey. “If they feel like they’re connected
and they belong, they’ll be there and so will their children.”
There’s also been a huge
flow-on effect because as parents feel more comfortable in the centre
environment, attendance becomes routine and the benefits extend to the family and
wider community.
The Learning Together playgroup is led by a teacher who can
also give extra support to parents who might have a child with a disability or
need help with other skills.
“It’s a friendly, happy place where parents can get a bit of
help at the same time,” says Dempsey. “Because it’s in a play environment, they
don’t feel pressured about getting the support.
“And by not focusing on one person, you can give messages to
the whole group so the mums or the carers can use that information without
feeling targeted.”
Cultural connections
Support for parents extends to on-site programs that offer
social work, parenting, domestic and family violence support and allied health
services. It’s all part of the one-stop-shop experience.
“People told us they felt disconnected with culture and
didn’t want that knowledge to get lost,” says Dempsey. “So we worked with our
women’s group which ran cultural workshops at our Bush Kindy.”
Creche support is
provided for parents whose children aren’t at playgroup or preschool, which
frees them up to speak with community partner organisations at the centre about
services they might need.
Reflecting the local
population, half of the centre’s staff are Aboriginal. One woman who started as
an early childhood worker recently stepped into a leadership role as a
community development coordinator.
“I think when people see that progression they go, you know
what? She’s one of us, and we can do this too,” says Dempsey. “Some of the
mothers here left school, raised their families and then got to a point where
they were thinking what’s next for me?”
Centre staff encouraged interested women take up further
study. They instigated a Certificate III course in early years education
through the local learning centre at the Aboriginal Health Service in
partnership with TafeSA.
“One mum who got into the routine of taking her baby to
playgroup three times a week is now studying. They’ve seen other people do it
and realised they can do it, too. And now they’re getting qualifications and
work experience, so there’s something next for them. That’s really exciting.”
By Cyndi Tebbel
The article was originally published in The Australian Educator, Winter 2020
