KARI’s Community Playgroup has commenced for the year, with sessions occurring across February. KARI’s free Aboriginal Community playgroup is an initiative that was created to support families with children with behavioural and developmental challenges.
Playgroup allows parents to bring their children aged between 0-5 years into a fun environment, whilst also having their behaviour monitored by KARI’s multidisciplinary team of clinicians. It is important for developmental issues to be recognised at this stage as it allows for necessary action to be taken at the child’s early stages of development.
KARI’s multidisciplinary team of clinicians includes health professionals such as speech pathologists and occupational therapists. The team work together to observe and recognise any behavioural or developmental challenges a child may be presenting. As well as observing the children while they play in a safe environment, the team offer free therapeutic consultations to parents, in order to further assist with their children to develop strategies and supports for families to implement at home.
Attendees have the opportunity to socialise with other children, have free play, hear a story, do some craft and have some morning tea. This support-based program has been running at KARI for 5 years and has proven to be successful amongst parents and their children.
In 2018 KARI’s playgroup saw a total of 44 parents and children attend our playgroup regularly. We hope to see this number grow in 2019 to ensure parents and are getting the assistance they need for their child’s development.
“It is important for the children to be monitored so if a child is looking like they’re not meeting their milestones, then they can be addressed before it manifests. Early intervention for any behavioural developmental issues would be more likely to have greater impact in their school age years and beyond.”
Said KARI’s Health Clinic Coordinator Stephanie Ruston.
