The Parenting Support group operates every Thursday morning (during school term) from 10am – 12pm at Groom Park Hall  and provides social support and education and information for all parents in the community.  
The group currently provides support to parents from Australian, refugee and culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and offers mothers the chance to come and share, problem solve and exchange information on parenting in a relaxed friendly and safe environment. Each week the group is involved in learning about each others backgrounds,family and life journey.
 
The program invites guest speakers to inform and educate on topics selected by the group members. Parents can also access a Child Health Clinic and other workshops.
 The group also provides its members with the opportunity to practice their English. Interpreters are available for sessions where required. Mothers can either self refer to the group or through another service provider, friend or family member.   Children can participate in the Early Childhood activities that are provided by our staff and families can attend regular fun family and community activities organised by staff and group members.   

For further information please phone Jan ph:46 338 409 Fax: 46 392 624 .

In Home Support ProgramSupport is offered to parents in their home by trained volunteers who provide social and emotional support to parents. Trained volunteers are able to offer support and encouragement, friendship, mentorship and a friendly listening ear.
Volunteers are also able to provide assistance with linking the parent into a range of other support services from access to Child Health and Chemist nurses, playgroups and other child and maternal support services in the community.

 During visits with parents volunteers are able to ensure that parents are able to give their child the best start in life. They supply  information about parenting, provide mentorship and role modeling on ways to interact and play with children, assistance with developing routines, and ways to connect with services and community supports.

Volunteers are not health professionals, but they do have a wide range of experiences and skills in parenting their own children. Many of the volunteers believe that parenting is one of hardest jobs in the world. Due to our lifestyle today many families are now not in close proximately to their families of origin. Being able to support parents with young children can make a significant difference in a person’s ability to parent effectively.  Parents don’t need to be in crisis to access the service, but feel they would like some support and reassurance with parenting. Parents are able to self refer, or be refered  through another service provider or family member.  In 2005 the program was awarded to be Qld State Community Services winner for National BankVolunteer Awards.   

The Kath Dickson Parenting Support Program has a range of volunteer positions available to people interested in supporting families with babies and young children. Most roles require the volunteer to provide friendship, encouragement, mentorship and general support and information with parenting.

Blue card is required but can be applied for through the program.

Training and support are provided for all positions.

Positions include:

In Home Support:  This is a mentoring position that requires Volunteers to visit parents in their home  to help support, educate and connect parents to their community.

Art/Craft Assistant: This position requires the Volunteer to assist with art /craft and other activities both  for the children and for the parents of the Multicultural parenting group.

Multicultural Parenting Group Support: This position requires the Volunteer to mentor our parents in the  Multicultural Parenting group with a friendly listening ear. The volunteer can also chose to work with the children during group time.

All volunteers are provided with ongoing supervision and support by the co-ordinator as well as bi-monthly volunteer meetings where volunteers are able to support each other in their role. 

If you have a couple of hours spare a week and interested in babies/children and providing support to parents then this is a rewarding position and might be just right for you. Please Phone Jan: 46338409 for further information.  

If you are a parent from any of the Playgroups, the Parenting Support Group or In Home Support we would love to have your ideas and feedback. You will need a password available from Tammie. Please click here to take our SURVEY  

The team would like to sincerely thank the Inger Rice Foundation for the recent grant that allowed the staff to distrubute $2000.00 in toys and art materials to some of our rural and remote Playgroups across the Darling Downs.