Let's Start
A supportive group program helping parents give their young children the best possible start
An applied research initiative of the School for Social and Policy Research
 Come to the Let's Start Evaluation Launch | Download the Let's Start Evaluation Report
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About the Let's Start program
Let’s Start is the implementation of the Exploring Together Preschool Program in the Northern Territory. It aims to help parents support children as they negotiate their way through preschool into primary school. We work with children aged 3 - 7 years and their parents or main carers. We believe the early years are very important for children’s social and emotional learning. We support children to develop positive interactions with other children and adults which will ultimately improve their life chances.
How can the program benefit your child?
The program is fun and practical! In weekly 2 hour sessions, parents and children work together in small groups with activities aimed at:
- Building strong family relationships
- Parents sharing stories with other parents
- Helping parents and children to learn problem-solving skills
- Helping children listen and make good choices
- Helping children in the transition to school
Who can attend Let's Start?
The program has been especially developed to assist indigenous children and their parents, but is available to children of all backgrounds, aged 3 -7 years. Many problems of young children are transitory; however, some children with behaviour problems at home or school may be at risk of more serious difficulties in later years. Children who have difficulties at school, show challenging or disruptive behaviours, who can’t easily join in with other children, are shy, or restless and unable to settle may be referred to Let’s Start by their school. Children may show problems at home, and their parents or carers are welcome to ask to join the program.
The Let’s Start program is a multi-group early intervention program lead by trained group leaders that runs for ten weeks during the school term. It is being implemented and evaluated in a partnership between Charles Darwin University, the NT Department of Employment, Education and Training and participating schools.
We work with teachers and parents so they can refer a child to the program. The teacher or parent fills in a referral form giving us information about the child and the Let's Start Team use this information to offer places to children and their parents in the program.
Our program works with small groups of children (6 – 8 children), so if we do not have a place in a current group you may be asked to stay on a waiting list until we are running another program.
Does the program cost money?
The program is free to all parents and children. Sessions are held at local schools and community venues.
How do I get involved?
To get involved or to get more information on Let’s Start contact:
The Let’s Start Team
Menzies School of Health Research
20 Catterthun St.
Winnellie NT 0821
Phone: (08) 8943 5043
Fax: (08) 8943 5010
Email: letsstart@menzies.edu.au
Project Coordinator - Skills Development and Engagement: Yomei Jones, Mobile: 0419 976 033
Program Coordinator - Tiwi Islands: Celeste Clancy, Mobile: 0407 604 167
Our partners
Let’s Start works with partner schools and community organisations. We coordinate closely with primary schools in the Darwin, Palmerston and rural areas, and schools on the Tiwi Islands. We always include the classroom teacher of your child. Current partner schools include 40 government and private schools. During 2009 we will be conducting programs on Tiwi Islands and in Palmerston, Darwin and Palumpa.
We also link in with a range of community organisations who work to support children and families.
How will we know that Let’s Start really works?
The Let’s Start Program records information that will help the program to evaluate how it is helping children and their families.This information is statistical and does not identify individual children or families. The program uses the information for reporting to the Territory and Federal governments along with research organisations.
Let's Start is an Early Childhood - Invest to Grow initiative - funded by the Australian Government under the Stronger Families and Community Strategy. Additional funding has been received from the NT Government and the Australian Research Council. It is an applied research initiative of the School for Social and Policy Research at Charles Darwin University.
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