ABORIGINAL FAMILIES AS FIRST TEACHERS (AFAFT)

Family Playgroup
Term 2 Dates

What is Aboriginal Families as First Teachers (AFAFT)?

The Aboriginal Families as Teachers program aims to strengthen the ability of Aboriginal families to build a rich home learning environment. This supports active participation in early childhood education.Through working directly with families and collaborating with early childhood education services, the Aboriginal Families as First Teachers program has been developed to encourage early learning and participation in a quality early childhood education program in the years before school.

Program Five Core Objectives

1

support Aboriginal families to provide developmentally rich home learning environments for young children birth to five years

2

promote literacy and numeracy rich home learning environments

3

support Aboriginal children and their families for successful transitions to school

build families’ confidence in their ability to support the healthy development and learning of their children

4

promote the importance of early childhood education within families and communities, including participation in a quality early childhood education program for 600 hours in the year before school (at a minimum).

5

build families’ confidence in their ability to support the healthy development and learning of their children

Creatvity

Allowing a child to have free-play builds a strong foundation of problem solving, critical thinking skills, sensory, independent, development of motor skills, boosting confidence and self-esteem etc.

Paramount to the exploration of themselves.

Brain Development

(1) Brain stem (0-2)

Focuses on survival
Calm the brain stem (ensure perception of safety)

(2) Cerebellum (0-7)

Focuses on movement

(3) Limbic system (8-12)

Controls emotion
Validate emotions (I understand..., I appreciate...)

(4) Frontal cortex (12+)

Controls rational thinking

Play therapy is a therapeutic method aimed at helping children explore their lives and express thoughts and emotions through play. It provides a safe environment where children can naturally express themselves without the pressures of adult conversations and settings. At its core, play therapy promotes self-expression, aiding children in coping with difficult emotions and developing healthier mindsets and behaviors. It also enhances social skills, self-confidence, and self-esteem.

What we offer in our program

Weekly Home Visits
Educational based learning pack provided
School Readiness for children attending school the following year
Access to appropriate referral pathway

Eligibility

Child must be of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
Birth to 6 years of age
Living in the Blacktown LGA