Tweddle Child and Family Health Service are delighted to announce two successful grants which will enable them to develop a series of evidence based online resources with a focus on the first thousand days, a critical period in shaping brain development, language development and relationships for life.
A $20,000 grant from the State Trustees Australia Foundation’s 2018 Grassroot Grants program will fund the development of three five-minute videos with a focus on infant mental health and attachment.
Tweddle were also grateful recipients of $30,000 from the Collier Charitable Fund to develop an Early Parenting App. Both the App and videos will combine to offer accessible online early parenting education, not only for families on the waiting list, but for all parents of babies and toddlers across Victoria and beyond.
International research and the extensive clinical experience of Tweddle highlights the critical importance of a loving attachment relationship with the primary carer in an infant’s brain development, including their social, emotional and cognitive development. While this scientific research is well known by health professionals and academics, a practical and easy to understand application will provide significant benefit to parents.
The three 5-minute ‘documentary style’ videos will demonstrate how parenting brings together a range of everyday moments that provide the foundation for good mental health throughout life. The videos will cover:
Sleep – How feeling secure helps your child to sleep, Play – Helping to build your child’s brain through activities, Bond – Developing secure attachment through everyday moments, Respond – to a child’s cues with sensitivity and love, and Regulate – Help your child to calm their big emotions when they don’t have words.
Tweddle’s programs are about building capacity and resilience through specialised early parenting education. The Apps4Attachment project will offer support and information around 7 critical themes, Sleep and Settling, Crying Babies, Mental Health & Mindfulness, Attachment, Brain Development, Adjusting to Parenthood and Fatherhood. The App will provide reassurance and guidance for thousands of exhausted mums and dads every year.
“Tweddle provides telephone intake assessments to over 70 stressed parents every week. Most of these families progress to a waiting list for a Day Stay or Residential program which is often up to two or three months long. The App and videos will help provide additional reassurance to parents who are unable to access early parenting education due to geographical or cultural barriers, travel challenges, multiple children or children with additional needs” said Tweddle CEO, Jacquie O’Brien.
State Trustees Australia Foundation Chair, Helen Hambling reinforced the importance of the funding program. “State Trustees Australia Foundation has been supporting community organisations for over twenty years. These grants would not be possible if it was not for the generosity of the bequestors.” She said “The 2018 Grassroot Grants will distribute over $220,000 to twelve not-for-profit organisations throughout Victoria”
The Collier Charitable Fund Executive Officer Ms Wendy Lewis said that The Collier Charitable Fund has been supporting organisations to assist in making life better in communities around Australia since it commenced in 1955. Over 3,000 organisations have been supported with total of grants made to date exceeding $102 million. “We are excited to assist Tweddle in the development of this app which will improve access to evidence based education and to early parenting resources when they are most needed to support vulnerable parents on their journey”
The videos will be produced by Lifebuoy Video and the App will be developed by DreamWalk. Both Melbourne based organisations operate with an ethical charter and have extensive experience working for Not For Profit and community based organisations.
