Today’s children are tomorrow’s parents and their future ability to become good parents will be greatly influenced by the parenting they receive. The Benevolent Society helps parents develop strong and supportive relationships with their children.
Playgroups
Playgroups are ideal settings to work with families as they are a relaxed environment in which parents can talk to trained workers about their parenting practices. Playgroups also help families to link into local social and community supports. The Inner West Play & Chat Supported Playgroups are a series of playgroups located in the Inner West region of Sydney, including a fathers playgroup.
We also run a mobile playgroup called Wheely Good Fun which travels to isolated areas where families may not be able to access other children's playgroups. Wheely Good Fun takes a trailer of toys and educational materials to community parks in the Liverpool and Campbelltown areas. Two Wheely Good Fun workers set up the play area and run activities for the children. The playgroup is a lot of fun for children and provides parents with the opportunity to establish social and support networks within their communities.
Volunteer home visiting
Our Volunteer Home Visiting Services offer practical support, information, and encouragement to families with young children. Trained volunteers visit families in their home. Some volunteers assist with appointments or shopping, and help families connect with activities in their local community. Sometimes volunteers and families choose to just enjoy time together in the park.
Supporting parents
We support parents in a number of ways in different regions of NSW and in south east Queensland.
We offer workshops and resources to parents, volunteers and professionals based on the role of play in a child’s life. The focus is on practical ideas and tips on ways to incorporate play into families' daily routines. Read more about our PlayPower program.
In Campbelltown, our Foundations for Young Parents program provides professional home visiting and parenting support groups for young parents under 24 years who are pregnant or have a child under two years.
In Camden we’re working to give parents a range of opportunities to meet and support each other in their role as parents, including family events and a transition to school program which helps children and parents prepare for the first year of school.