Queensland Child Protection Week commends ‘School Readiness’ program

The School Readiness event held in January 2020, connected families across Churches of Christ in Queensland’s Family Support Services with range of free services to help parents support their children’s health and developmental needs, and prepare them for the new school year.
 
Team Leader of the Families Together Intensive Family Support Service, Jodie Thomas, said, “the team were humbled to be acknowledged by their peers in the child protection sector.”
 
“We work closely with various other agencies and services to support families and children in need.”
 
The Families Together team identified a need in the community to provide a one-stop-shop where parents and children can access a dentist, audiologist, child health nurse, nutritionist, hairdresser and podiatrist.
 
“We reached out to local allied health services, and received an overwhelming response that contributed to the success of this event.”
 
“Families and children enjoyed the self-paced market stall, visiting stalls hosted by the local health providers,” Jodie said.
 
At the beginning to the event, each child was encouraged to complete an ‘event passport’ to note all the stalls visited.
 
“Families left with a bag of helpful and fun resources and information to be ready for school, and children were given practical items including books, pencils and other stationery to give them the best to start their school year.”
 
“We would like to thank the stallholders who offered their services free of charge, making this event a success. We received fantastic feedback from families and our partners, and are hoping to make it bigger and better next year,” Jodie said.

Thank you to Children’s Health Queensland, Hear and Say Centre , Eat Smart Nutrition, Kelly Bevis hairdressing, Happifeet podiatry and Mt Ommaney Dental.
 
School Readiness will become an annual event across all Family Support Services across Churches of Christ in Queensland in 2021, supporting children and families to thrive in their community.
 
Churches of Christ in Queensland is committed to ensuring that all children are safe, happy and empowered.
 
This year’s Child Protection Week (6 – 12 September) is an annual initiative funded by the Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services that raises the profile of the issues connected with child protection.