You Make the Difference ® Programme

You Make The Difference®  is a nine-session programme for groups of eight to ten parents and their children, aged 0-5.

Each session includes a 90-minute interactive parenting group where parents learn through participation in a variety of fun activities and group discussions, as well as guided review of the teaching You Make The DifferenceYou Make The Difference DVD and companion book for parents. Parents are also able to review positive moments from their own videotaped practice sessions. They are able to see how their application of the strategies positively influences their child’s early language, social and literacy development. During the parent group, children receive on-site childcare where they can socialise, have fun and learn. Immediately after each session, each parent and child is given the opportunity to practise and receive individualised supportive coaching. These sessions are videotaped and used for positive reflection and feedback during the next group session.

The programme was designed for whose child’s language learning is at risk due to the unique challenges of young parenthood, , or low literacy skills. The You Make the Difference is a general education / parenting program geared toward prevention, and is suitable for parents and primary caregivers of both typically developing children and children at risk. However it is suitable for all families and helps address the typical challenges of parenting.

– This program helps address the typical challenges of parenting. It also helps parents who face the unique challenges of young parenthood, social or environmental challenges, or low literacy skills.
– The course was designed especially parents whose child’s language learning is at risk but is suitable for all families.
– The materials are suitable for parents with low literacy skills and those whose first language is not English.

You Make the Difference focuses on parent-child interaction, and helps parents learn simple ways to “tune in” to their child so that their child feels good about themselves and is open to learning. ‘Tuning in’ means taking the time to get to know their child’s interests, and to join in and share in their experiences.

• Helps parents recognise the important role they play in their child’s early learning and development, with a focus on language, social and literacy developmentaremt
• Parents  learn to connect with their young children while fostering self-esteem and learning during the natural conversations of daily living
• Enhances parents’ ability to use positive interaction through play
• Gives parents specific ways of connecting and communicating with their child
• Provides supportive coaching to guide parents in applying these strategies to their parent-child interactions in everyday routines and activities
• Builds parents’ confidence in their own abilities
• Promotes early identification and referral as required