SDN Children's Services Inc. Annual Report 2010

The voices of families in our programs
Families who have been helped through our
targeted support programs
You always believed in me. I am at the space where I want to
be now. I am happy. I don’t regret what I went through when I
look back at it now as it just made me stronger. I don’t question
myself any longer why it has happened to me. I let it go. I have
my kids and I love them. jenny, mother of three children
I had no one to listen to me, no family or friends. I felt completely
stuck until you allowed me to talk through my issues and helped
me attend parenting groups and the Playbus — it was great. I
don’t know where I would be without your service — thank you
so much. mary, mother of 5 year old and 1 year old
I would definitely bring my child again. It is the first time the
boy has been out and played with other children. a parent
attending playbus
The child care has been fantastic. We previously had no routine
at home before starting at the centre but now the child eats
breakfast and lunch — where as before he tended not to eat.
The child care was a great support for me. a parent at a family
service meeting
Feedback from families that attend our Child and
Family Resource Centre at Granville
My son is more independent and social, he often says hello
to people now. He is more confident when I leave him. My
daughter’s speech and language is amazing and she has learnt
rhymes and songs very early after coming to Stay and Play
every week.
A caring environment where my children were accepted for who
they are. The staff are so supportive and friendly allowing us the
space we need to learn to play together. The Resource Centre is
a great place to get resources for my children with autism.
Feedback from participants who attended the
Mental Health Training Course facilitated by SDN
(see page 16)
Through this training I have been given the tools to open up a
conversation with a parent and child.
This course has been a reminder about the important role and
impact we have as Early Childhood Educators in creating safe
and welcoming spaces.
The literature that I was able to take away from the training
provided a talking point between the family and the centre.
Overall, walking away from the training I felt better equipped
to build on my relationship with the family. I wish more of my
staff had been able to attend as this training gave me a better
understanding of what mental health is.
SDN has helped many other long day care centres
and preschools to enrol Aboriginal children. Here
are comments from two centre directors (of non-
SDN centres)
Four years ago we had one (Aboriginal child enrolled) and now
we have seven. None of this could have been done without Deb
Mann who has guided, resourced, mentored and supported us.
She has been instrumental and was the catalyst for us taking
on our Aboriginal trainee.
Some people are surprised that we do as much as we do
when we don’t even have Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
families here. It’s probably more important to do it if you don’t
have diversity – to present a culture of respect for difference and
different families.
When he started at SDN I’d met the teachers, started to talk to the
teachers and the boss, and I felt good about him going there.
an aboriginal mother on the importance of feeling comfortable
and knowing the staff
SDN SDN Annual Annual Report Report 2010 2010 39