Community Support Profile:
Community Support Profile:
Parents as First Teachers
Parents as First Teachers( PAFT) is a free service, providing practical ideas and guidance to support parents in the role of their child’ s teacher.
PAFT is based on the philosophy that parents are their children’ s first and most important teachers.
PAFT will help you to understand how your child grows and develops and how you can encourage their development.
The service is similar to the Space program but offers parents a personalised one on one programme that is conducted in your own home through regular monthly visits.
Being a one on one service allows the Parent Educators to fit in with your schedule, and adapt the program to your lifestyle and baby.
You receive an individualised personal service, and educators are often matched to families based on their own background and experiences.
During each visit the PAFT educators will go through your child’ s development stage and help you to understand what they are doing and why. They will provide a written observation of your child during each visit. Notes are also provided outlining developmental stages and what you can do to encourage your child to learn and explore the world around them. By the end of the program, parents have received a full manual of practical information on child behaviour.
PAFT will show you ways to provide educational and inexpensive activities for your child with simple things that you can find around the house, help you to encourage a love of books and reading in your child, and show you how to use everyday experiences as learning opportunities.
It’ s all about providing practical and helpful information that you as a parent can apply to your child and situation.
Parents may be referred to PAFT by their midwives, Plunket or you are free to register yourself for the service.
Registration must be done before your baby is 4 months, and you are able to register before your baby arrives( once in your 3rd trimester). The program is run until your child’ s third birthday, you may chose to opt out of the program before that if you wish but you can’ t then rejoin for any subsequent children you may have.
PAFT has a team of five educators based in Hamilton
12 that also cover Cambridge and Te Awamutu. They have varied backgrounds in early childhood education, adult teaching and social work and are trained in the“ Born to Learn” /“ Ahuru Mowai” program. One of the educators is also fluent in Samoan.
If you are interested in the program or learning more, you can contact the lovely ladies at PAFT on 07 848 0214 or check out their website www. family-start. org. nz
On the following page are a few ideas from PAFT to make simple but educational toys for your children from things you can find around the house.