How PAFT works

Parents As First Teachers (PAFT) is a programme that enables families with young children to access free, practical support and guidance. (Please note that enrolment criteria may apply.) This support lasts from before birth to 3 years.

Personal visits

PAFT parent educators make regular visits to families in their homes to:

• share information
• share practical ideas
• give guidance as the child (or children) grow and develop.

These personal home visits are the heart of the PAFT programme and the key to its success.

The home visit allows the parent educator to individualise the PAFT programme for each family and child.

The parent educator supports the family in taking the child development and parenting information specific to their child and using it in their own way.

Parents are helped to understand what can be realistically expected from a child at each stage of development.

Appropriate parent-child learning activities are modelled during the visit.

What sort of information do families receive?

Families receive visits from parent educators who share knowledge, ideas, activities and handouts on:

• what to look for and expect as a child grows and develops
• ways families can provide exciting, educational and inexpensive experiences for their children
• using everyday experiences as learning opportunities for children
• how to help a child develop a love of books and stories
• practical ideas on creating a safe environment that is exciting and fun
• setting realistic limits for a child’s behaviour and what to do about problems
• ways to help each child grow to his or her full potential.

Group meetings

Families are offered regular opportunities to meet with other families in a variety of ways.

These meetings may range from sessions on topics such as managing behaviour, to less structured get-togethers where both the children and the adults can participate.

Group meetings are opportunities for families to share the joys and challenges of parenting and to learn from, and with, each other.

Developmental surveillance

Observations about the child's growth and development are recorded at each home visit.

These ongoing observations enable the parent educator to reassure families when their child is developing appropriately, and identify potential problems early, assisting the family to access any support they require.

Families are also encouraged to observe and monitor their child's development on an ongoing basis.

Parent educators remind parents of the importance of keeping up the the Well Child-Tamariki Ora Heath Checks for their children.

Parent and parent educator observations, along with the formal screening undertaken by Well Child health agencies, help insure against undetected delays or learning difficulties during the first three years of a child's life.

Connections with community resources

PAFT parent educators maintain networks with other local community services, to ensure they remain up to date with what resources are available.

PAFT is then able to link families with those services that offer support outside the scope of PAFT.