Mission

To build systems capacity across Australia to promote a positive and healthy start to life for young children of parents with learning difficulties.

Objectives

·         To promote the health, safety and development of children by increasing the knowledge and skills of their parents who have learning difficulties;

·         To increase the knowledge and skills of human service workers and equip them with established, evidence-based programs tailored to the special learning needs of parents with learning difficulties and their young children;

·         To lead the field forward through innovative service development targeting areas of demonstrated need, including social support and self advocacy skills, and mother and baby health in the antenatal period;

·         To facilitate more effective integration of family support and children’s services, and cross-disciplinary collaboration in prevention and early intervention for these multiple-risk families.

Principles

Healthy Start is based on the following principles:

• A holistic approach: concerned with building parental capacity, and the capacity of community support systems to promote enriching, safe and supportive environments for young children of parents with learning difficulties;
• A life course approach: aiming for effective and timely support for parents with learning difficulties and their children, from the antenatal period to school entry;
• A strengths-based approach: recognising that parents with learning difficulties demonstrate strengths as well as limitations; and,
• An evidence-based approach: committed to the expansion of established, evidence-based programs tailored to the needs of parents with learning difficulties and their young children, and the rigorous evaluation of outcomes.