Family as First Teachers FaFT
Families As First Teachers (FaFT) is an educational playgroup for children under five that delivers quality early learning and parent support programs to young children and their families. The aim of FaFT is to improve the lifelong education, health and wellbeing outcomes for young Northern Territory children and their families.
FaFT acknowledges the important role families play as their child’s first teacher. It develops place-based programs to engage families and communities, and build parents’ capacity to give their children the best start in life. Community, elders and families are consulted regularly to ensure the program is culturally appropriate and safe.
The core elements of the FaFT program is quality child-centred early learning, family support, parent capacity building and community engagement. The teaching and learning strategies used are Abecedarian Approach Australia, Language priority, Ages and Stages developments Questionnaire -Talking about Raising Aboriginal Kids (ASQ-TRAK).
The FaFT Program is an early learning and family support program for remote Indigenous families with children prior to school entry (0-3 years). The program aims to develop place based programs to engage families and communities in giving their children the best start in life. It is respectful of Indigenous child rearing practices and is strength based. The program delivers services to families from the birth of the child until entry to Preschool, working with a range of agencies and organisations to meet their individual needs. FaFT acknowledges the important role families have as the first teacher of their children.
FaFT has five key messages:
Families who understand how their children learn and develop are able to support them now and in the future.
Healthy children have a better chance to grow up strong and succeed in life.
Early learning experiences impact on life outcomes.
Building on community strengths will empower families and support them to give their children the best start in life.
Parental literacy and numeracy skills help to support children’s success at school.
