The Program
The Illawarra Early Parenting Centre focuses on a ‘strengths-based’ model of care in which staff and patients identify specific parenting concerns and work in partnership to develop an action plan addressing these challenges. Desired outcomes upon completion of the program may include increasing parent’s skills and confidence in responding to the needs of their baby, improving sleep and settling behaviours, reducing the impacts of exhaustion, or supporting secure bonding and attachment interactions between parents and their babies.
Treatment may consist of a combination of group, one-on-one, practical demonstrations and family group treatments delivered in the following settings:
- Parenting Home Visits
- Day Program
- Residential Program
Each treatment option commences with an assessment of your health and an assessment of your baby’s health, development and behaviour. An individual program, including age appropriate routine for your baby, is then designed in consultation with your family to specifically address your identified difficulties.
Residential Program
The Illawarra Early Parenting Centre inpatient program is an intensive five night, six day program delivered at Figtree Private Hospital. During your stay, nursing staff are available to review your progress and provide support throughout the program, offering compassionate, hands-on help as required.
Three key components of the residential program include:
- Group education – Group sessions run daily delivering education about infant behaviour and development, as well as adjusting to life with a baby. Group education sessions provide an excellent opportunity to socialise and share support, successes and difficulties while working to achieve individual goals. Find out more about our Group Education.
- Self-care group session – a 30 minute self-care session is available for caregivers focusing on mindfulness, yoga and stretching. If you are interested in including this session in your individualised program, please discuss with staff upon admission.
