Supported Playgroups

In Kalgoorlie

Noah's Ark runs My Time groups in Kalgoorlie for anyone caring for a child or children with a disability or developmental delay. For more information on these groups, see our Kalgoorlie page under Our Services or visit the My Time website by clicking on this link http://www.mytime.net.au/index.php/home.

Other regional areas

We’re starting up our popular and successful supported playgroups, PlayWorks, in Esperance, Albany and Mandurah.

Noah’s Ark’s PlayWorks are specifically for children with disabilities and their families and carers. A qualified therapist or early childhood educator facilitates the groups and are designed to:

• contribute to the child’s readiness for, and transition to, school or other educational settings (such as 3 Year Old Kindy, child care).
• provide therapy support for children who are on waiting lists for services or unable to access services (e.g. awaiting diagnosis, family prefers not to attend hospital clinics).
• link the child and family into other community support (such as Local Area Co-ordinator, Health or Disability services, Parent Link).
• increase the capacity of parents to address their child’s developmental needs.

• increase the child’s skills and confidence in those developmental areas identified as a priority by the child’s parents and therapists.

PlayWorks goals for each child

Developmental goals for each child will be established through discussion with the child’s family and therapists. These are incorporated into the PlayWorks programmes in conjunction with the conventional goals of any informal pre-school program, such as development of social and emotional skills, language and cognitive skills, fine and gross motor skills and independence in functional living.

Noah’s Ark will soon be running four PlayWorks programmes throughout regional WA under the watchful eye of Shirley McInnes, Noah’s Ark’s Occupational Therapist (OT). Shirley will take on the role of mentor to each group’s paediatric OT ensuring consistency and compatibility among the four groups.

Bridgetown and Geraldton PlayWorks

Noah’s Ark has received some early expressions of interest for PlayWorks’ groups to be set up in Bridgetown and Geraldton. We need to know how many families would like to see supported playgroups established in their local area.

If you think there are families in your community that could benefit from supported playgroups, please let us know. Contact Linda at Noah’s Ark on 9328 1598 or email her at Linda@noahsarkwa.org.au.