Positive parenting program offers early intervention support

Victoria is leading the rest of the Australia…but, unfortunately, it’s not in a good way. More and more Victorians are involved with child protection each year, causing harm for too many children and families who are experiencing trauma and family separation.

At Berry Street, we believe early intervention provides families with the support they need to address challenges before they spiral out of control and help them remain safely together. Our Positive Parenting Program (Triple P) is one way we achieve this.

Triple P is an evidence-based program offering parents simple, practical strategies to build strong, healthy relationships with their children and confidently manage behaviour. It equips parents with the skills and confidence to be self-sufficient and manage family issues without ongoing professional support.

During 2020 and 2021, our Triple P team expanded their service delivery and redesigned their model, adding a virtual component to assist more families during lockdowns. Online and telephone support, as well as additional resources, were introduced to provide targeted outreach and uncover community needs.

By making the program more accessible online, more families were able to receive much-needed support.

"I wouldn't have come if it was in person because of the travel time and parking organisation involved. But it's easy to take an hour out of the day to log on to Zoom and get involved”, said a Triple P participant.

More than 150 families in Northern Victoria accessed Berry Street’s Triple P program across 2020 and 2021 – an encouraging 28% increase from the previous period.

​​​​​​​New Australian-first offering: Fear Less

In May 2021, Berry Street was the first organisation in Australia to deliver the latest Triple P offering, Fear Less.

Fear Less is a parenting support program that teaches new cognitive behavioural strategies for anxiety management in children and young people aged 6-14 years.

Delivered in group, seminar and one-on-one formats, the program also serves as an introductory session for families prior to joining Triple P. Already in high demand, plans are in place for the Fear Less program to partner with schools, childcare centres and kindergartens so we can reach even more families who require support but are not currently linked with parenting services.

Congratulations to the Triple P team for their achievements in delivering these critical supports to children and families during this challenging time.

​​​​​​Learn more about Berry Street’s parenting and family services.