Healthy Start
A national strategy
for children of parents with
learning difficulties
Healthy Start is an Early Childhood – Invest to Grow
initiative, funded by the Australian Government under the
Stronger Families and Communities Strategy 2005-2008.
Establishment phase of a national
initiative to support families with
parents with learning difficulties
Robyn Mildon (VPC), Jan Matthews (VPC), Catherine Wade (VPC), Olivia
Clayton (VPC), David McConnell (USyd), Gwynnyth Llewellyn (USyd) &
Gabrielle Hindmarsh (USyd)
Australian Supported
Parenting Consortium
Victorian Parenting Centre
www.vicparenting.com.au
The University of Sydney
www.afdsrc.org
Healthy Start
Healthy Start aims to
translate knowledge and research into
practice and build capacity across the
human service sectors to better meet
the needs of these families
Healthy Start objectives
Objective 1
To develop multi-disciplinary, cross-sectoral
partnerships: strengthening relationships
between organisations at local, state and
national levels
Objective 2
To promote research-informed practice:
disseminating knowledge and evidence-based
parent education and support resources
Conceptual framework
National
State/Territory
Local
Healthy Start
Capacity
Implementation
Outcomes
Adapted from CHHI (Elliott et al, 2003)
Evaluation questions
1.
2.
How successful was the HS strategy in
building capacity to support parents with
learning difficulties and promote a healthy start
to life for their young children
What are the critical success factors and
barriers to HS capacity building and
implementation/practice change processes
(i.e., moderating influences)?
Healthy Start activities
Developing leaders and network partnerships
Disseminating knowledge and innovation
Generating new knowledge and material
resources
Developing leaders and
network partnerships
 Healthy
 State
Start network
and territory Healthy Start leaders
 Recruitment
and establishment of local
area Healthy Start networks, Learning
Hubs
Healthy Start Network: Agency type by state/territory
(n = 1284)
Government
Nongoverment
ACT
43
24
NSW
109
154
NT
37
18
QLD
55
48
SA
97
38
TAS
48
34
VIC
232
237
WA
56
41
Other
6
4
Total
684
600
Healthy Start Network: Term that best describes
the agency by state/territory
Total
Community agency or
parenting service
515
Child protection
70
Disability
282
Hospital
35
MCH Service
61
Health (other)
60
Education Dept or School
84
Advocacy
44
Research & Development
22
Other
147
Healthy Start Learning Hubs

Learning hubs are multi-disciplinary and cross-sectoral,
involving organisations and individuals who come into
contact with parents with learning difficulties

Learning hubs will develop and implement local area
action plans (LAAP)

Learning hubs and their members are the main point of
dissemination and implementation of evidence-informed
resources
Healthy Start Learning Hubs


In collaboration with HS leaders and other key
stakeholders, 72 practitioners across Australia have been
recruited to convene and lead 67 local area Learning
Hubs
Hubs are hosted by 21 government (n = 21) and 46
nongovernment agencies (n = 46)
1
11
5
8
19
2
17
2
Example of LAAP
Why is this action plan needed (rationale)?
What do we want to achieve (goals or aims)?
How are we going to do this (actions/strategy)?
How are we going to track our progress (monitoring)?
What is the time frame (when)?
How will we know when we’ve been successful or how will we know how
effective our action plan has been (evaluation)?
Goal achievement – 60 practitioners in the X region who work with
parents with learning difficulties will be trained to work more
confidently and be better resourced to work with parents with learning difficulties.
Goal achievement – Gaps in local services identified and a strategy for the
development of a local resource for parents with learning
difficulties and practitioners to utilise will be completed by mid 2007.
Training and support



Learning hub leaders will complete an accredited USYD
on-line graduate unit of study on parenting with learning
difficulties
Learning hub leaders have received workshop training on
building network partnerships and developing LAAPs
All members of Learning Hubs are connected nationally
via the Healthy Start list-serve
What is getting in the way

Time, funding and agency support

Retention of individuals in key positions (e.g.,
Learning Hub Convenors)

Access to the Healthy Start website and IT
elements of the strategy
How are we overcoming these
Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovation Theory as the theoretical
perspective underlying our strategies. His theory has 5 factors:
1. Perceived advantage
2. Consistent or compatible with existing procedures
3. Simple is better
4. Gradual implementation in small steps and stages
5. Presence is observable
Evaluation design and methods
Proximal
Intermediate
Distal
Outcomes
Key result area
Capacity
Will/commitment to act
Knowledge, skills, resources
Relationships between org
Implementation
Implementation of best practice
Use of evidence-informed resources
Family Capacity and
resources
Psychologically healthy parents
Parent life skills and self efficacy
Connections beyond the family
Parenting competence &
style
Parent/child relationships
Positive & effective parenting practices
Child health
Prevent illness & accidental injury
Appropriate & timely response to
symptoms
Language and communication skills
Child development
Parent responsiveness to the child
Healthy Start website
www.healthystart.net.au