Early Childhood Connect

The MECSH program includes delivery of the Learning to Communicate child development parent education program, which is one of MECSH's attachment programs to help support families with the different ways to be responsive to their children as they grow from a newborn to a toddler. The use of a formal child development program supports the structure of the MECSH program and is critical for supporting mothers to be future oriented and aspirational.

Learning to Communicate is based on the Interactional Model of Communication developed by Dr. Teresa Anderson. Learning to Communicate parent materials are given to families when they enrol in MECSH, with structured sessions commencing after the baby is born.

The objectives of Learning to Communicate are to provide parents with:

• information on the normal development of communication
• information on ways that they can encourage their baby’s development
• information on the types of toys and play materials that are appropriate at each stage of their baby’s development
• the opportunity to practise and discuss the above.

Learning to Communicate aims to help parents understand how their baby learns to communicate and how parents can encourage that development through natural daily activities. The Learning to Communicate content is grouped into two month age bands and each the content of each age band is organised into four areas covering:

• Typical development - See what I can do!
• Helping baby to learn;
• Things that make learning fun; and
• Baby's progress.