Tune in to little ones

Tune in to Little Ones is a five-part kit to help workers understand, notice and respond to the needs, strengths and vulnerabilities of infants under two years old and their families.

The kit can be used by people working in a range of areas, including adult-focused services. These services include:

• family support
• family violence
• child and maternal health
• early childhood
• alcohol and other drugs
• mental health
• community health
• disability.

The kit is designed for use by workers to help families respond to their infants in ways that support learning, development and wellbeing. 

Worker resource manual

The first half of this manual has background information on:

• the needs and strengths of vulnerable infants and their families
• how to work with vulnerable infants and families
• how non-Aboriginal workers can understand Aboriginal ways of raising children.  

The second half of the manual uses the wheel - see below - to help workers 'tune in' to the specific needs and strengths of the infants and families with whom they are working.

The wheel focuses on the six key areas of an infants life.

It includes strategies and ideas on how to support families to tune in to and care for their little ones.

The worker resource manual has sensitive information to help workers prepare and plan for their work with families. The manual is not designed for direct use with families and is best not shared with them. 

Download the Tune in to Little Ones - Workers resource manual PDF (4.8 MB).

Extra concerns and how to help booklet

This booklet briefly describes a range of issues that can affect a child's healthy growth and development, including:

• failure to thrive
• toxic stress
• foetal alcohol syndrome disorder
• family violence.

The booklet contains ideas for how workers can support infants, parents and caregivers as they manage these concerns.

This booklet has sensitive information to help workers prepare and plan for their work with families. It is not designed for direct use with families and is best not shared with them. 

Download the Tune in to Little Ones - Extra concerns and how to help booklet PDF (3.2 MB).

Healthy development booklet 

This booklet outlines how workers and families can expect children under two years to develop and learn.

It includes ways parents and caregivers can support and encourage their little one. These activities also help parents and caregivers to 'tune in' to the needs of their child.  

The booklet can be used directly with families.

Download the Tune in to Little Ones - Healthy development booklet PDF (2.2 MB).

The wheel 

The wheel poster is a reminder to consider the strengths, needs and resources of infants and families across six important areas of a young child's life. 

The worker resource manual provides more detail about how workers can use the wheel to support families and infants.

The wheel is available as a poster or blank print outs that can be drawn or written on. 

Workers can use the wheel to support their work with children and families. Examples of use include:

• case-planning with families - to identify strengths and needs and to plan ways to promote infant safety and well-being
• service mapping - to identify resources within a community that can be accessed to support children and families
• mentoring and training to help workers understand and enhance the work they do with vulnerable infants and families.

The wheel can be used directly with families.

Download the Tune in to Little Ones - Wheel poster PDF (2.5 MB).

Download the Tune in to Little Ones - Blank wheel with colour PDF (8.3 MB).

Download the Tune in to Little Ones - Blank wheel without colour  PDF (4.6 MB)

Key messages about children poster 

These messages help workers, families and communities know what's important to help children grow and learn. 

Workers use the poster to talk with families about the importance of early childhood and brain development. 

The poster can be used directly with families.

Download the Tune in to Little Ones - Key messages about children poster PDF (2.1 MB).