Playgroup Australia’s
World Mental Health Promise
 

This World Mental Health week, Playgroup Australia promises to further strengthen our national Playgroup village by holding true to our values of providing friendly, fun, flexible, future focused community programs which support family wellbeing and build stronger, more connected communities through play.

The 2019 World Mental Health Day Australian campaign seeks to challenge perceptions about mental illness in Australia and encourage everyone to look at mental health in a more positive light.

“As a parent myself, I have experienced first-hand the highs and lows of parenthood. Sharing my parenting journey with others, and building relationships through playgroup – helped me navigate the choppy waters. Playgroup gives hope, extends families, and raises happy healthy connected communities.”

– Playgroup Australia CEO Fiona May

The phrase, “It takes a village to raise a child”, is an expression that inspires and drives our efforts. Nationally, playgroup organisations have been supporting parents and caregivers through the highs and lows of raising children for more than 45 years. We recognise that raising children isn’t a one or even two-person job. While raising children is incredible rewarding, it can also be a challenging and isolating period in one’s life. Parents may feel the pressure of expectations – not only from others but also of their own making, they may struggle with their own mental health or have concerns about their child’s wellbeing. Playgroup Australia was established to help support families with young children thrive by strengthening important bonds through play. Playgroups can be a safe harbor for parents and children as they travel together through the early years.

While postnatal depression and anxiety are becoming more openly talked about, society still has a way to go to ensure those suffering mental illness feel comfortable enough to ask for help, and access support without stigma. The benefits of community playgroup last a lifetime. With the right peer support and community awareness, parents are able to share and connect with others through their early parenting journey, and grow together as a community.

Research shows that the whole village, our community, benefit from play and playgroup. Happy, supported parents lead to physically and mentally healthy children. These positive effects, support the wellbeing of future generations. This World Mental Health Day, we’re asking “Do You See What I see?”.  

Join our village, and help others see beyond the stigma that so often surrounds mental health issues, and to help make mental health more visible.

For media enquiries and interviews contact:

​CEO Playgroup Australia Fiona May
Phone: 0422 794 712
Email: info@playgroupaustralia.com.au 

Or visit playgroupaustralia.com.au for more information.

About Playgroup Australia​

Playgroup Australia is the peak body for the state and territory playgroup organisations (STO), that represent over 7500 community playgroups around Australia, reaching 80% of Australian postcodes with over 110,000 participating families, Playgroup Australia is one of Australia’s largest volunteer movements. The playgroup movement has been providing and supporting playgroups for more than 40 years through volunteerism and the outreach work of each STO in ensuring that all families with young children in Australia have access to quality playgroups.

Children who attend playgroup are half as likely to have developmental vulnerabilities when they start primary school. The Australian Early Development Census shows that the benefits of playgroups are seen across all domains of child development: physical, social, emotional, language and cognitive and communication.

Playgroups have adapted to the changing face of parenting and communities with playgroups for all. Playgroups cater for a broad range of children – aged from babies up to school age.  There are also facilitated or supported playgroups with trained staff working in partnership with parents designed for a particular group of families that need extra support.  In addition to the benefits gained directly by the children, playgroups provide support networks for parents and carers.

Join us on social media

Play . Share . Connect . Grow