Caregiver-Child Relationships Module Overview

    Children between zero and five years are one of the most vulnerable groups that the Family Preservation and Reunification Response (FPR Response) aims to support.

    Exposure to negative or traumatic events (like abuse, neglect or family violence) is common among children who have had contact with child protection services. These kinds of experiences can have a lasting impact on children’s emotional and behavioural development, and affect relationships with caregivers.

    Because of variations in child development in this age bracket, some of the techniques are only suited to very young children.

    The Caregiver-Child Relationships module includes six evidence-informed practices. They include:

    1. Positive time-in
    2. Serve and return
    3. Descriptive praise
    4. Rewards
    5. Giving instructions
    6. Routines

    During interactions with Aboriginal families, be mindful of creating a culturally safe space. Practitioners should complete training in the seven cultural practice elements before using these modules with families.


    Positive Time-In

      Positive Time-In is regular, positive bonding time between the caregiver and their child. This is planned child-centred time engaging in play and ‘attachment-rich’ caregiver attention. This is an extension of serve and return practice for older children.

      Serve and Return

        Serve and Return is a type of two-way responsive interaction between caregiver and child.
        Occurring during the first few years of a child’s life, it is critical to brain development. A caregiver who is responsive to a child’s needs, interests, and curiosity can build a solid foundation for the child’s future learning.
        Babies and toddlers have a built-in need to engage socially and explore things in the world. How a caregiver responds to a child’s curiosity and need for interaction informs critical skills.

        Descriptive Praise

          Descriptive Praise teaches caregivers to give children praise, with a focus on increasing positive behaviours and reducing the occurrence of less desirable behaviours.
          Praise is an effective technique for guiding and shaping child behaviour by providing immediate and explicit verbal feedback about behaviours the caregiver would like to see more often. When caregivers use praise, it helps increase positive interactions and promotes warm caregiver-child relationships.

          Rewards

            Rewards teach caregivers to use rewards to increase prosocial, healthy, and safe behaviour in children.
            Practitioners can use this guide to help families use appropriate rewards to increase
            prosocial, healthy, and safe behaviour in children.
            Use this practice guide with or after the Descriptive Praise and Positive Time-In practice guides. Praise and Positive Time-In also have a powerful and positive effect on caregiver‑child relationships.

            Giving Instructions: Tell-Show-Try

              Giving Instructions: Tell-Show-Try emphasizes learning through verbal directions, modelling, and gesturing.


              This approach is useful when caregivers are teaching their child 'doing' skills or encouraging their child to follow instructions. It can help caregivers support their child in mastering existing skills, learning new ones, and following instructions effectively.

              Routines

                Routines teach caregivers to establish predictable and reliable events for children, with a focus on everyday care activities that support positive interactions. Routines are a regular and predictable sequence of events, providing structure to daily life for families and children.