You will be invited to  participate in all aspects of our business like publishing, product development, networking and working creatively with children. If this  sounds like something you would like to do… Please apply.

We have a part time positions for psychologists in Sydney and Wollongong and a further casual position in Wollongong for an early intervention professional.

Visit our website for more information about our team http://childpsychologist.com.au/about-us/our-team and the employment pages for Position description and details on how to apply http://childpsychologist.com.au/about-us/employment

We look forward to hearing from you

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Family-School relations differ between schools and between families. Some families are very involved, others are not. Some schools throw their doors open to parent volunteers, others do not. The question of, “where do we want to go?” encourages us to develop an ideal scenario for our children, incorporating the positive input of families, schools and greater society.

The Best Case Scenario

In my opinion, the best case scenario for primary school students is to see their parents regularly interacting with teachers, other parents and students in the school grounds. Similarly, I like the concept of parent volunteers in the classroom for reading support, weekend working bees in the school vegetable garden to generate a sense of belonging at school, as well as open communication between educators and parents on any given day. Younger siblings who feel welcome in playgrounds with parental supervision are more likely to experience an easy transition from home to school upon commencing Kindergarten.

The Reality

In reality, our child psychology clinic commonly receives referrals from frustrated parents seeking support when their children are refusing to attend school, or when both parent and child would like to change schools after months or years of family-school conflict. Other parents report strict school policies limiting parent-teacher contact to avoid a bottle-neck of parental traffic in classrooms before and after school. We also work with the parents of children with diagnosed Learning Disabilities or an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). These families most regularly request classroom or playground observations. Some mothers sing the praises of schools, doing everything possible to increase classroom support for their child and others reports teachers have suggested they seek out another school option to gain more appropriate support.

Inside a Brazilian School

The Quirky Kid Clinic started researching school culture in 2006 as part of the School Days Project. The video below offers insight into what a school in Brazil looks like, through the eye of 10 year old, Riana, a student from Curitiba in Southern Brazil.

When parents disengage

A global perspective on Family-School relations suggest many schools are struggling to receive any support from parents. In Northern Brazil, for example, teachers often report minimal involvement from parents despite their attempts to make contact, particularly when there are large sibling groups attending the local school. In some cases, parents are working long hours to support their large families while others with limited educational opportunities in their own childhood, may lack confidence and avoid engaging with teachers.

There are many reasons parents disengage with teachers and this phenomenon is common across all socioeconomic groups. How many time-poor parents in Australia put school activities on the bottom of their agenda? And how many others find the active parent community overzealous and off-putting? Most importantly, how can we reach all parents and teachers in a meaningful way to ensure a common connection in the interest of the student community?

When I ask the young clients I work with about their family’s involvement with the school, they commonly report their parent’s opinion of the school, stating, “Mum wants me to change schools because my teacher won’t tell us anything”. In my experience, when parents have a negative opinion of the school, the teacher or the homework policy; students typically follows suit, with an identically negative opinion. Mental note, never put a teacher down in the presence of a child! Parental opinions count, at least in the eyes of your school-aged children.

Research findings

Educational psychology research emphasizes the importance of consistency between home and school to increase a child’s sense of stability in both settings. A student’s connection to school is increased with parental involvement in activities such as reading support or canteen duty. Students with a sense of stability and connection to school are less inclined to ‘drop-out’ of school or struggle with academic motivation. Parental motivation to become involved in school activities is similarly relevant in this story, as a means of modeling a positive life skill to young people.

Generating change in Family-School relations

School events, such as a disco, fete or sports carnival often generate support from parents when resources are limited. Importantly, parents have the capacity to positively influence the school-family relationship. An active parent community will generate ideas for fundraising or similar and delegate jobs between themselves. Schools soon learn the value of this input. Alternatively, schools wishing to generate more parental involvement would do well to promote the benefits by acknowledging families for their participation while providing diverse opportunities to appeal to a broad range of skills, from gardeners to craft assistants. Parents who volunteer to assist with sports or weeding at school, typically report the benefits of physical activity as well as fostering the parent-child relationship. Being present at school is also an opportunity for parents to observe their child’s friendships; to gain insight into teaching techniques and to gain confidence within the school community.  Making a start on Family-School relations requires both parents and teachers to find traction and build momentum before the results become clear.

Summary

So, family, society and school: where do we want to go? My aim is to be part of a supportive, functional and resourceful community where educational aspirations are achieved and dreams are encouraged. Every school could be a microcosm of the same ‘warmth and generosity’, demonstrated by the most committed and kind-hearted teachers and school volunteers. The ones who dig deep within themselves to present all children with a world of opportunities and unwavering stability. But let’s not forget to mention the potential of time-poor working parents, who would love nothing more than to volunteer and see more of their school-aged children! By making the family-school relationship a priority in our society, children not only have the pleasure of recognizing a familiar family face in the school crowd; we also begin to work towards a common goal.

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Julie Co has had extensive training and experience as a senior applied behaviour analysis (ABA) therapist and is currently working on gaining her registration as a provisional psychologist. She has been providing early intervention for children on the spectrum since 2004 and draws on her skills and current research to develop and implement individualised early intervention programs and strategies. Her full biography is available on our website.

With a focus on outcome, functionality and practicality, Julie provides ABA therapy as part of a well-rounded intervention program that targets various aspects of the child’s daily life. Such as:

• Behaviour management and cognitive development
• Developing social skills and communication

About our early intervention:

We recognise the growing need for effective and well coordinated Early Intervention Services for children with an ASD and will focus on delivering individualised and outcome-focused programs for our clients in Sydney and Wollongong. This initiative will include the following:

• Delivering individualised intervention programs and Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) therapy in the clinic, home and school settings;
• Facilitating specialised workshops for parents, carers, siblings and families;
• Facilitating “The Best of Friends” and other Quirky Kid programs.

Visit our Early Intervention page: http://childpsychologist.com.au/service/early-intervention.

If you would like more information about Quirky Kid Clinic, Julie Co, our Early Intervention Services or another enquiry, we would love to hear from you. Please call us on +61 2 9362 9297 or contact us.

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The congress is  the largest education event in Latin America and will gather more than 100 speakers to discuss the issue “Family, Society and School: where do we want to go?” Our theme will be: Practical Strategies for social, emotional and behaviour issues for children and adolescents, or in Portuguese: ‘Estratégias Práticas para solução de problemas sociais, emocionais e comportamentais em crianças e adolescentes’.

The event Combines different issues related to the educational universe such as Teacher Education, Childhood Education and the Early Years, Learning Difficulties and Interdisciplinary Education, Bullying, Limits and others.

Quirky Kid publishing will also showcase our resources to the local industry including our newts program. Power Up: Using performance psychology to compete at your best.

You can read an article by Kimberley on the conference topic at the resources pages on our website.

If you are heading that way the following factsheet can be helpful. http://www.futuroeventos.com.br/fact-sheet/.

To book visit: http://www.futuroeventos.com.br/educar/en/

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 Quirky Kid

We will be touching base in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane between May and June 2012.

Designed for developmental psychologists, educators, social workers and human resources professionals, this workshop includes clinical case examples to illustrate how to use therapeutic resources to address a broad range of issues.

Presented by author, illustrator and developmental psychologist, Kimberley O’Brien, this workshop includes examples of visual recording techniques and resource applications to engage individuals, siblings, students and families.

More information and booking details are available by following the links below:

• Sydney registration
• Melbourne registration
• Perth registration
• Brisbane registration

Download a Flyer for more information and help to promote the workshop.

You can find our more about the our resources at the Quirky Kid Shoppe

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This 6 weeks program covered areas such as Making Friends, Social Skills, Empathy, Compromise, and Peacemaking in friendships. 

Students participated in a range of activities including painting, play dough, role play, and multimedia presentations while discussing the finer points of friendship and playground issues.

Each child was given a “Quirky Kid Tool Kit” including materials for the day as well as making use of the Quirky Kid Resources. Information sheet for parents were provided so they could also help their children to build social skills.

We are very satisfied with parental and school feedback on the positive outcomes the workshop has achieved so far.

Moriah Colleague Principal and Teaching staff were incredible supportive and showed great commitment toward students social development.

• If you would like some information on ‘The Best of Friends™ workshop for your child’s classroom, please contact us on 02 9362-9297
• This program has been present in many school around Sydney like, St Thomas, St Catherine’s School and others. We also run our workshops in in Sydney, Wollongong, and Melbourne.

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Quirky Kid is delighted to be supporting the British Columbia Alternate Education Conference in Canada. For Quirky Kid, this is an exiting event worth telling you all!

The 2012 conference  will be held January 19 & 20, 2012, at the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre.  Gabor Maté will be the keynote speaker! His topic will be The Hungry Ghost: A Biospsychosocial Perspective on Addiction, from Heroin to Workaholism. As well, he will present two other sessions, one on titled When the Body Says No on stress, and the other titled Scattered Minds on ADHD.

You can find our more about the conference and download a brochure at the conference website.

 Quirky Kid publishing has a office in Canada where re have partnered  with a local NGO organization. You can find more about our Canada partnership at the Quirky Kid Shoppe blog.

To order resources in Canada or USA visit: http://QuirkyKid.ca

To order resources in Australia or everywhere else visit: http://QuirkyKid.com.au/shop

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Kimberley O’Brien and the Quirky Kid Contribute with the following publications to explore topics of interest of parents and their families.

• Practical Parenting: How to answer those tricky toddler questions. This useful article by Lauren Monaghan ask Kimberley all questions about Santa from Babies on Q & A Format.
• John Blackman from 3AW discussed the question: ‘ Should children be given cash for Christmas?
• ABC’s Organic Garden Magazine discussed with us the importance of outdoor play.
• The Sunday Telegraph run a story about the Quirky Kid Tickets and asked parents about how they find this tool.
• Practical Parenting: reporter Astha Gupta discussed with Kimberley the very important topic of ‘Coping after a Baby’
• Girl Friend Magazine: Reporter Rebecca Wish discussed supporting friendships.
  
• Good Health Magazine: Reporter Melanie Hearse discussed the topic of adult children returning to the family home and explored questions, planing.
• Seven News: Reporter Imogen Ball discussed children discipline with Kimberley based on a new research that as recently published.
• Woman’s Health Magazine: Deputy Editor Georgia Rickard discussed the use of visualization and its effectiveness as a goal setting.

You can contact us on 02 9362 – 9297 to schedule an interview or contact us.

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Kimberley O’Brien -  who also presented during the conference – and our team have enjoyed the current research findings  from colleagues around Australia.

A great incentive for us in attending to the conference was Professor Nancy Mather’s workshop. Professor Nancy is a special education expert from the University of Arizona specializing in learning disabilities diagnosis and intervention.

More about our participation

Kimberley O’Brien, our principal child psychologist , presented on her PhD research topic on Social Inclusion, Self Esteem and Belonging For Students in Transition From Primary to Secondary School, that Kimberley is completing under the direction of Prof Helen Watt from Monash University.

About the conference

The Conference —Theory to Practice: Positive Development and Wellbeing, Educational and Developmental Psychology Conference 2011— is being hosted by the APS College of Educational and Developmental Psychologists to promote a broad spectrum of research in the sector from psycho-social wellbeing through to learning, literacy and numeracy. The College is committed to evidence-based practice and to promoting the best research and latest developments in the field.

What this means for our clients?

The Quirky Kid Clinic is committed to professional development to deliver current and evidence-informed intervention to all our clients.

Over the last years, we have focused on the topic of Learning Disabilities and assessments and are now better equipped  to identify and support children and families experiencing learning difficulties and disabilities.

Contact us on + 02 9362 9297 for more information about our assessments or to schedule a consultation.

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What is school-readiness?

School-readiness refers to the point at which a child is considered “ready” to enter the formal education system.

In previous generations, a child was considered “school ready” when she passed a certain age (for example, if she turns 5 before July 31).

Now, however, an increasing number of parents and schools are rethinking the idea of age-based “school-readiness”. Instead, they believe a child is school ready when she is academically, socially, physically, and emotionally ready to cope with the demands of the classroom and the playground.

To help parents decide if their child is ready for school, or for a new level of school such as Middle school or Secondary school, here are some things to keep in mind.

Make Comparison

If you’re sending your child to Kindergarten, ask yourself:

• How well does my child socialize in comparison to same-aged peers?
• Can my child sit and focus when given an activity?
• Does my child respond to set boundaries?

If you’re sending your child to secondary school, ask yourself:

• Is my child mature or immature in comparison to peers?
• Is my child organized and motivated?
• How does my child feel about changing schools?

While it’s impossible to predict any child’s future, it’s important to consider if your child’s development puts her in a position to follow this timeline, or if it puts her in a position where at some point she is likely to be overwhelmed and falling behind.
As repeating grades is not recommended due to the impact of self esteem and friendships, delaying your child’s entry to Kindergarten, Middle School, or Secondary School may be your only chance to ensure that her schooling is appropriate for her development.

Research your child’s school

Before you decide whether or not to send your child to school, it’s a good idea to get a sense of the demands she’ll face by meeting with potential teachers, talking to parents at the school gate and observing students in potential playgrounds.

You are also encouraged to research the school curriculum, standardized testing such as the NAPLAN and the daily routines of the classroom. Ask an administrator at a local school, or contact your school board, to find out these details.

Assess your child’s skills

A child’s development is typically assessed in term of these four (4) categories: academic, social, physical and emotional.

If your child is developing at a similar rate to her peers in these four categories, you may wish to consider advancing her through school on a typical timeline. Children with significant developmental challenges, however, may have difficulty keeping up with their peers. In this case, it may be best to delay starting school until she can successfully cope with the common demands of school life.

Academic

At any new school level, your child will have to cope with academic demands.

• Is your child interested in learning?
• How developed are her language and communication skills?
• Does she seem interested in reading, writing, mathematics or creative activities?
• Can she pay attention and sit still for a (relatively) long period of time?

Social

• Does your child show patterns of friendship that are age appropriate?
• Can she cope with conflict?
• How will your child react to unstructured play time at recess and lunch (for Kindergarten) or interacting with students outside her class (secondary school)?

Emotional

Think about the emotional demands that will be required of your child at the new school level, and ask yourself if she can meet them.

• How does your child cope with setbacks or frustration?
•  How often does she require comforting or reassurance?
• How independent is your child when eating, using the toilet, or getting dressed?

Physical

Consider your child’s gross and fine motor skills in relation to the physical tasks required by the new level of school. Can she independently do zippers or buttons to manage her school uniform?

• How does she find writing or using a keyboard? Does she have any disability or illness that will affect how she adjusts to school life?

Consider accommodations

Many children with difficulties in one or more of these four key areas may benefit from starting school at the typical time for their age group if their challenge is effectively addressed either in or out of the classroom.

For example, a child with physical challenges may “catch up” with regular visits with an Occupational Therapist. Social issues are best managed by a Child Psychologist.  If you feel your child can handle the demands of school overall, but needs help with one specific area, it might be a good idea to seek support to address any challenges.

Talk to your child’s other caregivers and/or educators

If you’re not sure about your child’s developmental patterns, some of the most useful sources of information are staff at your child’s current school or pre-school. These professionals not only spend a lot of time with your child, but with many other children of the same age.

Get your child tested

If you have significant concerns about your child’s development, it can be a good idea to have your child assessed to measure where she is falling compared to her peers.

Standardized testing such as using the Griffiths Mental Development Scales (GMDS), Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BSID-III), Stanford Binet (Early SB5) or Wechsler (WPPSI – III) Intelligence Scales will break down different aspects of your child’s development, showing her strengths and weaknesses, as well as normative scores for her age.

If you have any questions or queries about standardized developmental assessments, please give us a call at the Quirky Kid Clinic on 9362 9297.

Recommended Resources

–

Information in this factsheet was obtained from interviews with Psychologist Belinda Jones and Kimberley O’Brien from the Quirky Kid clinic.

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