Connected Kiddos

16/10/2025

New job title unlocked- ‘feelings helper’ 💝

What a beautiful way to describe what we do at Connected Kiddos

16/10/2025

Parents! Great opportunity to participate in Circle of Security online 👏🏻

Circle of security program now only $109 to get access to those who want to learn a better and easy way of parenting. Meet Your Facilitator- Georgia.

Hi, I’m Georgia an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker and registered behaviour support practitioner. Over the years, I’ve seen just how many parents and carers, especially those supporting children with disability, face barriers in accessing parenting support. Circle of security is a life changing way of parenting.

That’s why I decided to provide Flexible and Online delivery of the world renowned Circle of Security® Parenting (COSP) course. It’s accessible, evidence-based, and truly adaptable to your needs and circumstances.

Here’s what makes this course different:

✨ Over 3 months, to complete the eight modules at your own pace

✨ Flexible Participation - written discussion boards (not video calls)

✨ for all families - especially those navigating disability

This program is about more than parenting strategies. It’s about building healthy attachment, understanding behaviours, and supporting your child’s long-term emotional security.

💙 Empower yourself as a parent. Support your child. Learn from home.

👉 Find out more or enrol today: https://members.mindsetsupport.com.au/circle-of-security-parenting-cosp-program-about/

03/10/2025

Thriving Kids Inquiry – Why Your Voice Matters

From 2026, Thriving Kids will provide supports for children under 8 with developmental delays, autism, and additional needs, outside the NDIS. This is one of the biggest changes to early supports in years.

Today I hit 'send' on my submission to the committee. I shared what families are facing: disrupted sleep, isolation, big emotions, and behaviours that don’t respond to usual parenting strategies; long paediatric waitlists leaving children without help; and parents stretched to breaking point without a “village” of support.

The design of Thriving Kids is still being worked out — which is why this Inquiry is so important. Families and professionals now have the opportunity to shape how the program will look and ensure it truly meets children’s and parents’ needs.

In my submission, I also called for Thriving Kids to:
✨ Recognise children with ADHD and early trauma, whose struggles often mirror developmental delays but are too often excluded from supports.
✨ Fund case coordination so families aren’t left stitching services together — without it, children fall through the cracks, parents burn out, and services end up duplicating or working at cross-purposes. Coordinated care means better outcomes for families and reduced long-term costs to government.
✨ Include proven relational supports — like Theraplay®, Circle of Security, Envisage Families, Marte Meo, and Tuning Into Kids — that help parents connect with their children, strengthen attachment, and support emotional wellbeing, regardless of a child’s presentation or diagnosis.
💬 Families can have their say too by completing the short survey (closes 10 Oct).

🔗 [https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=FUwh9pk60Ue4YslkjpJzFjfJstR4xGhApv__eGfhSIpUOFdRQkNRVDFRVjNTUkFVVUFGV1JQMU80TC4u

Every child deserves the chance to thrive — and every parent deserves to feel supported. 💛

The Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Disability is inviting you to share your experiences about support services available to help children with disability including developmental delay and autism. Typical services include physiotherapy, occupational therapy, psychosocial s...

03/10/2025

Families check out this awesome upcoming parenting seminar for those of us who are navigating the teen years! I’ll be joining online 👍

✨ Less than two weeks to go! ✨

Systemically Minded and Inner Circle Therapy are so excited to be collaborating to bring you our upcoming parent seminar:

Navigating the Teen Years: Brain Development and Beyond🧠🌱

Together, we’ll explore the neuroscience of the teenage brain, what this stage means for families, and how to navigate the changes, challenges, and opportunities that come with raising adolescents.

📅 Monday 13th October | 6:30pm
💻 Online OR 📍 In person (Townsville)
🎟️ $45 individual | $79 couple

Spots are filling quickly — don’t miss out!
👉 Link in bio to grab your tickets.

28/09/2025

Highly recommend Pynmanto’s Horse Wisdom Program for kiddos over 7 yrs! Get in fast if you want to know more/register interest.

Expression of Interest: Term 4 Horse Wisdom Program

We’re excited to open Expressions of Interest for our upcoming 7-week Horse Wisdom Program (Term 4, 2025).

This program blends Equine Assisted Learning with practical life skills, offering participants the chance to:

Build emotional regulation and resilience
Strengthen communication and connection skills
Explore presence and awareness in a safe, supportive environment
Experience the unique feedback and wisdom horses bring

Who is it for?

NDIS participants (self or plan-managed)
Anyone seeking growth in self-awareness, confidence, and regulation
Suitable for a wide range of abilities — sessions are adapted to meet individual needs

Program Details:
📅 Term 4 (dates TBC, 7 weeks)
📍 Gumlow
👥 Small group format for safety and support

How to apply:
If you or someone you support would like to participate in this program, please feel free to let me know by sending a direct message or contacting Mel on 0407 103 390.

Places are limited — we encourage early EOIs to avoid missing out.

18/09/2025

🎉 Party Hats & Big Smiles! 🎉

Today we wrapped up with my longest-standing family 💛 Pictured with her aunty — but every family member has been part of this journey, showing up, opening up and committing to the process.

I’ll miss them all heaps, but feel so grateful knowing she is surrounded by such unwavering support and now has a strong sense of self. 🌱💫

12/09/2025

First of three days at Synergetic Play Therapy training in Brisbane 🦁✨ Feeling inspired (and totally fan-girling!) being here with Lisa Dion.

Lots of ah-ha moments already — trusting my intuition as a play therapist, deepening my understanding of dysregulation, and exploring new ways to support children to connect to themselves through play.
Synergetic Play Therapy Institute

08/09/2025

One of our Connected Kiddo families shared that they’ve been listening to Snoop Dogg’s positive affirmations for kids – and we can see why it’s catching on! 🎶✨

The lyrics are simple, fun and powerful – perfect for little ones learning about feelings, confidence and kindness:

💬 My feelings matter.
💬 I get better every single day.
💬 I choose to feel happy.
💬 My family loves me so much.
💬 I care about others.
💬 I learn from my mistakes.
💬 I’m surrounded by love.
💬 Every problem has an answer.

These small but mighty statements give children words they can hold onto when tricky feelings show up. They’re a playful way to help kids replace negative thoughts with positive ones, building a strong sense of self and belonging. 💛

👉 Tell us what your kiddos think!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1XYoduQMAjU&fbclid=IwRlRTSAMrV4FleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHlVUxJdMn5pLFjQWlfmDot8SVHMGbxtAAcTmFQbLTXEVFnkGTIyEdyxFrDsu_aem_J-3Lwd7Oj4tbuLb1idHfpw

"The Affirmations Song" sing along from Snoop Dogg's Doggyland - Kids Songs & Nursery Rhymes.Watch this video all about positive affirmations for kids! In th...

05/09/2025

🌟 Have Your Say on Disability Supports for children 🌟

The Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Disability wants to hear directly from families about your experiences with support services for children with disability, developmental delay and autism.

This is your chance to share what’s working, what’s missing, and what needs to change. Your input will help shape recommendations to improve services for children and families across Australia. 💬✨

🔎 The short survey asks about things like:
• How easy (or hard!) it is to find information
• Wait times for services
• Telehealth vs face-to-face access
• Inclusion support at school
• Quality and impact of supports

🖊️ You don’t need to be an expert – just share your lived experience. Every story matters.

💡 If social work or play therapy has been valuable in your family’s journey, please mention it in your response.

These supports are often overlooked but provide unique benefits, including:
• Building parent and caregiver capacity
• Supporting attachment and relationships
• Helping children regulate emotions through play
• Providing holistic, family-centred approaches that complement OT, speech and psychology

👉 Complete the survey here:
https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/House/Health_Aged_Care_and_Disability/ThrivingKidsinitiative

📅 Submissions close soon – don’t miss the opportunity to have your voice heard!

At Connected Kiddos, we know families are the experts in their children’s journeys. Sharing your story can help shape the upcoming Thriving Kids reforms and ensure the importance of social work and play therapy is recognised in supporting children to thrive. 💜

On 2 September 2025, the Minister for Health and Ageing, the Hon Mark Butler MP, referred an inquiry into the Thriving Kids initiative to the House Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Disability. The Committee would be grateful to receive written submissions addressing t

29/08/2025

🌟 One of the sweetest parts of my work is the little moments of connection.

Before our session in Ayr today, this bright kiddo proudly gifted me her drawing 🖍✨ She was so excited to share it—and I was just as excited to receive it!

It’s these gestures of care and creativity that remind me how important it is to slow down and celebrate the joy children bring into our spaces. 💛

25/08/2025

✨ Theme of the Week: Slow Play ✨

If there was one theme in play today, it was the incredible difference we see when we support slow.

As parents, this is one of the hardest skills to practise—slowing down, holding back on interjecting with our ideas, and adding in all the talking and questioning. But the outcomes are truly powerful when we do.

When we go slow, we get to:
💡 Witness our children’s own initiatives
🌏 See the world through their eyes
⏳ Give them time to process at their own pace

Slowing down doesn’t mean doing less—it means giving children the space to show us who they are and what they can do. And often, that’s where the magic happens!

Doesn't it feel good to go slow? Charlotte Jenkins explains why slowing down to play helps your child think, learn, and connect - https://www.beaconservices.org.uk/why-slowing-down-to-play-helps-your-child-think-learn-and-connect/

You don’t need to do anything fancy. You don't need to direct the shape of play in a structured way. Just slow down, join their play, and give your child time. There is no right or wrong way to play with a leaf. If your child plays with a tree stump, they can enjoy and learn from the experience whether they climb onto it, count the rings, or sit on it like a king or queen.

Charlotte offers gentle questions and conversational points you can share with your child to help them play with a sense of agency and calming control, feeling safe and connected as they try things out at their own pace.