Supported Playgroups Rapid Evidence Scan
The DCJ Family and Community Services Insights, Analysis and Research (FACSIAR) team conducted a Supported Playgroup Rapid Evidence Scan (2024). The scan summarises the evidence base for supported playgroups and shares best practice elements that can guide playgroup design, service planning and implementation.
The Evidence Portal technical specifications were not used in conducting this review.
What is a ‘supported playgroup’?
While self-managed playgroups are a universal service model aimed at all families, supported playgroups are a more targeted service model for families with particular needs or vulnerabilities, such as trauma, mental health issues, social isolation, financial disadvantage, disability and/or developmental concerns (Williams et al, 2018). Some supported playgroups may be delivered to Aboriginal families, families from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds (including refugee families), or families where the parents are young (e.g., under 25 years old) (Williams, Berthelsen & Kenny, 2019).
Evidence Scan findings
The Supported Playgroup Rapid Evidence Scan found that the following evaluated programs had the strongest evidence:
- Kids in Transition to School (KITS)
- smalltalk
- Peep-Learning Together Program (Peep-LTP)
- Learn, Engage and Play (LEaP)
- Parent-Child Mother Goose (PCMG).
These programs show that supported playgroups with specific interventions can improve child outcomes, including language, cognition, behaviour, socialisation and transition to school; and parent outcomes, including attachment, responsiveness, and social connection.
The Supported Playgroup Rapid Evidence Scan is available to be downloaded below:
FACSIAR summary (July 2024) (PDF, 911.8 KB)
Supported playgroups as early intervention: What can we learn from the evidence? (July 2024) (PDF, 1.1 MB).
See the following for further information about the five supported playgroup models with the strongest evidence:
The Kids in Transition to School (KITS) program features a 16-week group-based school readiness curriculum for children and groups for caregivers. It has two phases.
The school readiness phase occurs in the 2 months before kindergarten entry and includes child playgroups that meet twice weekly and caregiver groups that meet twice monthly. This phase is focused on preparing children for school.
The transition or maintenance phase occurs in the first 2 months of kindergarten, during which the children meet once a week for playgroups and the caregivers continue to meet twice monthly. This phase focuses on supporting a positive transition to school.
For more information visit:
Kids in Transition to School program summary on the Evidence Portal
Developed by the Parenting Research Centre (PRC), smalltalk is a set of evidence-based parenting strategies aimed at enriching the early home learning environment of children from birth through to age 4. smalltalk is delivered in a supported playgroup environment and is supplemented by a home-visiting component for families requiring enhanced support. smalltalk is designed to target families experiencing disadvantage within the early intervention service system.
More information is available at smalltalk or the Australian Institute of Family Studies.
Peep-LTP is an adult learning program that aims to support parents to develop sensitive and responsive relationships with their babies and young children and improve the home learning environment.
Each strand of the program structure (except one) has 15 child development topics (74 in total) and will be relevant to one or more of the following developmental stages: babies, toddlers or pre-schoolers (and/or slightly older children, as appropriate). Topics are selected by practitioners (and parents) to build courses based on criteria such as interests of families, budget, time constraints, service needs and so on.
More information is available at the Australian Institute of Family Studies.
Learn, Engage and Play (LEaP) is a therapeutic group for children with developmental delays designed using the overarching Medical Research Council’s (MRC) framework for the development and evaluation of complex interventions.
More information is available at the California Evidence-based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare program information.
Parent-Child Mother Goose is an attachment focused supported playgroup building interactions between parents or carers and their young children using rhymes, songs and stories. The program is targeted at parents requiring extra support because of their personal or social circumstances, and families where children have special needs or are otherwise at risk.
More information is available at Parent-Child Mother Goose Australia and the Australian Institute of Family Studies.
Some best practice principles that strengthen supported playgroup design and practice were identified in the research evidence, including thematic analyses of quantitative and qualitative studies.
What should I consider when working with Aboriginal families?
The rapid evidence scan located two supported playgroup models delivered to Aboriginal communities, Exploring Together Preschool Program (ETPP) and Kindilink, that show promising evidence based on quasi-experimental design and qualitative studies (Barblett et al. 2020; Barratt-Pugh et al. 2018). It is likely that these models improve children’s social, emotional, communication and cognitive skills and behaviours, increase school readiness, build parenting skills, capacity and satisfaction with parenting, and strengthen belonging and connection of families in their communities.
Cognitive-behavioural therapy program designed to be used in the classroom or community settings with children aged 3 to 14 experiencing emotional and /or behavioural difficulties and their parents/carers. Both primary school and preschool programs involve families participating in group work over 10 consecutive weeks, plus pre-group and post-group family interviews for assessment, evaluation and feedback. Group work consists of interactive parent/carer child groups plus separate concurrent groups for children and parents/carers. Leaders meet with the partner or support person of the parent/carer attending the group twice during the 10-week program. Leaders also meet with the children's teachers on two occasions during this period. The ETPP is a manualised program, and the program manual provides the template for maintaining program fidelity in training and delivery.
More information is available at Exploring Together or from the Australian Institute of Family Studies.
Western Australian supported playgroup initiative for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families with 3‐year‐olds. Operating as a 3‐year pilot (2016‐2018), KindiLink was implemented in 37 selected public schools across Western Australia in remote, regional (town and city) and metropolitan communities. KindiLink aims to:
- Boost children’s development, engagement and learning in the year before they start Kindergarten.
- Forge strong and supportive links between home, school, families and the community.
- Boost the capacity and confidence of parents/caregivers as their children’s first educators.
- Contribute to regular long‐term school attendance.
- Cultivate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families’ and children’s sense of belonging and engagement at their local primary school.
More information is available at Western Australian Government.
The rapid evidence scan also identified some additional key elements of successful supported playgroups delivered to Aboriginal families.
Last updated:
05 Aug 2024
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