Kids First Children's Services

20/03/2026

What a fabulous morning we had with the magnificent Maggie Dent at her Sydney presentation of 'Girlhood: Raising our little girls to be happy, healthy and heard' today! Maggie's years of research, experience and advocacy were appreciated by a big audience of parents and professionals. If you get the chance to see Maggie in person or on one of her popular online webinars, don't miss it. She is simply the best! https://www.maggiedent.com/events/

18/03/2026

The wonderful Maggie Dent will be in Sydney THIS SATURDAY to present her fabulous 'Girlhood: Raising our girls to be healthy, happy and heard' seminar.
It starts at 10am at the Northside Conference Centre Cnr Pole Lane and Oxley St, Crows Nest, Sydney, NSW, Australia
If you have never seen Maggie speak, you are in for a treat - and for parents, carers and educators of girls, her insights, ideas and guidance is not to be missed

👇Link to bookings in the comments below

Girlhood: Raising our girls to be healthy, happy and heard. The early years of a little girl’s life will shape her future in powerful ways. In her book Girlhood, Maggie ...

17/03/2026

📣 If you collect a child from daycare, preschool or OOSH at the end of the day, this may sound familiar.

Many children arrive at care around 7.30 or 8.00 in the morning and are not getting home until after 6.00 pm. By the time pickup arrives, they may have spent ten hours:

• listening carefully
• concentrating on learning
• navigating friendships
• following instructions
• coping with busy rooms and playgrounds

That is a very long day for a young nervous system.

Teachers and early educators often see how hard children are working all day. Many are doing an enormous amount of emotional and social self-management.

So, when a child bursts into tears in the carpark, refuses to walk to the car, or melts down the moment they see their parent, it can feel stressful - and sometimes a little embarrassing.

But very often, that moment is simply when the “trying hard” tank is empty.

They have held it together all day.

When they finally see the person they feel safest with, the effort releases.

It doesn’t usually mean they had a bad day.

It usually means they feel safe enough with you to let their guard down.

A few small things can help make pickup time easier.

🧸 Start with connection
Before heading straight to the car, take a moment for a cuddle, a calm hello or sitting together for a minute. That brief pause can help a tired child settle after a very long day.

🥚 Have a small snack ready
Even if dinner isn’t far away, many children benefit from something small straight away. Think of it as the 'starter', not spoiling dinner. Cheese, yoghurt, a boiled egg, a small sandwich or chicken strip can take the edge off hunger and help avoid the classic 6 pm crash.

🚶 Slow the transition to the car
Busy carparks, noise and lots of instructions can overwhelm tired children. Walking slowly and keeping things simple often helps their nervous system regulate.

🍽 Be flexible about the family meal
Of course, it’s wonderful when families can sit down together for dinner every night. But many working families don’t live in that ideal world - and that’s okay.

If weeknight dinners often end in tears and raised voices because everyone is exhausted, it may help to think differently about when your family connects around food.

Some families find that weekend dinners, Sunday lunches or even breakfast together are calmer and more enjoyable times to connect.

Children rarely remember what was on the plate.

They remember how it felt to be together.

📋 Use a simple evening routine your child can see
Late afternoons can become harder when children hear lots of instructions: take your shoes off, wash your hands, sit down, eat dinner, get ready for bath…

For many young children, a visual schedule can help enormously.

Pictures showing the “when we get home” routine - snack, play, dinner, bath, story, bed - give children something they can see and follow.

Children of this age learn best from what they can see, not from repeated verbal instructions.

A visual routine quietly shows them what comes next, which often lowers the stress level in the household after a busy day.

🌙 Lower expectations for the evening
After a ten-hour day, some evenings are simply about getting through dinner, bath and bedtime. That’s okay. The goal is not the perfect family evening. The goal is helping everyone land safely at the end of a big day.

🌆 If the late afternoon feels tricky at your place, hang in there.

Many children are simply running on empty by that point in the day.

And if you’ve just finished a long workday yourself, you might be too.

💛 Giving your child - and yourself - a little grace and space can make a real difference.

If you know a parent, teacher or educator who might find this helpful, feel free to share it with them.

15/03/2026

Every child experiences the world in their own way.

This week offers a gentle reminder that different ways of thinking, learning, communicating and responding are part of what makes us human.

Children do best when we understand them more deeply, appreciate their differences, and make space for who they are.

14/03/2026

Want OT support without the after-school rush?

Before school OT can make life much easier for busy families. It can mean less pressure after school, fewer clashes with homework and dinner, and support at a time of day when some children are more settled and ready to engage.

We now have before school OT appointments available on Tuesdays with experienced Kids First Occupational Therapist Chiran Nimsara.

Chiran is a very popular member of our team, and families really value his calm, practical approach with children.

If your child would benefit from support with motor skills, sensory processing, emotional regulation or everyday independence, these sessions could be a very practical fit.

These spots are limited and unlikely to last long.

📞 Contact us on 9938 5419
🔗 Complete our online enquiry form via the link here https://kids-first.com.au/contact-us/

12/03/2026

👋 Meet Rebecca King - or ‘Bec’ as most of our families know her! 💬

We say 𝙤𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪’𝙧𝙚 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙆𝙞𝙙𝙨 𝙁𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩 𝙛𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙮, 𝙮𝙤𝙪’𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙆𝙞𝙙𝙨 𝙁𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩 𝙛𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙮… and Bec is a perfect example.

Bec first worked with us more than a decade ago. Since then, she’s run her own local speech practice, become a mum, and built an impressive career supporting children and families across the Northern Beaches. This year, she’s returned to Kids First – and we couldn’t be happier to welcome her back.

With more than 18 years of experience, Bec is a highly respected Speech Pathologist known for her calm confidence, practical advice, and a great sense of humour that kids instantly warm to.

She now leads our Speech Pathology team while also working directly with children who need support with speech sounds, language, literacy, stuttering and social communication.

Bec offers both in-clinic and mobile speech therapy sessions, supporting children at Kids First and in their schools so strategies can be used where children learn and play every day.

Bec has a lovely way of helping children relax, have a laugh and build their communication skills at the same time.

We’re so glad she’s back at Kids First - right where she belongs 💛

10/03/2026

📣 𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱 - 𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 - 𝗺𝗲𝗹𝘁𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹, 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲.

Across Australia, many families describe the same moment.

The front door opens…
The school bag hits the floor…
And suddenly everything unravels.

Floods of tears.
Snapping at siblings.
Refusing simple requests.

Parents often ask us: "𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦?"

For many children, the school or preschool day takes an enormous amount of effort.

They spend hours listening carefully, following instructions, concentrating on learning, navigating friendships and coping with busy classrooms.

Many teachers and early educators see this every day. They know that some children are working incredibly hard to manage their emotions, follow instructions and navigate friendships in busy classrooms. By the end of the day, that effort can be exhausting.

When those same children finally reach home, the pressure releases.

Child psychologists often call this after-school 'restraint collapse'.

The meltdown isn’t planned.
It’s a release.

A few small changes in the first 20 minutes after school can make a real difference.

Things many families find helpful include:

🧘 𝗔𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 (𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻𝘀)
15 - 20 minutes with no demands at all can help children reset. Quiet play, drawing, Lego, backyard time or simply lying on the couch can help their nervous system settle.

While children are decompressing, it is usually best to keep them off screens. After a busy day of concentrating, learning and processing information, many children benefit more from low stimulation activities that help their body and mind settle.

🥚𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗶𝗻-𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝘀𝗻𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆
After hours of concentrating and moving around, children are often genuinely hungry. Protein-based snacks help stabilise blood sugar and avoid the classic 5 pm crash. Think yoghurt, cheese and crackers, boiled eggs, chicken strips, meatballs or tuna on toast.

💬 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝗲
A tired child can feel overwhelmed by lots of questions the moment they walk in the door. Sometimes a simple “I’m glad you’re home” can work better.

⏳ 𝗥𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲
Homework, unpacking bags and chores can often wait 20 minutes while your child resets.

🤝 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁, 𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿
When emotions are high, reasoning rarely works. Sitting beside your child, speaking calmly and staying steady helps their nervous system settle much faster.

Here's a perspective shift that might help parents....

• Children often save their biggest emotions for the people they feel safest with.

• When a child melts down after school, it is rarely about poor behaviour.

• More often, it is the moment when their emotional battery is simply flat.

If the late afternoons are tricky at your house, hang in there. Many children are simply running on empty by the end of the day - and perhaps you are too.

💛 Giving your child - and yourself - a little grace and space can make a real difference.

If you know a parent or educator who might find this helpful, feel free to share it with them.

08/03/2026

📌𝗔 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗔𝗗𝗛𝗗 𝘂𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀

Across Australia, more GPs are being trained to play a bigger role in ADHD assessment and care. For some families, this may make it easier to start getting answers with a local GP, rather than always needing to begin with a specialist.

Because each state is handling this a little differently, the local pathway will still vary depending on where a family lives.

👨‍👩‍👧 If you’re a parent:
Start with your regular GP. This is often the best first step if you are concerned about attention, impulsivity, hyperactivity, learning, behaviour or emotional regulation.

When you book, it may help to ask:

🔹 Does this GP assess children for ADHD, or help coordinate referrals?
🔹 Is this GP trained in the current ADHD pathway in our state?
🔹 If not, can your practice suggest a GP nearby who is?
🔹 If assessment is needed, what are our options beyond medication?

It is also worth knowing that ADHD assessment can involve more than one professional. Information gathered by a psychologist or school counsellor, together with feedback from parents and teachers, can help build a clearer picture of what a child is finding difficult and what kind of support may be most helpful. If you already have reports, questionnaires, notes from school, or information from a child psychologist or school counsellor, it can be helpful to take these with you to the GP, as they may contribute to the broader assessment process.

🍎 If you’re a teacher:
Teachers are often the first to notice when a child is finding school harder than expected. One of the most helpful things you can do is describe the pattern you are seeing in clear, everyday language.

For example, you might mention that the child is:

▫️ finding it hard to sustain attention
▫️ acting impulsively
▫️ frequently restless or on the move
▫️ having trouble starting or finishing tasks
▫️ reacting strongly to frustration or change
▫️ showing a pattern over time rather than just having a rough week

A gentle way to raise this with a parent might be:

“𝑰’𝒎 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂 𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒔𝒆𝒆𝒎𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒍 𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒅. 𝑰𝒕 𝒎𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒃𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒉 𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝑮𝑷 𝒔𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒈𝒖𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒏𝒆𝒙𝒕 𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒑.”

💬 ADHD is a sensitive topic and, understandably, families often have lots of questions when they are trying to make sense of their child’s unique needs.

For many families, assessment is not about rushing into a medication pathway. It is about understanding a child’s needs more clearly, getting answers, and making informed decisions about support at home and at school.

📍 If you know of a local GP practice that has undertaken ADHD training, feel welcome to share it in the comments so other families can explore options in their local area. It may save another family a lot of time and uncertainty.

08/03/2026

Behind every child who feels safe, understood and encouraged, there is a woman who keeps showing up.

Today, on International Women’s Day, we recognise the women whose everyday care, wisdom and persistence help children feel more secure, more confident and more able to find their way.

✦ The ones who notice when something is not quite right.
✦ The ones who step in, speak up and stay steady.
✦ The ones who comfort, guide, encourage and keep going, even when it’s hard.
✦ The ones who do it quietly, simply because they care.

Your care matters.
Your steadiness matters.
Your influence matters.

Thank you for all the ways you help shape the lives of children and strengthen the communities around them.

If someone comes to mind as you read this, today might be a lovely chance to acknowledge her.


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05/03/2026

🎉 Celebrating 10 wonderful years with Louise! 🎉

This week we’re celebrating a very special milestone at Kids First – Louise recently marked her 10-year anniversary with us 💛

If you’ve visited our Brookvale clinic over the past decade, chances are you already know Lou. She’s the welcoming face at reception, the reassuring voice on the phone, and the person who somehow always knows exactly where the best toys are hiding for children who need something to do while they wait 🧸

Lou has a lovely way of helping families feel at ease from the moment they walk through the door. Whether she’s answering questions, helping with bookings, or making a warming cuppa for a parent who’s had a long morning ☕, she does it all with kindness and patience.

A lot has changed at Kids First over the past ten years. Through it all, Lou has been a steady and supportive presence for our families and our team. Her warmth, loyalty and good humour make a real difference to everyone who walks through our doors.

Louise - thank you for everything you do. We’re so lucky to have you as part of the Kids First family. Here’s to the next chapter! 🌟

01/03/2026

📣 We really didn’t want families and educators to miss this.

From today, 1 March, Medicare has expanded funding for children and young people under 25 who need speech therapy.

Because this change literally starts today, many families - and even some GPs - may not have heard about it yet.

And for some children, this could make a very real difference.

If a child in your life is experiencing:

• Stuttering
• Ongoing difficulty being understood
• Persistent speech sound errors
• Childhood apraxia of speech or dysarthria
• Speech differences related to cleft lip and/or palate

There is now an expanded Medicare pathway that may help reduce the cost of assessment and therapy.

Until age 25, this includes:

✔️ Up to 8 assessment sessions
✔️ Up to 20 treatment sessions
✔️ $87.25 rebate per eligible session (March 2026)

That’s more sessions - and a higher rebate - than many families realise is available.

And we know how much this matters.

Communication shapes everything for a child.

When children can express their wants, needs and feelings clearly, they connect more easily. They make friends. They join in. They ask for help. They show what they know. They participate in learning with confidence.

When support is delayed because of cost, children don’t just “wait”. Sometimes they speak less. Hold back. Work harder than they should just to keep up. Confidence can quietly shrink.

That’s why we’re sharing this.

Not everyone will qualify - but someone in your circle might.

If you’re a parent, or if you work with children and families, it may be worth checking this update and having a conversation with your GP.

Sometimes the most powerful thing we can do is pass on information that could change a child’s trajectory 💛

Please share so families and educators don’t miss it.

25/02/2026

If you’ve been thinking, “I’d love to help, but I don’t know how…” - this is a simple, practical way to make a genuine difference.

Due to a significant increase in demand for One Meal - Northern Beaches' services across the Northern Beaches, our favourite 100% volunteer-run organisation urgently needs more volunteers to help provide fresh, nourishing meals to people doing it tough 💛

Here are the ways you can get involved:
👩‍🍳 Volunteer Opportunity #1 – Fresh Meal Cooks
This involves cooking at home, using your own kitchen equipment, filling 12 takeaway containers (provided by us) and dropping them off at One Meal - Northern Beaches Brookvale Warehouse between 7.30am and 9.30am.

🥘 Meals are generally cooked the night before
❄️ Refrigerated overnight
📦 Delivered to the Warehouse in Powells Road between 7.30am and 9.30am

Volunteers are rostered on a fortnightly (or weekly) basis to cook on one day of the week - Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday:
➡️ Cook Sunday, drop Monday
➡️ Cook Monday, drop Tuesday
➡️ Cook Tuesday, drop Wednesday

🔥 Volunteer Opportunity #2 – Monday Hot Meal Home Cooks
This service supports One Meal - Northern Beaches most vulnerable clients. It involves:
📋 Choosing a dish from the uploaded menu (fortnightly roster)
🥩 Receiving protein and main ingredients delivered to you on Saturday morning
🍲 Cooking the meal at home
🕒 Bringing it to the Brookvale Warehouse by 3.45pm (latest) on Monday using provided thermal containers

This ensures One Meal's warehouse volunteers can package the meals promptly prior to delivery that evening 🚗

🏭 Volunteer Opportunity #3 – Daytime Cooks in the One Meal - Northern Beaches Warehouse Kitchen
One Meal is increasing the use of its fantastic warehouse kitchen by adding more shifts and would love expressions of interest for the following times:
🗓 Friday: 1.00pm – 3.00pm
🗓 Saturday: 9.00am – 12.00pm
🗓 Saturday: 1.00pm – 3.00pm
🗓 Sunday: 9.00am – 12.00pm
🗓 Sunday: 1.00pm – 3.00pm

Cook alongside other fun-loving volunteers in a well-equipped kitchen and enjoy being part of a community effort 🙌

🌙 Volunteer Opportunity #4 – Evening Cooks in One Meal's Warehouse Kitchen
One Meal is also exploring the possibility of introducing evening cooking sessions in the warehouse. This may suit volunteers who work full-time during the day.

⭐ One Meal is looking for AS MANY VOLUNTEERS AS POSSIBLE for all of these opportunities - so please feel welcome to share this post⭐

This is a wonderful way to teach our children about the power of making small but mighty contributions that make a difference💛

If you can volunteer in any of these roles - even once a fortnight - or would simply like to learn more, please get in touch with the One Meal - Northern Beaches team!
📧 Volunteer@onemeal.org.au