Connected Kiddos

07/08/2025

Hey Parents- I highly recommend linking in with Melanie (a fellow social worker!) and joining her next Tuning in to Kids group.

TUNING IN TO KIDS PARENTING PROGRAM - LIMITED SPACES

🌿 Did you know... the way we respond to our children’s emotions can shape their confidence, resilience, and relationships for life?

💬 “I felt understood and never judged.”
💬 “I’m parenting differently now—with more calm and connection.”

✨ Join our Tuning Into Kids® parenting program – a practical, evidence-based course that helps you support your child’s emotional development (and manage your own big feelings too!).
📅 Dates: Tuesday 16th September, 30th Sep, 14th Oct, 28th Oct,
11th November, 25th November
⏰ Time: 6pm to 8pm
📍 Location: EveryMind Counselling at 617 Flinders St Townsville
💲 Cost: $676.64 for all 6 sessions (NDIS compliant) (discount
for parent couples)
DM or email everymindcounselling@gmail.com
Booking link: https://www.halaxy.com/book/everymind-counselling/location/753241?appointmentTypeId=555577

04/08/2025

(Repost from Don Mackenzie at Social Sense)

💛 Showing Parental Warmth Matters 💛

Parental affection isn’t just nice—it’s vital. Research shows that consistent warmth from parents helps children:

🧠 Develop empathy
💬 Communicate openly
❤️ Form secure attachments
🚫 Reduce behaviour problems

When children feel seen, valued and safe, they’re more likely to thrive emotionally and socially.

💡 How to Show Warmth
Try these simple, powerful behaviours:

👀 Look your child in the eyes when talking or playing
🤗 Hug them often and let them know you love them
🎨 Praise their creativity and efforts
💬 Talk enthusiastically and share happy memories
🎶 Use a gentle or sing-song voice
🧸 Join in on their games and let them lead
🧍‍♂️ Sit close, lean in, and smile often
👂 Talk about feelings—yours and theirs

Parental warmth can buffer against conduct issues and build the foundation for lifelong emotional health.

📚 Based on the Parental Affection/Warmth Scale (PAWS), University of New South Wales
🔗 Learn more: https://lnkd.in/ekDhY7gb

💛 Showing Parental Warmth Matters 💛 Parental affection isn’t just nice—it’s vital. Research shows that consistent warmth from parents helps children: 🧠 Develop empathy 💬 Communicate openly ❤️ Form secure attachments 🚫 Reduce behaviour problems When children feel seen, valued...

21/07/2025

Sharing for families who are in need of feeding support for their kiddos. These guys have a team of dieticians who specialise in children, better yet they do Telehealth!

🌈 We are thrilled to introduce our newest Paediatric Accredited Practising Dietitian, Alessandra!!

Alessandra has over 25 years of experience in a wide field of nutrition and health. Her extensive career has spanned hospital settings, community diabetes care, cancer care, and private practice, where she has specialised in pre- and post-natal nutrition, food intolerances, and diabetes management. Alessandra's passion for understanding the intricate relationship between food and health has led her to constantly evolve and deepen her expertise.

Her approach to nutrition and eating concerns is grounded in gentleness and collaboration. She believes every family is unique, and her goal is to empower both parents and children to make safe and informed choices that honour their needs and preferences. With compassion, she helps families build confidence and calmness as they navigate their challenges—no matter how long the journey may take.

To learn more about Alessandra, please head to our website: https://kidsdigfood.com.au/about/alessandra-winfield/

🎉 Alessandra, we welcome you to Kids Dig Food! We are so excited to have you a part of our family 🎉

Kids Dig Food team ♡

16/07/2025

What a beautiful surprise!

After two years of “eating Kristy’s snacks”, this amazing young adult and her mum turned up with a full picnic feast—ice cream, burgers, fancy danishes, macarons, trendy Dubai chocolate and even the picnic table!

We shared food and reflected on how far she’s come—growing confidence and stepping into her own identity.

Therapy shapes all of us. Families leave their mark on me too, in the most beautiful ways. ❤️

10/07/2025

🎉 Connected Kiddos Turns 2! 💖

Two years ago, I took a leap of faith and opened the doors to Connected Kiddos, guided by the belief that it ALL starts with connection. What began as a one-woman venture quickly became a natural extension of everything I’ve practised over years in the early intervention space — seeing, time and again, that connection, child–parent attachment, and play are not just “nice extras”… they are foundational to a child’s development.

Connected Kiddos was created to honour that truth — a space where children and families feel truly seen, supported, and celebrated. A space where therapeutic goals are met through relationship, attunement, and joyful shared experiences.

As a proud social worker, I’ve always believed in walking with families, not ahead of them. Connected Kiddos is grounded in a social work lens — focused on building relationships, strengthening capacity, and supporting emotional development in real and practical ways. Whether it’s through Theraplay, AutPlay, Marte Meo, or simply being a consistent, safe presence in a child’s world, it’s been a privilege to support growth that is both meaningful and lasting.

Over the past two years, I’ve had the honour of connecting with so many incredible kiddos — each with their own spark, their own story, and their own way of showing the world who they are. And behind every child is a parent, carer, or support team doing the hard and beautiful work of showing up, again and again — even on the tough days.

To the families, referrers, colleagues, and community who’ve backed this little practice — thank you. Your trust, your belief in what social work can look like in early intervention, and your openness to try things a little differently means the world.

Here’s to more giggles on the comfy cushions, more moments of connection, and more developmental sparks that give us goosebumps.

From the bottom of my heart — thank you 💫
💜 Kristy
Connected Kiddos

10/07/2025

📣 Connected Kiddos Update – Bookings Full for Term 3

Thank you so much to all the wonderful families and services who continue to reach out — I’m incredibly grateful for the trust you place in Connected Kiddos 💖

At this time, I’m not taking on any new referrals for Term 3, as my calendar is fully booked to ensure I can provide the quality of care each family deserves.

If you’re happy to wait, I can add your child to the waitlist for Term 4 (starting October) and will be in touch as spots become available.

To join the waitlist or touch base, please email: ✉️ Info@connectedkiddos.com.au
Or visit: 🌐 www.connectedkiddos.com.au

Thanks for your patience and understanding — it starts with connection 💫

24/06/2025

Ohhhh a night time session ideally after little people are in bed! It’s powerful to connect with others walking similar journeys and from the comfort of your couch. Best of both worlds!

⌚Monday is MyTime Online

MyTime is a place you can connect with others who are raising children with additional needs - this may be because of disability, developmental delay, or chronic medical conditions. It can be a great opportunity to find out about new services and supports and talk to other parents about their experiences with services, therapies, and medications.

MyTime online is a safe and inclusive space for parents and carers of children aged 18 years and younger and is available to you no matter where you live.

Our specialist Play Matters facilitator Jill hosts these sessions online during school term time and a support group for those periods in between sessions.

It's FREE and hosted Monday evening online from 7:30 to 8:30pm (during school terms - last one for two weeks held tonight!).

Ready to connect and be part of the MyTime community?

https://hubs.li/Q03thB9h0

23/06/2025

Maggie Dent shares her tried and true tips to help our kiddos calm by using the power of our touch releasing all that serotonin.

18/06/2025

Oh the irony, NDIS! Using this article to spotlight Finn while quietly delivering funding cuts that directly undermine the type of support he—and thousands of other children—actually need.

We sure hope Finn—and all children on the NDIS—aren’t negatively impacted by the recent changes to funding.

Let’s hope Finn lives close to his therapy providers, because under the new rules, home or childcare therapy visits may no longer be an option. That means fewer chances to support Finn where he feels most safe and settled—like his home or kindy.

🔎 Finn, a young boy featured in the NDIS’s latest participant highlight, is vision impaired. As allied health providers, we know that children like Finn need therapy in their real-world environments—at home, in the community—not just in clinic rooms. These are the spaces where he needs support to move safely, build confidence, and meaningfully participate.

But if Finn lives in a regional or remote area and needs therapists to travel to him, this may no longer be feasible under the NDIS pricing changes taking effect from 1 July.

What’s changing from 1 July:
• 🚗 Travel claims now capped at only 50% of the therapy hourly rate
• 💸 Reduced hourly rates for allied health (e.g., physios and dietitians)
• 🗺️ Removal of regional and remote loadings
• 📆 Quarterly budget caps, limiting when funding can be spent
• ⛔ No wage indexation for allied health professionals in over 7 years—despite rising costs and inflation

👉 There’s a persistent myth that therapists are cashed-up. In reality, only 4% of therapy providers are turning a profit. Most are small, purpose-driven individuals working long hours to support children and their families—not to build wealth.

These reforms are cutting back in all the wrong places—places that directly impact children, families, and the dedicated professionals who hold this system together. For some therapists, this will be the final straw. Burnout and financial strain will push many to walk away.

While we understand the need for a sustainable scheme, reform must not come at the cost of equitable access or community-based care.

At Connected Kiddos, we will keep showing up, advocating fiercely, and walking alongside families—because no child should be left behind because of where they live or the complexity of their needs.

✍️ Add your name to the petition alongside 25,000+ Australians standing up for disability supports:
👉 https://www.change.org/p/stand-up-for-disability-support-stop-the-ndis-cuts

Finn has a bright future ahead!

Finn was just four weeks old when mum Claudia visited emergency at the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne.

One year later, after extensive genetic testing, Finn was diagnosed with Leber’s Congenital Amaurosis. This affects the retina and causes severe low vision from birth.

Now almost two years old, Finn is always on the go! He loves interacting with the world around him, and he adores singing and humming. Now Claudia is looking to the future with hope.

Read Finn's story at 💻 https://ow.ly/JbOv50W88v6

📷 Image: Vision Australia

16/06/2025

Over the past few months, I’ve witnessed remarkable growth in this young person—showing emotional insight and relational skills beyond their years. It’s been an absolute joy to watch his confidence, connection and regulation blossom through play.

Huge credit to Mum too—her commitment to showing up week after week and joining in the work has made all the difference. When caregivers are engaged, kids thrive. 💛

We'll miss the giggles, games and shenanigans—but are so proud to see this dynamic duo moving forward stronger than ever!