Early Life Matters (ELM)

ELM provides therapeutic counselling for parents and primary caregivers, of babies and children aged 0-12 years, who would like to develop a deeper understanding of their relationship with their child. ELM utilises the Circle of Security (COS) attachment model to address caregivers concerns about their relationship with their child or about their child’s feelings or behaviours.

Who is our Service for?

Any family with children aged 0-12 years of age who are worried about:

• How they have bonded with their child
• Understanding or managing their child’s emotions and / or behaviours
• The impact of difficult family circumstances such as family mental health issues, family violence, trauma, grief and loss, and separation on the caregiver’s capacity to parent
• How the child is adjusting to family change, separation and transitions
• Parenting stress

Who are we?

We are a multidisciplinary team of experienced social workers, psychologists and counsellors based at the Narrabundah site: 255 Goyder Street Narrabundah.

How do we work?

We provide three models of care:

• Circle of Security Parenting (COSP) – 8-week program delivered primarily in a group format to parents/caregivers.
• Circle of Security Intensive (COS-I) – 20-week program delivered in both individual and group format to parents/caregivers.
• Circle of Security Classroom (COSP-C) 8-week professional development program delivered in a group format to early childhood educators and primary school teachers.

We work from a child-centred, family-focused and strengths-based framework. We work with the parent/child attachment to identify and build on the confidence and capacity of parents and caregivers to enhance their infant and/or child’s mental health outcomes for life.

The early years of a child’s life are critical to the development of positive social and emotional health and wellbeing across the lifespan. We provide prevention and early intervention treatment to improve the lives of children.

We work collaboratively, drawing from research and connecting with experts within the perinatal, infant and childhood mental health fields; nationally and internationally.

We work with families to assess their individual needs and factors that may influence the way we provide support.

We support those most vulnerable and at highest risk of adverse childhood experiences: recognising that these children and families come from all walks of life and socio-economic backgrounds.