School Readiness Funding is a Victorian Government needs-based funding initiative which provides funding to address educational disadvantage and supports children’s development. Kindergarten programs are allocated funding for the purchase of high-quality items from a menu of evidence-informed programs and supports (the menu). Programs and supports listed on the menu directly support children’s learning and development in at least one of the three School Readiness Funding priority areas:
Sing&Grow is an approved provider on the School Readiness Funding Menu from 2021.
Click here to view more information about the menu and a list of the current programs and supports.
Sing&Grow is an evidence-based music therapy program supporting children aged birth to five years, their parents and communities, to use music for building relationships, increasing community connection and facilitating childhood development outcomes.
All Sing&Grow services are exclusively delivered by Registered Music Therapists with additional Sing&Grow training. Whilst ideally delivered face-to-face, Sing&Grow has capability to deliver services via online platforms.
Recent research into Sing&Grow found that parent-reported benefits for children included developing confidence, social skills, language and communication, motor skills, self-regulation and other attributes necessary for successful participation in more formalised learning environments such as school (Williams et al, 2020).
In addition to this, Sing&Grow was shown to support significant improvements in:
8 week Group Programs for children birth to five and their parents
Sing&Grow services are accessible to children and families with indicators of vulnerability, with a focus on developing competencies aligned with the AEDC domains. Through music-based play and reflective discussion, we build caregiver capacity, skills and confidence; improve the quality of parent-child interactions; enhance social connectedness and improve children’s resilience, self-regulation, social skills and learning outcomes. Each session includes instrumental play, songs, rhymes and reflective conversation.
8 week Groups* for children 3-6, with parents; or for children 3-6, with Early Childhood Professionals
The Off To School groups assist school readiness, promoting self-regulation and focusing on developing social skills, motor skills, literacy and numeracy, routines, emotional wellbeing, and independence, as well as providing further opportunities to strengthen relationships between families and education services.
* Weekly sessions are approximately 1 hour/week
Professional Development Services
Our professional development workshops build capacity and confidence of Early Childhood Professionals to use music more effectively. The Time for Tunes Workshop empowers staff to facilitate their own small music sessions, whereas the Music Tools Workshop supports them to responsively use music throughout the day to support children’s diverse needs. Contact Sing&Grow for further information on our professional development workshops and how we can tailor the workshop to your needs.
Sing&Grow is a program of Playgroup Queensland Ltd and is partly funded by the Australian Government.
