smalltalk is an evidence-based parenting program that helps parents and carers support their children’s learning, development and connection through everyday family life.
Developed by the Parenting Research Centre, it offers services a practical, strengths-based approach that can be embedded in playgroups, home visiting and family support settings.
smalltalk supports stronger parent-child interactions, richer home learning environments, improved parent confidence and long-term benefits for children’s learning and development.
Families who participated in smalltalk showed greater improvements in parent-child interactions and the home learning environment than those who attended playgroups without smalltalk.
Families who needed more intensive support showed greater gains when group participation was combined with home coaching.
A school-age follow-up showed that the benefits of smalltalk lasted into the early to middle school years: children whose parents had participated showed better spelling, grammar and punctuation, and word recognition.
smalltalk is designed for early childhood and family services working with parents and carers of children from birth to school age. It can be delivered in groups, through individual home coaching and other family support settings.
The program can respond to family needs and local service contexts while maintaining its core evidence-based content and approach.
See how one parent uses the ‘Warm and Gentle’ strategy with his children.
Explore the topics for ideas, videos and resources when playing, talking, using routines and creating positive moments with your child.
I like that I wasn’t judged for my parenting choices, especially when other parents did things differently.
Helps me play at home, something I’ve always struggled with. Learning to play with him at his level (and) just join in with what he’s doing.
I think I’m now more aware of what I’m doing. I don’t think I’ve changed what I’m doing, just more aware of the things that I do and how they’re helping her develop.
It’s the little things; they now seem obvious, but smalltalk really points out what is important.
Talk to our team about your setting, the families you support and what delivering smalltalk could look like in your community.