Chisholm Family Services

Skills for Life

A facilitated playgroup designed to teach preschoolers body autonomy, consent, respect, and kindness through song and play. Coming soon.

Confident Conversations

This 10-week course will teach you how to discuss difficult topics with children in age-appropriate ways. Frankston and Rye locations. Enrolling now.

Professional Development

Our experienced consultants can tailor workplace training sessions to enhance your efforts towards equality, inclusivity, respect, and cooperation.

About Us

Chisholm Family Services was established in 1983 to provide comprehensive and accessible services to vulnerable children, young people and their families across Frankston and the Mornington Peninsula. Our vision is to be the leading provider of family services in the region and through holistic, compassionate care, and advocacy transform the lives of families in need. Confident Conversations and Skills for Life have partnered with Chisholm Family Services to bring you a suite of personal and professional development opportunities.

Our Mission

Seed the community with people who can confidently discuss difficult topics with all people, in respectful and inclusive ways. Provide role models and informal teachers to the community.

Our Vision

A world where children are active participants in conversations regarding issues which affect them. A world where children are knowledgeable about issues which affect them.

Our Plan

Train parents and professionals to discuss difficult and confronting topics with children in age-appropriate ways. Facilitate playgroups where children can learn and practice emotional intelligence and social skills.

Confident Conversations - Frequently Asked Questions

What will I learn?

Over ten weeks we will explore and practice ways to discuss difficult and confronting topics with young children in age appropriate ways. Learn how to answer tricky questions, start a conversation, stay on topic and keep it suitable for young ears.

What is a session like?

We meet in a small group of up to ten other parents, start with some nibbles, then sit down to discuss the week’s topic and break it down to child appropriate elements. After a short intermission we regroup to practice some conversations and troubleshoot potential reactions.

What topics will be covered?

The first nine weeks will cover poverty, peer pressure, cyber safety, sexuality, consent, mental health & illness, death, suicide & self-harm, separation & blended families, absence of biological parents. Week ten is used to cover one other topic to best meet the needs of the group.

Who is it for?

We’ve designed the program for parents of children aged two to ten, but it is suitable for any parent who wants to improve their conversational and question answering skills. The skills learned in this program may be used to discuss news stories and current events, issues which affect friends and the community or issues which affect your family more directly.

When is it on?

We have three groups starting this July. Saturdays 1pm-3pm, Sundays 3pm-5pm and Mondays 12pm-2pm (scheduled to follow playgroup). Please indicate which group you are interested in when enrolling. Rye Kids childcare are offering our participants reduced rate occasional care on premises. Please contact Rye Kids directly for prices and bookings.

What does it cost?

The Confident Conversations ten week program is valued at $399 payable in advance. If you miss a week you will be offered the choice of a make up session with another group or a detailed information pack on the missed topic. We are able to offer a limited number of reduced fee and free places for people experiencing hardship. If this might apply to you, please email or call us directly to discuss with one of our friendly group facilitators.

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