About Every Family

The Every Family Initiative is a population health approach to reduce the prevalence of anxiety, depression and conduct problems in young children (4 - 7 years) and their families. It is currently operating in the southern suburbs of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

School personnel, general practitioners and other primary health service providers, mental health services, and the local media are all involved in providing high quality parenting information to the parents of children who are transitioning from preschool to primary school. Relevant professionals have been offered training to deliver the internationally recognised Triple P - Positive Parenting Program to parents in a range of formats to suit individual families.

Why is it so important?
The Every Family Initiative is Australia's largest ever population level trial of a comprehensive multi-level parenting strategy designed to prevent the development of serious mental health problems in young children.

Queensland has been chosen by beyondblue as an ideal environment to trial a large scale mental health promotion initiative to improve the mental health and well-being of children.

The trial will involve careful monitoring of outcomes over a 3 year period.

Interventions
Currently, Every Family provides to parents of 4 - 7 year-olds, an increased range of supportive services, including practical parenting information and advice. Interventions are designed to support children to make a successful transition to school, and help parents protect children from developing emotional and behavioural problems.

Interventions are based on the evidence-based, internationally recognised, Triple P - Positive Parenting Program and include:

  • Access to brief parenting seminars.
  • Access to comprehensive group training programs.
  • Regular Positive Parenting Newsletters.
  • Access to parenting tip sheets dealing with common emotional and behavioural problems.
  • Telephone counselling support through Parentline.
  • Access to Triple P-trained GPs.
  • Workplace Triple P for teachers.
  • A coordinated media strategy to promote positive parenting in the community.