Little Minds Matter: Free Social and Emotional Development Check for Infants

Building solid mental health foundations is the key to a healthier, happier life. 

It’s never too early to ensure your little one is building solid mental health foundations to set themselves up for a good life.  

Little Minds Matter is Ngala’s free social and emotional development check, available to assist families with infants (0-12 months) to identify potential mental health, social or emotional development challenges early and create a customised care plan to get on top of any challenges before they become bigger issues. 

Participants will spend 24 hours at Ngala’s Residential Parenting Centre and work with our professional team to assess their infant, identify any potential issues, and develop a plan to address them.

How do I know if my infant is experiencing social or emotional distress?

The signs of social and emotional development challenges in infants can be affected by all kinds of factors, including sleeping, feeding and eating, attention, and emotional expression. While not all of the below are indications there are issues, some important potential risk factors that may require investigation include: 

How it works.

Infants and their primary caregiver are invited to stay at Ngala’s Residential Parenting Service based in Kensington, where they will receive: 

• A review of caregiver mental health and stress  

• A review of infant social and emotional development  

• Education about infant social and emotional development and wellbeing, baby-led play, the caregiver/infant relationship and caregiver self-care  

• Voluntary individual consultation with a Social Worker and/or Clinical Psychologist  

What you will leave with.

• A Family Care Plan developed in partnership with the family, including resources and referral pathways customised for your infant and yourself

• A subsequent follow up with a Ngala Child Health Nurse upon completion of your stay.

When are the checks held?

• 30 September – 1 October
• 4 – 5 November
• 11 – 12 November
• 25 – 26 November
• 2 – 3 December

How to apply. 

For Parents and Caregivers: Please contact Ngala Intake at [email protected] or 08 9368 9364. Alternatively, please fill in the below form.

For Referrers: Please review the overview documentation below or contact Ngala Intake at [email protected] or 08 9368 9364.