On Friday mornings at Brown Plains Early Years Centre, Jodi McMurtrie and Samara Williams, two specialist practitioners in child development, meet with a group of families and their babies.
Every family at the ‘play and learn together’ sessions, run by The Benevolent Society, has experienced the complex physical and emotional journey of having a premature newborn.
Premmies Play & Learn Together has run since 2012, and supports families with babies who were born prematurely, between 25 and 35 weeks of gestation, who often face long hospital stays and, in some cases, long-term health issues.
The sessions connect families with similar experiences and encourage “positive interactions through play-based learning experiences.”
Advanced Practitioner in child development, Jodi McMurtrie, said the sessions, which feature a variety of developmentally appropriate play spaces, help to build up resilience for families who attend.
“Alongside the mental health benefits, these sessions increase awareness of the children’s learning, wellbeing, and development cues,” Ms Murtrie said.
“They empower parents and carers to identify and respond to their children’s needs.
“It’s incredibly rewarding to see the bonds between parents and their children grow.”
Guest speakers who provide information about speech pathology, occupational therapy, and physiotherapy also attend sessions, which run from 9am to 11am.
Ms McCurtrie said session attendance varied throughout the year, but they had seen up to 15 families attend the sessions.
“Settling into life as a parent is a learning experience, and this can be especially hard for those with children born prematurely,” she said.
“With extra support often needed to ensure these children stay healthy as they grow and develop, our Premmies Play & Learn Together group ensures these families have a safe, nurturing space where they are supported by our staff to have fun, play-based learning experiences together.
“There is also a real sense of connection between those taking part in the sessions, with many families continuing to stay close outside of the group.”
For World Prematurity Day, 17 November, local events focused on supporting families with premature babies will be run as part of the Logan Libraries First 5 Forever program, held at the Kingston Butter Factory.
Child and Family Practitioner Samara Williams, who runs the sessions with Ms McMurtrie, said events like these were crucial in raising community awareness about premature babies and how we can better support their families.
“It provides resources and opportunities for attendees to meet with parents from the group, hear first-hand what learnings they’ve taken away from Premmies sessions, and understand the support available to families in the area on a similar journey,” Ms Williams said.
“Families will be able to take part in a story time session with artist Tui n Friends, bringing music, movement, and culture to life for little ones.
“We will also be running a kindness rock activity for families, and sharing information on the resources available through our Premmies group.”
Image: Jodi McMurtrie and Samara Williams run Premmies Play and Learn Together. The Benevolent Society.
