

Developed and delivered in collaboration with Banyule Community Health maternal and child health nurses, Baby Choir offers one hour of judgement-free, enjoyable participation, coupled with access to one-on-one advice from health professionals, promoting strong, healthy relationships and nurturing loving bonds through listening, watching and feeling.
Baby Choir responds to issues of social isolation and poor mental health identified amongst many young mothers in the West Heidelberg community, and provides an avenue for the uptake of other health services.
Aims
- Develop intimacy, connection and emotional attachment
- Develop positive parenting skills, and social connections
- Foster confidence, fun, and friendships
- Promote healthy lifestyles
- Encourage uptake of related health and support services
Outcomes
Professionals and communities gain:
- Professional development skills for using the arts in early childhood intervention programs
- A safe forum for shared activity, free from judgement
- Stronger bonds between babies and adults
- Opportunities to build friendships and support networks
- Access to maternal and child health nurses, and further health services
During our 2014 program, we:
- Held 23 weekly sessions
- For 70 children aged from 2 weeks to 4 years plus 78 grown-ups
- With 3 community engagement events
Evaluation
Evaluation shows that Baby Choir:
- Facilitates positive engagement between babies and their grown-ups
- Contributes to childhood development in communication and self-identity, and demonstrates social connection and developmental outcomes
- Contributes to conditions required for optimal brain development in vulnerable children at a time of rapid brain growth
- Increases social connections between adults
- Improves coping skills for adults
- Increases positive engagement between adults and service providers
2016 Delivery Partner
Banyule Community Health
2016 Funding Partners
Australia Council for the Arts | Ian Potter Foundation