Families as First Teachers (FaFT) records most successful year on record

Over the past 12 months the Families as First Teachers (FaFT) program has recorded its most successful year on record, with hundreds more children participating in the program and new classrooms opening.

First launched in 2009, the aim of FaFT is to improve the lifelong education, health and wellbeing outcomes for young Northern Territory children and their families.

In 2019 there were 307 children participating in programs across the Barkly region alone, now increasing to 530 children in 2023. As such, the Territory Labor Government has opened two new FaFT sites in the Barkley, increasing the amount of programs offered to eight.

In the Central Region there were 263 children participating in FaFT programs throughout 2019, this has soared to 379 in 2023 across four FaFT sites and five Stay, Play and Learn Programs.

The FaFT program is now operating in 55 locations. 52 per cent of the workforce employed in FaFT programs across the Northern Territory are Aboriginal employees.

“FaFT embraces tailored teaching and learning strategies from the Abecedarian Approach Australia, which have a direct focus on a child’s development through conversational reading, learning games, enriched caregiving and language priority,” NT Chief Minister, Eva Lawler said.

At its core, FaFT focuses on quality child-centred early learning, family support, parent capacity building and community engagement.

It develops place-based programs to engage families and communities and builds the parents capacity to guide their children to the best start in life.

Both the Barkley and Central regions have realised great success in promoting families to attend other FaFT sites when they are visiting other communities or in Tennant Creek or Alice Springs.

“FaFT’s successes doesn’t start and end at the classroom, a critical aspect is understanding parents play a pivotal role as their child’s first teacher, and it is this aspect and parental inclusion which will create improved generational outcomes,” Ms Lawler explained.

Learn more about FaFT here.