Families As First Teachers (FAFT)
The Families As First Teachers (FAFT) program connects families with their child's school to build understanding about child development and how children learn best. FAFT began at Kuranda District State School in 2005 as a program for Indigenous families, and is now available in other Queensland and interstate communities.
FAFT is a key strategy for supporting literacy, numeracy, language and parental engagement in early years education programs. Children develop in an environment of relationships that begin within their families. When nurtured, these caring adult-child relationships strengthen children’s identity and sense of belonging, promote stronger thinking skills in young children, and enhanced social competence later in life. Family members who participate in the FAFT program further develop their confidence, skills and knowledge to support their children's early learning.
FAFT's active engagement program with parents has significant positive outcomes for children's learning development prior to formal schooling and enhances continuity of learning.
FAFT programs are implemented at the local level, ensuring they meet the specific needs of their community.
