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Early Links Supporting Inclusion

Early Links Blog

Walking for our wellbeing

Walking for our wellbeing

Senior Leader Growing ConnectionsEarly Links has a range of groups dedicated to helping our clients learn new skills, connect with their peers, and work on their goals in a safe and inclusive space. Now, we're expanding this support to carers with our new group,...

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The Early Links Youth Hub

The Early Links Youth Hub

Senior Leader Teens & AdultsEarly Links runs a number of youth groups at our offices and in the community. We have always wanted a dedicated venue for these groups so that our young people have their own space where they feel at home. I am excited to say that this...

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Understanding intoeing in children

Understanding intoeing in children

Physiotherapy Senior LeaderIf you've ever been worried that your child is walking with their feet or legs turned inwards, what is often referred to as being "pigeon-toed", then you are not alone. Intoeing is a common concern among parents, and whilst it can be a...

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Family mealtimes – delightful or disaster?

Family mealtimes – delightful or disaster?

University of SydneyAnyone with young children knows that sitting down for family mealtimes can be tricky at the best of times. But if feeding your child or sitting down together as a family is fraught with difficulty and high emotion, perhaps your child is bringing...

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The team putting YOU in youth

The team putting YOU in youth

Introducing our Youth Group Coordinators – Abbie, Georgia, Harry, Josh and Liv. They collectively facilitate our Fun Factory, Junior Fun Factory, Job Readiness, and Life Skills programs to engage youth in our community. We recently sat down with the team to talk about...

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Our new continence service

Our new continence service

Clinical Services Training CoordinatorContinence issues are another way of saying incontinence, which is any accidental wees or poos. In simple language, continence is the ability to control wees and poos so there are no unintentional leaks, whereas incontinence is...

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Awarding our team’s hard work

Awarding our team’s hard work

Marketing and Communications OfficerWe have had a fantastic response to the first half of this year's awards season. We have been awarded finalists in the Hunter Region Business Awards Not-for-Profit category and the Hunter Diversity and Inclusion Golden Pineapple...

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Noor’s Love of Music Therapy

Noor’s Love of Music Therapy

Marketing CoordinatorOur Creative Arts Therapy Team Leader and Music Therapist, Karla, has been doing music therapy sessions with Noor for the last few months, and Noor has been loving them! Watch the video to hear Noor’s mum Preet talk about just how much fun Noor...

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BYB Tour Update

BYB Tour Update

Grants WriterIn case you haven't heard, the Big Yellow Bus is on tour! Our mobile playground has spent term two visiting playgroups across the Hunter Valley, including Cessnock, Muswellbrook, Rutherford, Raymond Terrace, and Port Stephens. We also hope to take the bus...

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Introducing Play Therapy

Introducing Play Therapy

Marketing CoordinatorWe recently sat down with our new Therapeutic Play Practitioner, Beck, to learn all about our newest therapy service. Watch the video or read the transcript below to find out if play therapy could be beneficial for you!Video TranscriptHello....

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How dietitians help people

How dietitians help people

Marketing & Communication OfficerOur dietitians play an important role in helping our clients to achieve their nutritional goals. Hollie, one of our dietitians, has been working with a family to build a positive relationship with food and make healthy lifestyle...

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Helping Giaxon to ride

Helping Giaxon to ride

Recently Nate, one of our physios, helped his client Giaxon get NDIS funding so that he could achieve his goal of riding a bike. After Nate watched Giaxon attempt to ride a conventional bike and saw his difficulty, Nate set up a trial for a modified bicycle with...

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Celebrating our successful grants

Celebrating our successful grants

Grants WriterEarly Links has predominantly been funded through the NDIS since its introduction in 2013. While this has enabled us to provide vital services in the community, we have intentionally sought to increase funding from other sources to further scale up the...

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Meet our Plan Manager, Steph

Meet our Plan Manager, Steph

Introducing StephIntroducing our Plan Manager, Steph. We sat down with Steph and asked her a few questions about her plan management journey and any questions our future clients might have. Check it out below!Why are you in plan management?  I became a plan manager to...

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Animal Assisted Therapy

Animal Assisted Therapy

You may have noticed a new (furry) face around the Early Links offices lately. He may have visited you in a session, or you've seen him on our Facebook page, or maybe you haven't had the pleasure of meeting him yet. Arlo, our very first therapy animal, has been making...

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Early Links 2022 Annual General Meeting

Early Links 2022 Annual General Meeting

We are seeking community minded professionals to join our board to help us achieve our vision of an inclusive society. If you are passionate about advocacy and making an impact in your local community, we would love to speak to you. Our current board members find...

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Award season successes!

Award season successes!

Golden Pineapple AwardsEarly Links has been awarded the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Employer of Choice and Leadership Awards at the 2022 Hunter Diversity and Inclusion Collective (HDIC) Golden Pineapple Awards, held at Watt St, Newcastle. It was an absolute...

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Meet our physiotherapy students

Meet our physiotherapy students

Team Leader PhysiotherapyThroughout the year, Early Links hosts numerous university students as they complete their degree placements. Students join our OT, Speech Pathology, Social Work, and Physiotherapy teams (to name a few) and learn from our knowledgeable team...

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Advocating for our clients

Advocating for our clients

Early Intervention Specialist Teaching Senior LeaderOur role at Early Links is something we cherish, as we are provided with an opportunity to support our clients and families – a privilege we take very seriously. We feel honoured to be invited into the lives and...

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Supporting clinical staff

Supporting clinical staff

Clinical Services Training CoordinatorI have been fortunate to work at Early Links for many years alongside an experienced and enthusiastic team. As a team, we have a wealth and variety of information and skills – whether that is years in the field, lived experience,...

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Traineeship to CoS team member

Traineeship to CoS team member

Early Intervention Specialist Teaching Team LeaderDaniel joined our Early Links team in 2021 as a Community Services Trainee. He came to us after some time abroad, where he had completed university studies and gained valuable experience across a range of settings. Dan...

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Client Feedback Survey June 2022

Client Feedback Survey June 2022

Thank you to everyone who completed the survey that we sent out recently. Your feedback is invaluable to us as we look to achieve continuous improvement in the services and support we deliver to you. We want to share some key insights from the survey and explain what...

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Time to renovate the bus

Time to renovate the bus

Our Big Yellow Bus appeal is now complete! Thank you to everyone who supported us throughout the appeal. I am delighted to share that with your help, we have raised over $15.5K to renovate the Big Yellow Bus (brought to you by Whitehaven Coal). We cannot wait to see...

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Do you know our amazing Annette?

Do you know our amazing Annette?

Recently, I caught up with Annette, one of our longest-serving employees of 13 years and asked her about her time at Early Links and her exciting new role as clinical services training coordinator – a position that gives her the ability to educate and support the...

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What is wellbeing?

What is wellbeing?

Social WorkerWellbeing is a broad concept, but in its basic form, it is how good we feel, whether physically, socially, mentally, or spiritually. All aspects of our wellbeing are important and can influence and affect other areas. Things like stress, anxiety,...

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Rhys’ Journey with Early Links

Rhys’ Journey with Early Links

Rhys has been an Early Links client since 2017 when he began early intervention with our therapists. Now that Rhys is a teenager, his goals and therapy needs have changed. With the help of his speech pathologist Rachel, Rhys’ journey with Early Links is now headed in...

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The Key Worker Approach

The Key Worker Approach

Early Intervention Specialist Teaching Team LeaderWhen starting early intervention, it can be overwhelming for parents and carers to navigate the different appointments, therapists, and support workers they are suddenly involved with. Fitting these new commitments...

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Neurofeedback at Early Links

Neurofeedback at Early Links

Psychology Senior LeaderWe hear a lot about regulation in the early intervention and NDIS worlds, be it emotion regulation or regulation of challenging behaviour. Parents, caregivers, and teachers of children and young people who are struggling with regulation have a...

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Return and Earn Charity Partnership

Return and Earn Charity Partnership

Grants & Sponsorship OfficerI am so excited to share that Early Links has been selected as a charity partner for the myTOMRA Return and Earn initiative. As you may be aware, most drink containers made from glass, plastic or aluminium are eligible for a 10c refund...

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New art therapy equipment

New art therapy equipment

Grants & Sponsorship OfficerOur Art Therapy Team was excited to be awarded a generous grant from Muswellbrook Shire Council, providing them with a range of visual art supplies to be used during art therapy sessions with clients.What exactly is art therapy?Art...

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A token for Early Links

A token for Early Links

Early Links was one of three charities that had the opportunity to host a jar for the Grill’d Charlestown Local Matters Program during March. Local Matters allows Grill’d the opportunity to give back to the local community by splitting $500 with three groups to put...

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Big Yellow Bus Appeal

Big Yellow Bus Appeal

In August last year, we launched a fundraising appeal to renovate the Big Yellow Bus. We are very grateful for all the support we have received. We are also excited to share that having raised nearly fourteen thousand dollars so far, we have only six thousand dollars...

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Occupational Therapy Update 2022

Occupational Therapy Update 2022

Occupational Therapy Senior Leader2021 was quite a year, to say the least. With lots of adapting to do, our Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy teams did a fantastic job of navigating the past year's challenges while still achieving new goals.Term 4 Team MeetingOur...

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Occupational Therapy Week 2021

Occupational Therapy Week 2021

Occupational Therapy Senior LeaderParticipation - Inclusion - IndependenceOT week is an opportunity to celebrate Occupational Therapists and educate the broader community on the value they provide. This year's theme of participation, inclusion and independence...

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Early Links Telehealth Hubs

Early Links Telehealth Hubs

Grants & Sponsorship OfficerThe events affecting the world today have presented challenges for us in continuing to provide support to our clients. This includes an increased need to support clients using telehealth. At Early Links, we had a vision to create...

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2021 Wellness Challenge

2021 Wellness Challenge

The wellbeing of the people we support and our team are always priorities for us but even more so during this lockdown period. Telehealth and other innovative support techniques have allowed our team to continue supporting their clients, but we were also very aware of...

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Roadmap to Recovery

Roadmap to Recovery

Chief Operating OfficerWhen we were in the middle of lockdown, returning to “normal” life seemed a world away. However, the State Government’s release of its Roadmap to Recovery, with its increasing freedoms, as the community hits its 70, 80 and then 90% vaccination...

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Early Links Virtual Playgroup

Early Links Virtual Playgroup

Early Links Playgroup is a free community playgroup for children aged six and under. It is held at Maitland Presbyterian Church during normal circumstances, but the current period of lockdown has meant this is not possible.Virtual playgroup during lockdownOur...

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COVID Update – 28 June 2021

COVID Update – 28 June 2021

Update from our CEO - 28th June 2021 Dear clients, I want to reach out to you with a Covid update. Let me, first of all, reassure you that we will do everything possible to support you through this period. The situation may impact our ability to operate as usual, but...

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