Early Roots: Social & Emotional Development Program
Helping young children build the foundations for lifelong learning, confidence, and wellbeing.Social & Emotional Development Program
The early years are one of the most important periods of a child’s development. Early Roots is a psychologist-led program that supports children in developing the social, emotional and developmental skills needed to thrive at home, preschool and school.
Unlike many children’s groups that focus on a single topic each week, Early Roots provides repeated opportunities to practise a range of developmental skills through carefully planned play-based experiences, therapist-guided activities and everyday social interactions.
Each child begins the program with an individual developmental consultation and goal-setting session, allowing activities to be tailored to their unique strengths and areas for growth. To maximise the therapeutic benefit of the group, children are carefully placed with peers who have similar developmental needs and abilities, creating an environment where everyone can participate, connect and learn at an appropriate level.
Throughout the program, children develop skills in:
- Emotional regulation
- Communication
- Friendships and social confidence
- Attention and task engagement
- Following instructions
- Flexible thinking
- Problem solving
- Confidence and independence
- School readiness
Every session incorporates a variety of engaging activities, including cooperative games, movement experiences, creative tasks, construction challenges, sensory activities, imaginative play and real-life social situations. Each activity is intentionally designed to provide multiple opportunities to practise important developmental skills within meaningful, enjoyable experiences.
To help learning continue beyond the group sessions, families receive brief, practical home activities that reinforce the skills introduced during the program. These activities are designed to be simple, achievable and easy to incorporate into everyday family life.
Program Inclusions
- Initial developmental consultation with parents/carers
- Individualised goal setting
- Ten-week psychologist-led group program
- Take-home activities to support ongoing learning between sessions
- Parent feedback session at the end of the program
- Written progress summary
- Recommendations for ongoing support where appropriate
We maintain waitlists for all programs to ensure that every family who expresses interest has the opportunity to join a future group if a place is not immediately available.
Group Details
- Age Group: 4 – 6 years
- Starting: Friday 16 October 2026
- Timings: 9 am – 12 pm
- Duration: 10 weeks
- Fee: $2000
- Deposit: A $200 payment is required to secure your child’s place, with the remaining balance due by 16 September.
- Program location: 39-41 Clower Avenue, Rouse Hill NSW 2155 (with an entry opposite Aberdour Avenue)
Note:
Depending on your individual circumstances, you may be eligible for support through NDIS, Medicare or private health insurance. Eligibility and claiming requirements vary. If you have questions about funding or rebates, please get in touch with us. We are happy to help you understand your options.
Early Roots – Frequently Asked Questions
Is Early Roots therapy?
Early Roots is a psychologist-led developmental group program rather than individual psychological therapy.
The program provides structured opportunities for children to develop and practise social, emotional and developmental skills within a small-group setting. Where a child requires individual therapeutic intervention, this can be discussed with the parent.
What skills does Early Roots help develop?
Children have opportunities to develop:
- Emotional regulation
- Communication and conversation
- Friendship and social skills
- Attention and task engagement
- Listening and following instructions
- Flexible thinking
- Problem solving
- Confidence and independence
- School readiness
Rather than focusing on one skill at a time, activities are designed to work on several areas simultaneously.
What makes Early Roots different from a regular children's activity group?
At Early Roots, children don’t just hear about new skills—they actively practice them. Through structured group activities and shared parent feedback, we create a continuous loop of learning that bridges the gap between our program and home.
What does a typical session look like?
Each session includes a variety of structured and play-based activities. Children may participate in cooperative games, movement activities, creative tasks, construction challenges, sensory experiences, imaginative play and activities that require communication and problem-solving.
Each activity is intentionally selected to give children repeated opportunities to practise important developmental skills.
Is Early Roots a childcare program?
No. Early Roots is a psychologist-led developmental program, rather than a childcare or general playgroup.
The activities are planned around children’s social, emotional and developmental needs, with opportunities for children to practise specific skills and receive guidance from the clinicians facilitating the group.
How do you know what my child needs?
Every child begins with an individual developmental consultation with their parents/carers. This provides an opportunity to understand the child’s strengths, current challenges and areas where they would benefit from further development.
Individual goals are then considered when planning activities and supporting the child throughout the program.
What if my child has higher support needs?
We consider each child’s individual needs when determining whether Early Roots is an appropriate group setting.
Where possible, children with similar levels of developmental need are grouped together. This helps us create groups where children can participate meaningfully and receive the level of support they require.
Does my child need a diagnosis to attend?
No, your child does not need a diagnosis to attend. A formal diagnosis is only necessary if you intend to access Medicare rebates.
Is this program suitable for a child who is already seeing a psychologist, speech pathologist or occupational therapist?
Early Roots can complement other supports by giving children opportunities to practise skills in a small peer group.
Will my child be given homework?
Families will receive small, practical activities or ideas to continue practising the skills at home. These are intended to fit naturally into everyday family life and help children continue their growth and learning between sessions.
What happens if my child misses a session?
Families will be provided with activities to support continued practice at home. This allows the learning to continue even when a child is unable to attend a particular session.
How many children are in a group?
Groups are intentionally kept small so that children have meaningful opportunities to participate, communicate and receive support from the clinicians.
Can I enrol my child at any time?
Early Roots runs as a 10-week program, so places are generally offered at the beginning of a program cycle.
If a group is full, families can join the waitlist. We maintain waitlists so that families who are interested are given an opportunity to be contacted when a place becomes available or when the next group is formed.
What happens after the 10 weeks?
At the end of the program, parents receive feedback and a written progress summary.
Are there any prerequisites for the Early Roots Program?
Children attending the Early Roots Program must be fully toilet trained and able to use the bathroom independently. If your child is still working on toileting or requires assistance, a parent or support person must remain nearby to assist them as needed.
Do I need to stay in the session?
No. Parents/carers do not need to stay in the session but are required to stay nearby in case the child needs them. Families are required to be present 15 minutes before the session end time for handover and feedback.
Is a payment plan available?
We will have payment plan options available for our programs running in 2027.
Can I use NDIS funding, Medicare or private health insurance to pay for the program?
Your child may be eligible for NDIS funding, a Medicare rebate or a private health insurance rebate, depending on your individual circumstances and the requirements of the relevant funding or rebate program.
Eligibility and claiming arrangements vary. We are happy to answer your questions and discuss the options with you before you enrol.
Can I use NDIS, Medicare and private health insurance together?
Only one funding or rebate option can be used for the program. If you are unsure which option is appropriate for your circumstances, please contact us and we will be happy to answer your questions.
Expression of Interest Form
Our small-group children’s programs are being delivered in the Rouse Hill area to support children at different stages of social, emotional and developmental growth.
We have developed programs for different age groups and developmental needs, with each program designed around specific skills and goals. We are now inviting families to express their interest so we can finalise group placement and session arrangements.
Please complete the short Expression of Interest (EOI) form to let us know which program you are interested in, your child’s age and the areas you would like them to develop.
Submitting an EOI does not commit you to enrolment or payment. It allows us to understand your child’s needs, place children into appropriately matched groups and contact you regarding available places and next steps.
If you are unsure which program is the best fit for your child or would like to discuss your child’s needs before submitting the form, please call or email us.
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