Relationships Australia SA received the 2015 NAPCAN – National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect – South Australian Play Your Part Award for our Infant Massage Programs on Thursday 10 September. Deborah Lockwood received the award at a ceremony attended by the Minister for Education and Child Development, Susan Close, and NAPCAN CEO Richard Cooke from Sydney. Relationships Australia SA was well represented with staff members Jonathon Main, Janet Muirhead and Kerryn Roberts in attendance. Jenny Mobbs, International Association of Infant Massage (IAIM Australia) Treasurer and board member, travelled from Canberra to attend the award ceremony.
Deborah Lockwood (Manager at Relationships Australia South Australia) related that many of Relationships Australia SA’s youth and child services are now using Infant Massage as part of their service delivery. This includes Together4Kids, Indigenous Parenting North and APY, in our Communities for Children programs in Enfield, Playford and Onkaparinga, and it is being rolled out in the new Children and Parenting program in the West.
Relationships Australia SA has a reciprocal and warm working relationship with IAIM which is based in Canberra. The IAIM Infant Massage Instructors course is accredited by and is under the auspices of the Australian Institute of Social Relations, and training will be offered throughout the year. If you would like to find out more about Relationships Australia South Australia Infant massage programs or would like to incorporate it into your work, please contact Deborah Lockwood at Hindmarsh on (08) 8245 8100.
Photos from the event can be seen on Facebook here.