Preparing children for school

About the Home Interaction Program for Parents and Youngsters 

HIPPY is a parenting and early childhood program that builds the skills of parents and carers to better prepare their child for school. It also offers some parents and carers a path to work and local community leadership. 

Families enrol in the program when their child turns 3 years old. They participate for the 2 years leading up to full-time formal schooling. 

Each program location is staffed by a qualified coordinator and a team of home tutors. Tutors are past or current parents who participate in the program and live in the community. The program has been delivered in 100 communities across Australia. It targets around 4,000 children each year. Fifty of these locations focus on First Nation communities. 

The program is funded by the Australian Government and delivered by Brotherhood of St Laurence (BSL) in partnership with around 65 organisations across Australia. 

First Nations involvement 

The Stronger Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisations (ACCO) Stronger Families Part 2 project strengthens partnerships between ACCOs and non-Indigenous organisations.  

BSL is working with the Wunan Foundation to improve First Nation involvement and outcomes of the HIPPY program. 

Learn more about the Stronger Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisations (ACCO) Stronger Families Part 2 project. 

Guidelines, plans and reporting  

Operational guidelines 

The operational guidelines help providers work in a consistent, coordinated and cooperative way.  

The guidelines explain how to deliver services and provides answers to common questions. The guidelines also provide information about how to report critical incidents. 

Read the Home Interaction Program for Parents and Youngsters Operational Guidelines (2022–2027).