This document outlines various preparations parents and carers can make to care for dependents, including changing health behaviors, enhancing knowledge and skills, modifying the physical environment, and organizing finances. It discusses preparing nutritious diets, obtaining education from various sources, ensuring home safety, and planning budgets and savings. Making preparations across these different domains can positively impact the wellbeing of dependents by helping parents and carers meet their needs.

1. Preparations for becoming a
parent or carer
Parenting and Caring
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2. ● changing health behaviours
● enhancing knowledge & skills
● modifying the physical
environment
● organising finances
● examine a range of parenting &
caring situations & assess the
impact preparations can have
on the wellbeing of the
dependant
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3. ● preparing yourself as a parent or carer will
help meet the needs of and wellbeing of the
dependant
● Personal management skills, planning,
organising, communication, decision making
● The needs will be dynamic & change often.
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4. Remember the 4 syllabus areas:
C Changing health behaviours
O Organising finances
M Modifying the physical environment
E Enhancing knowledge & skills
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5. Changing health behaviours
● Parents need to make positive active choices for their
nutrition, physical activity, social & spiritual
connections to conceive a baby & during pregnancy
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6. Changing health behaviours 2
● Balanced diet of whole foods
● Folic acid, iodine, iron, zinc (what foods
can these come from?)
● Reduce caffeine
● No alcohol or Tobacco or soft cheese or
shellfish
● Seek medical advice eg fish & medicines
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7. a. Outline nutritional behaviours before & during pregnancy:
http://www.elevit.com.au/planning/nutrition/ elevit
http://www.babycenter.com.au/a3558/diet-for-a-healthy-mum-to-be Baby Centre
b. Outline challenges this could present for an elite sport mother to be and a
vegan mother to be.
c. Identify a range of health behaviours a male should practice in the
preparation of conceiving a child.
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8. Changing health behaviours 3
● Drink plenty of water
● Be active before, during and after pregnancy -seek Drs advice
● Regular appointments with GP, ultrasounds
● Plenty of sleep
● Seek support as needed eg QUITT campaigns, appropraite clothing for
exercise.
Carers
● healthy food habits for them and dependant
● physical activity for them self and suitable for dependant
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9. Changing health behaviours 4
● attending prenatal classes
● inquire into mothers groups, play centres,
Church groups
● Relaxation techniques, meditation
How can parents & Carers use social or spiritual
connections to enhance the wellbeing of dependants?
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10. Preconception nutrition
Watch this clip:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sebPyJF4Rbg 3min
a. Identify 5 key messages on preconception
nutrition
b. What else could you add for post birth for
the dependant?
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11. Enhancing Knowledge & Skills
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12. Enhancing Knowledge & Skills 2
● Education, information & training
● Formal eg antenatal classes or informal eg advice from a
grandparent or reading a magazine, online eg
http://www.parenting.sa.gov.au/
● Valid & reliable sources
● Validate through professional health care providers eg
Community Nurse or Gp
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13. Enhancing Knowledge & Skills 3
● Carers attend a number of formal courses
eg TAFE to assist in care of dependant
● Online, local workshops to suit need or
formal training such as nursing in early
childhood
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14. Read What is a Carer?
https://www.carersnsw.org.au/Assets/Files/WhatIsACarer.pdf
a. Identify a range of skills & knowledge needed by a carer.
b. Suggest 2 courses that would be useful a carer who is
almost full time for their dependant.
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15. Modifying the physical environment
● Housing, amenities & equipment could be
modified.
● Increase fro 2- 3 bedrooms,
rails/locks/high chairs for babies,
ramps/hand rails for aged.
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16. Modifying the physical environment 2
Read a parents guide to Homes
http://www.kidsafe.com.au/2011%20Parents%20Guide%20to%20Kidsafe%20Homes%20FINAL%20
photo%20primo.pdf
a. Complete the checklist from p26 for your own home.
b. Identify the 3 first modifications you would do at your
house based on the checklist, to protect the wellbeing of
young children.
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17. Organising finances
● Budgets, saving, support payments,
government assistance.
● Potential costs eg hospital, clothing,
nappies, car seat.
● Specialised equipment eg wheelchair,
ramps.
● May need to build up savings.
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18. Organising finances 2
Could include:
● accessing maternity or paternity leave.
● Mortgage, rent, utilities payments etc
● Family Tax Benefit & Child Care
payments through Centrelink or Carer
Payments & Allowance
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19. a. Investigate 2 support payments available
through Centrelink for parents & Carers.
http://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/subjects/payments-for-carers
a. Assess the impact preparations can have
on the wellbeing of the dependant.
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20. ● changing health behaviours
● enhancing knowledge & skills
● modifying the physical
environment
● organising finances
● examine a range of parenting &
caring situations & assess the
impact preparations can have
on the wellbeing of the
dependant
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