As Triple P coordinator in the Child Youth and Family Health Service at Townsville Hospital and Health Service, clinical nurse Judy Reichman and the team there have helped thousands of North Queensland families gain positive parenting support.

It’s fitting that Judy’s first experience of Triple P was as a young mother.

“I was referred to Triple P myself and had some lightbulb moments which changed how I communicated with my kids, and then every relationship,” she said.

“I found the tools personally so foundational I wished all families could do it.”

Judy’s workplace has been using Triple P with families since 1999.

“This year it will be 24 years,” she said. “My unit manager was one of the first in Townsville to get the training and deliver to families here. We are pretty proud that the program was homegrown in our state too.

“We first accessed this program because there was funding but kept the program in place so long because it works. The resources and training are consistently accessible, and we have confidence in the support offered. We respect there is a lot of evidence backing the delivery of this program.

“As it stands our service has an agreement under the Queensland Government’s Triple P Program - Universal Parenting Program to deliver the program to a specified number of clients, and we never fail to deliver this number nor struggle to find families.”

Judy’s team is all accredited to a minimum of Level 4 Triple P certification. This enables them to deliver the program in various ways, such as one-on-one, group sessions, monthly overviews in the community and phone support.

“Because Triple P is part of our core business, it is inherently incorporated into our home visits, family care program, growth and development clinics, and in-take phone line as well,” she said.

“It doesn’t matter how families access the information – we use the same language and principles. There is consistency of information between health professionals. Our focus is largely around working in partnership with caregivers and Triple P encourages this.

“We often see parents who have lost their confidence and direction in parenting – for some they have never had it. We recognise that despite our starting points we all have common ground agreeing that parenting is hard, but we all want the best for our kids.

“Our primary goal is to see our little people grow into the best versions of themselves and we know the way to do that is to strengthen and empower their primary caregivers and family unit.”

Judy feels the program has also helped create a positive workspace for staff and a greater sense of teamwork.

“Actually, I think once Triple P is integrated, we use it on each other as well – possibly one of the reasons we have such a nice working relationship with our colleagues,” she said.

“We use those skills in the workplace, in the way that we talk to each other, debrief and so on.

“The professional development and ongoing peer support also gives us an ongoing sense of being a valued team member of the larger Triple P family. It keeps our knowledge fresh and provides an opportunity to share our experiences with colleagues around the state. The program is sensible and easy to deliver, communicate and adapt to situations.”

Judy encourages other health professionals to take advantage of the free Triple P training.

“Having access to Triple P means that we have information that is tried and tested, easy to communicate, and it promotes positive family dynamics – often there’s a positive flow-on effect to other relationships as well.

“I recommend it personally and professionally – even for improving the work environment, and for the relationship your staff have with their children.

“It all adds to the wellbeing of our community.”

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To find out how you can also access free Triple P training thanks to Queensland Government funding, visit triplep.net/qldtraining