About us

• Seven are in major cities
• 33 are in outer or regional locations
• 10 are in remote or very remote locations
• 50 are in Aboriginal communities
• One is a predominantly Torres Strait Islander community
• 15 Aboriginal organisations deliver HIPPY
• 83% of the network of 100 HIPPY communities enrol Aboriginal and or Torres strait Islander families in HIPPY

HIPPY’s success has been achieved through effective partnerships with local communities to deliver the program today. The HIPPY model is applied in ways to reflect the strengths of communities and their local cultures. HIPPY works with a range of families that represent the diversity within the Australian community, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, families born overseas or families that speak a language other than English at home.

As of the end of 2021:

• 33% of Tutors employed identify as Aboriginal and or Torres Strait Islander
• 33% of Tutors employed in 2021 were born outside of Australia
• 29% of children who were enrolled in the program were from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds with:
  • 22% of these born outside of Australia; and
  • 95% speaking a language other than English at home.

The Brotherhood of St. Laurence (BSL) has an exclusive licence with HIPPY International to run the program in Australia. Since 1998, BSL has sustained and grown this program by sublicencing local not for profit organisations in Australia to deliver HIPPY in selected communities.

The benefits for HIPPY of this model are:

• greater coordination of locally based specialist providers
• a culturally appropriate program delivery that understands and engages with the diversity of HIPPY participants
• ensures HIPPY is responsive to local community needs
• reduced administrative costs for government
• enhanced opportunities for innovative service delivery resulting from economies of scale.

Learn more about BSL

HIPPY Australia National Office is vibrant multidisciplinary team driving program practice, innovation and quality outcomes. They contribute to:

• developing innovative curriculum, resources and systems
• training, mentoring and coaching HIPPY site staff
• implementing and monitoring quality assurance and compliance to meet government requirements
• providing specialist advice and support to achieve outcomes
• early years and parenting policy and practice; and
• monitoring, evaluating and continuous improvement.

The first HIPPY program was set up in 1969 by a team of researchers led by Professor Avima Lombard at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The project looked at home-based education involving mothers and their preschool children who came from educationally disadvantaged sections of society. Today, HIPPY and HIPPY inspired programs operate in over 15 countries, including Australia, Argentina, Austria, Canada, Germany, Italy, New Zealand and the United States.

To learn more about HIPPY in other countries visit HIPPY International website.

At the Brotherhood of St Laurence (BSL), we are dedicated to safeguarding the rights of all our HIPPY families. We want you to feel safe and be safe, free from any form of abuse, exploitation, or harm. The well-being of your family is our top priority, and we have a zero-tolerance policy towards any kind of child or vulnerable adult abuse.

Our commitment is backed by a duty of care from our staff and the staff of our HIPPY provider organisation. We ensure that our program is delivered in a way that upholds everyone's right to be safe. Creating safe environments for all participating in our HIPPY program is crucial to us, and we strive to be culturally respectful and inclusive.

The BSL and your HIPPY Provider are Child Safe Organisations

As Child Safe Organisations, we deliberately take steps to protect children from all forms of abuse and neglect, including physical, sexual, emotional, and psychological. This commitment is embedded in every aspect of our organisation, and the organisations delivering HIPPY in communities, creating a culture where everyone feels confident and supported to disclose safety or well-being concerns.

We want all children, families, and carers to feel welcome and able to express their identity and concerns about safety. Our policies and practices are designed to promote the safety and well-being of children at all levels of our organisations. Together, we aim to prevent, respond to, and encourage reporting of any allegations of child abuse and harm.