The ENVISAGE network has grown to include four programs described below.

ENVISAGE – Families

ENVISAGE-Families is an online program for families new to parenting a child with a neurodevelopmental disability. This five-week program draws together contemporary ideas in childhood disability that focus on promoting family and child strengths and development. The program aims to improve family wellbeing and confidence by addressing the unique parenting challenges that can occur when a child is diagnosed with a neurodevelopmental disability.

Our pilot study (Phase 4) examined the effect of supporting parents through ENVISAGE-Families and demonstrated positive impacts on caregiver empowerment, parenting sense of competence, family functioning and physical well-being. Evaluation of ENVISAGE-Families in a randomised controlled trial is in progress.

ENVISAGE-Families research has been funded by

• American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine Pedal With Pete grant
• Canadian Institutes of Health Research
• Australian Commonwealth Government Department of Social Services

In 2022, ENVISAGE was awarded a National Early Childhood Program Grant from the Australian Government Department of Social Services. Funding from this grant, which extends until June 2027, has supported the Australia-wide implementation of the ENVISAGE-Families and ENVISAGE-First Peoples programs.

ENVISAGE – First Peoples

ENVISAGE-First Peoples is a translation of ENVISAGE-Families for First Peoples. Undertaken in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, ENVISAGE-First Peoples is a culturally safe and appropriate program to support caregivers, families and communities raising Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander children with developmental concerns or disabilities.

ENVISAGE-First Peoples Phases 1 to 3, have been funded by

• The Australian Catholic University
• The Cerebral Palsy Alliance Research Foundation, with the aim of preparing grants for Phase 4 in 2023.

ENVISAGE-First Peoples is currently being implemented across Australia funded by the NECP grant.

ENVISAGE – International

ENVISAGE- International currently consists of two programs.

ENVISAGE-Croatia is multi-step cross-cultural translation and adaptation of ENVISAGE-Families in Croatia completed as a doctoral program of research from McMaster University in Canada. The objectives of this project were to

• perform cross-cultural and language adaptation and proof-of-concept pilot exploration of ENVISAGE for parents of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities in Croatia
• refine the Croatian version of the program according to the pilot study results
• and pilot test the ENVISAGE-Croatia workshops and evaluate their impact on Croatian parents’ perception of self, their child with a disability and their family.

ENVISAGE-Denmark is currently underway as a doctoral program of research.

ENVISAGE – Service Providers

ENVISAGE-SP builds on the research work and findings from ENVISAGE-Families. Parents in the ENVISAGE-Families program consistently identified the need for ENVISAGE-Families to be adapted and evaluated with, and for, service providers to ensure the uptake of the key ENVISAGE-Families ideas into their clinical practice.

It is anticipated that by involving both families and service providers in the development and delivery of ENVISAGE-SP these contemporary ideas and practices will affect change and enhance the well-being of many families and that of their children.

The phase 4 pilot study for ENVISAGE-SP has been undertaken, with findings pending publication.

ENVISAGE-SP research (Phases 1 to 4) have been funded by

• Canadian Institutes of Health Research
• The University of Melbourne
• Kids Brain Health Network

The ENVISAGE program of work is being undertaken by a large team of researchers and partners.

You can read more about the ENVISAGE program on their website.