Connect Play Learn
Connect Play Learn
Using the PAIR Model to Integrate Relational Approaches in Early Childhood Intervention
A Workshop for Early Childhood Practitioners
About the Workshop
The Connect Play Learn Workshop is a two-day, practical training designed for early childhood practitioners who want to strengthen parent engagement and embed relational practice into everyday sessions.
Underpinned by the PAIR Model (Phased Approach to Including a Relational Focus), this workshop equips you with the structure, tools, and confidence to build strong therapeutic relationships with families, support meaningful and collaborative goal attainment, and consistently apply relational approaches from the very first session.
Over two days, this workshop combines rich discussion, real-world case examples, small-group activities, and applied practice to ensure you gain:
- A clear understanding of the evidence underpinning relational practice and the PAIR Model
- Practical strategies to balance developmental goals with relational principles
- Tools to confidently engage parents and establish shared, collaborative goals
- Skills in video reflection to support ongoing learning and feedback
- Techniques to strengthen parent–child interactions and build lasting family partnerships
- Adaptable strategies to apply relational approaches across a range of therapy contexts
Workshop Details
When: Friday 2nd & 9th October, 9:00am to 4:00pm on both days.
Where: Centre for Children's Health Research, 62 Graham St South Brisbane, QLD 4101
Pricing (include catering):
| Early Bird (until 1st September) | $780 |
| Standard | $880 |
| Student (Student ID required on the day) | $650 |
Registration close: 20th September 2026.
About the PAIR model
What is the PAIR Model?
The PAIR Model (Phased Approach to Including a Relational Focus), developed by Dr Jacqui Barfoot, is a practical, evidence-informed framework designed to help early childhood practitioners strengthen parent-child interactions and embed relational practice into everyday sessions—without replacing discipline-specific approaches.
It works as a multidisciplinary implementation tool, guiding practitioners on how and when to use interaction-based strategies within early childhood intervention (ECI). This includes key practices such as contracting, collaborative goal setting, and integrating discipline-specific strategies over time.
The model provides a clear structure that supports practitioners to:
- Apply existing knowledge and approaches more intentionally
- Build consistency in practice across sessions and teams
- Strengthen parent engagement through shared language and expectations
The PAIR Model and its accompanying tools also align with and support implementation of the National Framework for Best Practice in Early Childhood Intervention, helping teams deliver more consistent, relationally focused care.
Why This Training Matters: Bridging the Gap Between Theory and Practice
Multidisciplinary early childhood intervention (ECI) teams deliver high-quality services; however, many practitioners continue to face common challenges in day-to-day practice, including:
- Consistently engaging parents within sessions
- Balancing child-focused strategies with meaningful caregiver involvement
- Translating best-practice relational principles into everyday workflows across disciplines
Many practitioners are already trained in well-established relational approaches such as Hanen programs, DIR®/Floortime™, and the Denver Model, which provide strong, evidence-based strategies to support parent–child interaction and communication.
Connect Play Learn does not replace or duplicate these approaches. Instead, it strengthens their impact by providing a practical, multidisciplinary implementation framework that helps practitioners apply these strategies more consistently and effectively across roles, sessions, and teams.
Who should attend?
This training is designed for practitioners working with young children and families across:
- occupational therapy,
- speech pathology,
- physiotherapy,
- psychology,
- social work,
- early childhood education.
Meet the Presenter
Dr Jacqui Barfoot | Occupational Therapist & Postdoctoral Research Fellow (UQ)
With over 20 years of experience in early childhood intervention, Dr. Jacqui Barfoot developed the PAIR Model to help therapists embed relational practices into therapy, supporting stronger parent-child connections and aligning with best practice guidelines.