Drawing on expertise and objectivity, the Parent Institute provides a safe place for an ideas exchange on parenting practices and challenges.
Our Purpose
Podcast episode on the Parent Institute
Listen to Episode 7 of "The Great Cause" where Dr Jenny Brown and Phillip Heath, AM discuss confidence for parents and the Parent Institute.
Available now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Upcoming Events
Avoiding and breaking free from tech-enabled addiction
- Monday 23 June
- 7:30pm - 8:45pm
- Barker College
Two experts in the psychology of tech-enabled addiction share strategies with parents around teen behaviours concerning online gambling, social media, and gaming.
The Confident Parent Course - Cohort 2
- Monday 4, 11, 18, 25 August
- 7:00 - 8:30 pm
- The Piazza, Kurrajong Building, Barker College Junior School
The flagship offering of the Parent Institute. A free, four-week course where parents grow, discuss and connect around parenthood.
Past Events
Sleep for Better Health, Resilience and Performance (Webinar)
- Monday 2 June
- 7:30 - 8:45 pm
- Online Webinar
Complementing student information sessions of sleep wellbeing in school times, special guest Dr Lisa Maltman of 'The Sleep Connection' will be presenting at a webinar for parents.
From Gifted to Talented - With special guest Dr Minh Nguyen-Hoan
- Wednesday 28 May
- 6:30 - 7:45 pm
- Kurrajong Piazza
How do we unlock potential in different domains? Join us for an inspiring event dedicated to gifted education, where we focus on nurturing potential and transforming it into talent.
Fueling Healthy Kids: Simple Nutrition for Busy Parents
- Friday 23 May
- 9:15 - 10:15am
- The Piazza, Barker College Junior School
Packing lunches, reading nutrition labels, planning weekly meals? Join expert dietitian and media nutritionist, Alex Parker from 'The Biting Truth' for an interactive nutrition workshop.
The Junior School Learning Journey: Inspiring every learner, every experience, every day
- Wednesday 5 March
- 7:00 - 8:30 PM
- Kurrajong Piazza
This session will inform parents about how teachers at Barker College use data to inform their teaching and demonstrate to parents what is required to ensure students meet their zone of proximal development. There will be an emphasis on how parents can help their child throughout their learning journey.
Discover Barker
- Thursday 27 February, 6:00pm for a 6:15 start.
- Kurrajong Piazza (Junior School) Barker College
This informative session will create an opportunity to further connect our community as well as provide helpful information for families - both new and old.
Parenting this Generation with Confidence
- Monday 24 February
- 7:00pm - 8:15pm
- Leslie Hall, Barker College
In a century of increased parenting uncertainty, we seek to understand the historical and social context, and how parents can reclaim confidence.
On The Same Page: A special webinar for Year 10 families
- Monday 23 September
- 7:30 - 8:45pm
- Online Webinar
The Barker College Wellbeing Team have invited David and Katie Kobler of YourChoicez to present an online webinar designed to facilitate conversations amongst Year 10 families.
Female Athlete Health & Understanding the Menstrual Cycle
- Tuesday 20 August
- 6:30 - 7:45 pm
- Rhodes Theatre, Barker College
A workshop designed to educate all families, athletes and friends, to support and empower female athletes to build confidence so they can reach their potential in sport and life.
Adolescent Cyber Safety in 2024 with 'ySafe'
- 5 August 2024
- 7:00 - 8:15 pm
- Rhodes Theatre, Barker College
The online world continues to grow and extend into all areas of our lives including that of our students. YSafe can give parents the knowledge and skills to support children as they develop in this technology-enabled world.
Adolescent Drug & Alcohol Education - with Tanya Cavanagh of 'Not Even Once'
- Tuesday 25 June
- 7:00 - 8:15pm
- Rhodes Theatre, Barker College
In 2024 Barker is partnering with leading drug and alcohol education provider, 'Not Even Once', to work with students, and on the evening of June 25, with parents.
Relationships & Consent Education - with Elephant Ed
- Thursday 16 May
- 6:30 - 8:00 pm
- Rhodes Theatre, Barker College
In 2024 Barker is partnering with leading relationships and consent education provider, Elephant Ed, to work with students, and on the evening of May 16th, with parents.
On The Same Page: A special webinar for Year 7 families
- Tuesday 2 April
- 7:30 - 8:45pm
- Online Webinar
The Barker College Wellbeing Team have invited David and Katie Kobler of YourChoicez to present an online webinar designed to facilitate conversations amongst Year 7 families.
Discover Barker
- Thursday 29 February
- 6:00 - 7:00pm
- The Piazza, Kurrajong Building, Barker College Junior School
An informative session that will create an opportunity to further connect our community.
Year 11 Jumpstart - Webinar for Students and Parents
- Thursday 8 February
- 7:30-8:15 pm
- Online Webinar
An opportunity to meet key Barker staff members supporting Year 11 in 2024 and ask questions. Students and parents are encouraged to watch this webinar together.
"Hope" for today's parents
The term is half-way through and it won’t be long before we are also half0way through the year. It goes so fast – however it feels like we are only at the beginning of so many special moments and events in the world of Barker’s Parent Institute.
- Becky Shu
- 01 June 2025
From Gifted to Talented: With special guest, Psychologist Minh Nguyen-Hoan
Term 2 Week 5 was gifted awareness week at Barker, celebrated through various activities at the school.
- Dr Matthew Hill, Ms Susanna Matters
- 29 May 2025
Introducing a new member of the Parent Institute leadership team - Becky Shu
Becky Shu - teacher, chaplain and Barker parent - joins the Parent Institute leadership team
- Dr Matthew Hill
- 07 May 2025
The new Parent Institute: Supporting and sustaining confident parents
Barker is a community, and our mission is not only to care for the students, but also to care for and invest in our parents.
- Dr Matthew Hill
- 07 May 2025
Event: Year 7 Study Habits 2025
Notes from an interactive workshop to help Year 7 students and their parents develop good study habits
- Dr Matthew Hill
- 29 April 2025
Parent Hope Project
The Parent Institute is a provider of training as part of the Parent Hope project (see https://parenthopeproject.com.au/).
In Semester 1, 2024 Barker Junior School staff are being trained in the project in order to continue to support family practices at the school. This training will be extended to an offering for parents at Barker and in the wider community later in 2024. Benefits for parents include:
- Parents learning to manage their own anxieties and anxieties of their children
- Parents recovering confidence in their capacity to contribute to their child’s wellbeing and responsibility.
- Parents working as part of communities to foster emotional and social development of children
Read more about the Parent Hope project at Barker in our blog.
School TV
The Parent Institute offers support to families through an external provider known as School TV. Barker Families have full access to the School TV libarary with talks and interviews from leading specialists on topics such as:
- Understanding adolescence // Raising Girls / Raising Boys // Resilience // Blended Families //
- Sleep // Body Image // Eating Disorders // Managing Screen Time //
- Respectful Relationships // Bullying // Internet Addiction // Online Pornography // Youth Anxiety
Barker families can contact The Barker Institute for a direct link to access all content now.
