My News: September 2025
We’re checking in again and we’d love to hear from you!
We ask these questions twice a year to help us understand what’s working well and what we can improve. Your answers help us give better support to you and other families in the Learning for Life program.
It only takes 2 minutes to complete.
Click the button below to log in to My Smith Family and answer the questions before 7 October.
What we heard from you
11, 000 families took the time to answer check-in questions in 2024. To learn about what we heard from you and how this information helped us, visit Checking in with you.
This year’s theme is: “Every conversation matters: Shifting conversation to action.”
Child protection is about keeping kids safe from harm and helping them grow up feeling loved and supported.
When kids feel safe and cared for, they do better at school, make good friends and feel happy about themselves.
As a parent or carer, you play a big role in keeping your child safe. You can help by:
- Talking and listening: Spend time chatting with your child about their day, feelings, and friends. Let them know they can talk to you about anything.
- Noticing changes: If your child seems sad, worried, or different, gently ask how they’re feeling.
- Finding help and information: You can visit the NAPCAN website, Raising Children website or talk to your child’s school.
During the week, there are also free online talks (webinars) with practical ideas and tips.
Keeping children safe is everyone’s job
At The Smith Family, we care about child safety. You can read our Child Protection Policy and learn about children’s rights on our Information Hub.
If you have any questions or worries about your child’s safety or wellbeing, talk to your Family Partnership Coordinator. They’re here to listen and help.
Looking back at Book Week – celebrate reading at home!
Children’s Book Week is a fun time to enjoy the magic of reading. Reading helps kids learn new things, grow their imagination, and build skills for school and life.
Your child may have dressed up or joined in Book Week activities at school.
Here are some easy ways to continue their reading at home:
- Read together every day: even 10 minutes can make a big difference!
- Visit your local library: help your child choose free books based on their interests. Many libraries also have audiobooks.
- Talk about books: ask your child what they liked, what surprised them, or how the story made them feel.
- Show that reading is important: let your child see you reading too. It could be a book, a news article, or even a recipe.
Reading doesn’t have to be perfect. What matters is helping your child practise and feel more confident.
More tips
Visit our Information Hub for ideas on how to support your child’s reading at home.
If your child needs extra help with reading or literacy, talk to your Family Partnership Coordinator. They can offer advice or connect younger students with one of our reading programs.
Applications for the 2026 Australian Government Career Starter Program are now open!
This is a great opportunity for Year 12 graduates who are ready to start working and build on-the-job skills.
The 12-month full-time career development program offers:
- a competitive salary
- practical hands-on work experience
- formal training, including a Certificate IV in Human Resources or Government
- professional development and networking opportunities.
There are opportunities across various agencies like the Department of Defence, the Australian Taxation Office and the Department of Home Affairs.
To learn more and apply, visit the website below.
Explore post-school options
Deciding on a path after school can be overwhelming, but don’t worry, there are plenty of resources to help your child explore their options.
You and your child may like to watch videos about different jobs, try virtual work experience or complete career quizzes together in our Information Hub.
Remember, if your child needs help planning life after Year 12, you can always talk to your Family Partnership Coordinator.
Coming soon – Manage My Scholarship
We’re making some changes to My Smith Family. Over the next week, you’ll see a new section in the My Smith Family menu – Scholarship.
Here, you can check and update:
Your Privacy consent and
Your concession card details
Your Learning for Life Partnership Agreement
Keeping this information up to date helps your family to receive all the support available from The Smith Family.
To learn more, visit our Information Hub.
If you have any questions, please reach out to our Learning for Life Contact Centre team.
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