Media Release by The Hon Jenny Macklin MP

Supporting children and families in remote Northern Territory communities

Joint Media Release with:

  • Chris Burns MLA, Northern Territory Minister for Education and Training and
    The Hon Warren Snowdon MP, Minister for Regional Services Delivery, Member for Lingiari

Indigenous families in remote communities across the Northern Territory will benefit from new family support services as part of a $12.5 million partnership between the Australian and Northern Territory Governments.

The Australian Government is providing $5.3 million over three years, with the Northern Territory Government contributing $7.2 million over the next two years to establish and run the services.

Local Indigenous people will be employed as Northern Territory Government employees and trained as Indigenous Liaison Officers to deliver the new services.

The Australian Government’s successful Indigenous Parenting Support Services and Supported Playgroups will be delivered through the Northern Territory Government’s Families as First Teachers program. As part of the Partnership with the Northern Territory Government, these services will be delivered in the15 Remote Service Delivery sites of, Galiwin’ku, Gapuwiyak, Gunbalanya, Lajamanu, Maningrida, Milingimbi, Nguiu, Ngukurr, Ntaria, Numbulwar, Anugurgu, Umbakumba, Wadeye, Yirrkala and Yuendumu and in the three Territory Growth Towns of Ali Curung, Ramingining and Borroloola.

Through this partnership early childhood professionals and local Indigenous Liaison Officers will respond to communities needs and develop services focused on child development and early learning, health, hygiene, nutrition and building parenting skills.

The types of services that could be available to families will include playgroups, parenting workshops, individual parenting consultations and home visiting services, as needed.

Under the partnership, services will be streamlined to prevent duplication while ensuring each site has strong parenting support services that are suited to that community’s needs.

The Australian and Northern Territory Governments are committed to delivering high quality early childhood programs for Indigenous families in the Northern Territory to give parents and families the knowledge and skills they need to keep children healthy, safe and ready to learn when they start school.

We are committed to closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians and essential to that is giving Indigenous children the best possible start in life.