Extra help for Children’s Services in New South Wales

An extra $169,000 for two Commonwealth-funded children’s services in New South Wales was announced today by Minister for Community Services Mr Larry Anthony.

“The extra funding for child care service training in New South Wales will result in substantial benefits to our children and their families,” said Mr Anthony.

“The funding clearly displays the Coalition Government’s commitment to ensuring that high quality child care services are available to all families in Australia.

“Child care is a very dynamic environment and as such, staff providing child care need to be kept up-to-date with developments in their industry.”

The NSW Family Day Care Association will receive $85,000 to provide in-service training to ‘child development officers’ in family day care.

There are around 350 child development officers working in family day care to provide advice, support and training to carers who work in their own homes. It is expected that 280 of them will participate in this training opportunity.

The program will be offered in five metropolitan and five non-metropolitan areas of New South Wales.

The Network of Community Activities will receive $84,000 to supply in-service training for staff in outside school hours care.

The outside school hours training will cover policy development, health and safety, program and activities, children aged over nine, relationships, social skills and positive behaviour.

Mr Anthony said there would be a range of metropolitan and non-metropolitan venues to ensure that staff in services throughout New South Wales could gain access to the training.