Government provides community support for Cairns

Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Mal Brough, is in Cairns today to officially launch Mission Australia’s Communities for Children site at Bentley Park, in the city’s south.

Communities for Children (CFC) is a national early intervention initiative to help ensure young kids aged up to five have every opportunity to maximise their full potential.

The Howard Government has provided $3 million over four years for Mission Australia to deliver Communities for Children (CFC) at the Cairns site.

Mr Brough today launches the site, opening the CFC Autumn Country Fair, which celebrates the achievements of the program in the area.

“CFC is designed to help ensure that our young kids today have every chance to achieve in the future,” Mr Brough said.

“Cairns CFC’s vision is to provide opportunities for children to reach their full potential by supporting their development and enhancing families and communities’ ability to respond to the needs of children aged up to five years.

“CFC funds non-government organisations to develop and implement a strategic and sustainable whole of community approach to early childhood development, in consultation with local stakeholders.

“I’m delighted that Mission Australia is delivering CFC in Cairns and look forward to hearing progress reports from the Cairns south site. Mission Australia is a national organisation with extensive experience in children’s service delivery, supported by a national infrastructure.

“Today we celebrate what has been achieved in the area in the last 16 months, and work towards even more positive outcomes in the future,” Mr Brough said.

The Howard Government has provided $142 million over five years to fund the CFC in 45 communities across Australia.