Investing in Our Children
Around $90 million dollars will be provided to community groups and programs Australia-wide to supply services for children in the important developmental stages of their lives.
Minister for Family and Community Services, Senator Kay Patterson today announced the funding had been earmarked for 26 community organisations and 21 programs Australia wide under the revamped Stronger Families and Communities Strategy.
Under the Communities for Children Initiative $68 million in funding will go to 26 community organisations to provide a wide range of services for children aged five years and under. This is in addition to $21 million for community organisations announced by the Howard Government in April 2004.
‘The programs funded under Communities for Children include early learning and literacy programs, playgroups, parenting programs, child nutrition and early skills development,’ Senator Patterson said.
‘Through the Australian Government’s Early Childhood – Invest to Grow initiative, $16 million will be provided over four years to extend 10 established programs, which have a strong track record in improving early childhood outcomes. A further $5 million over four years is being allocated to developing programs that will test innovative approaches to early childhood investment.
‘$370,000 has also been allocated from the Parenting Information Project funds for five projects to provide resources for parents from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
‘I am confident that we have a wide range of projects that will enable us to support the expansion of successful models, foster innovation and build the evidence base around what works in early childhood.’
These programs are in line with the findings from community consultations on the development of a National Agenda for Early Childhood focusing the four key action areas of:
- healthy young families;
- early learning and care;
- supporting families and parents; and
- child friendly communities.
‘The Australian Government is doing all it can to ensure that children are provided with every possible opportunity to develop to their full potential and become strong, resilient adults,’ Senator Patterson said.
A full list of successful applicants is attached and further information is available on the FaCS website.
| Program | Location of Organisation | Service Delivery Location | Funding (up to 30 June 2008) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Autism Association of NSW | Building Blocks Early Intervention Service | NSW | NSW | $987,502 over 4 yrs |
| (The) Benevolent Society | Partnerships in Early Childhood | NSW | NSW | $2,548,908 over 4 yrs |
| Children’s Protection Society | ‘I’m a Dad’ | VIC | VIC | $575,148 over 4 yrs |
| Kurrajong Waratah | Rural Beginnings | NSW | NSW | $1,549,614 over 4 yrs |
| Lady Gowrie Child Centre Inc | Through the Looking Glass | SA | SA, WA, and Qld | $1,701,700 over 4 yrs |
| NPY Women’s Council Aboriginal Corporation | Child Nutrition Program | NT | NT, SA, and WA | $1,491,335 over 4 yrs |
| Playgroup Association of QLD | Sing and Grow | QLD | National | $1,669,338 over 4 yrs |
| Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children | Remote Homestart | NSW | National | $1,923,904 over 4 yrs |
| St Giles Society | Children’s Therapy Services | TAS | TAS | $1,411,407 over 4 yrs |
| Victorian Parenting Association Inc and University of Sydney | Healthy Start | VIC | National | $2,290,237 over 4 yrs |
| Total – Established Programs | $16,149,093 | |||
| Program | Location of Organisation | Service Delivery Location | Funding (up to 30 June 2008) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Association for Services to Torture and Trauma Survivors | Good Food for New Arrivals | WA | WA | $471,564 over 4 yrs |
| Autism Queensland Inc | ProAQtive – Early Intervention for Young Children Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders | QLD | QLD | $220,000 over 2 yrs |
| Bundaberg Area Sexual Assault Service Association Inc | ‘BumbleBees’ Therapeutic Pre-School | QLD | QLD | $320,419 over 3 yrs |
| CHEGS Incorporated | Goonellabah Early Childhood Transition Program | NSW | NSW | $499,696 over 4 yrs (incl GST) |
| Key Centre for Women’s Health in Society, The University of Melbourne | Mothers, Fathers and Newborns: Preventing Distress and Promoting Confidence Program | VIC | VIC | $481,156 over 3 yrs |
| KU Children’s Services | Early Learning and Literacy Intervention Program | NSW | NSW | $497,300 over 4 yrs |
| Lifeline Community Care | Parent-Child Interaction Therapy | QLD | QLD | $487,225 over 3 yrs |
| Macquarie Research Ltd and StaR Inclusive Early Childhood Education Association | Special Teaching and Research (StaR) Project | NSW | NSW | $499,849 over 4 yrs |
| Mercy Community Services Inc | Mercy Kutjungka Region Child and Maternal Program | WA | WA | $494,845 over 4 yrs (incl GST) |
| Murdoch Children’s Research Institute | Platforms Strategy | VIC | VIC | $357,900 over 2 yrs |
| School for Social and Policy Research, Charles Darwin University | Let’s Start: Exploring Together for Indigenous Preschools | NT | NT | $681,142 over 4 yrs |
| Total – Developing Programs | $5,011,096 | |||
| Total – Established and Developing Programs | $21,160,189 | |||
| Site | Organisation/Consortium | Funding ($m) |
|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | ||
| Fairfield – encompassing Fairfield, Fairfield East, Fairfield Heights and Fairfield West | The Smith Family | 3 |
| Campbelltown – encompassing Ambarvale, Rosemeadow | The Benevolent Society | 2 |
| Blacktown – encompassing Blackett, Mount Druitt, Dharruk, Emerton, Hebersham, Minchinbury, Whalan | Mission Australia | 3.5 |
| Wyong – encompassing Berkeley Vale, Chittaway Bay, Chittaway Point, Glenning Valley, Killarney Vale, Bateau Bay, Shelley Beach, Tumbi Umbi, Blue Bay, Long Jetty, The Entrance, The Entrance North, Toowoon Bay | The Benevolent Society | 3 |
| Dubbo/Wellington/Narromine – encompassing Dubbo, Wellington, Narromine | Centacare Diocese of Wilcannia-Forbes | 3.5 |
| Raymond Terrace | Consortia: Raymond Terrace Communities for Children (Led by The Smith Family and including The Family Action Centre) | 2 |
| Taree – encompassing the Greater Taree LGA | Mission Australia | 3 |
| Victoria | ||
| Hume/Broadmeadows – encompassing Broadmeadows, Dallas, Jacana, Coolaroo, Meadow Heights, Campbellfield | Consortia: Opportunities for All Children – A Communities for Children project (Led by Broadmeadows Uniting Care and including Dianella Community Health Inc and Orana Family Services) | 3.5 |
| Brimbank – encompassing Albion, Sunshine, Sunshine North, Sunshine West, Ardeer | Consortia: TSFISIS (Led by The Smith Family and including ISIS Primary Care) | 3 |
| Greater Dandenong – encompassing Dandenong, Dandenong North, Dandenong South, Bangholme | Consortia: Mission Australia – Greater Dandenong (Led by Mission Australia and including the City of Greater Dandenong) | 3 |
| Bendigo – encompassing North Bendigo, Long Gully, California Gully, White Hills, Ironbark, Eaglehawk | St Luke’s Anglicare | 2 |
| Frankston North – encompassing Frankston North, Karingal, Carrum Downs | Anglicare Victoria | 3 |
| Queensland | ||
| Deception Bay | BoysTown | 2 |
| Gladstone – encompassing the SLAs of Gladstone and Calliope Part B, and Calliope Part A including Tannum Sands and the towns of Calliope, Benaraby, Wurdon Heights and Beecher and the settlements of River Ranch, West Stowe, Burua and Boyne Islands | Consortia: Gladstone Communities for Children Consortium (Led by Gladstone Area Promotion and Development Ltd and including Anglicare Central Queensland Ltd) | 3 |
| Kingston/Loganlea/Waterford West | The Salvation Army (Queensland) Property Trust as part of The Salvation Army Australia Eastern Territory | 3 |
| Inala-Ipswich – encompassing Inala, Durack, Richlands, Wacol, Carole Park, Goodna and Gailes | Mission Australia | 2 |
| South Australia | ||
| Onkaparinga – encompassing Morphett Vale, Hackham, Hackham West, Christies Downs, Lonsdale | Consortia: Healthy Families, Strong Communities (Led by Anglicare SA Inc. and including UnitingCare Wesley Adelaide) | 3 |
| Port Augusta | UnitingCare Wesley Port Pirie | 1 |
| Salisbury – encompassing Salisbury East, Pooraka, Para Hills, Ingle Farm and Para Hills West | The Salvation Army (South Australia) Property Trust | 3 |
| Western Australia | ||
| Kwinana – encompassing Medina, Orelia, Parmelia, Bertram, Leda, Calista, Wellard | The Smith Family | 2 |
| East Kimberley – encompassing the SLAs of Wyndham-East Kimberley and Halls Creek | Consortia: Yambaba Consortium (Led by Lingiari Foundation Inc. and including Save the Children Australia) | 2 |
| Armadale – encompassing Armadale, Brookdale, Forrestdale, Kelmscott, Champion Lakes, Seville Grove and Mount Richon | Communicare (Inc.) | 3.5 |
| Northern Territory | ||
| Palmerston/Tiwi Islands – encompassing Durack, Bakewell, Driver, Moulden, Woodroffe, Gray and the Tiwi Islands | Australian Red Cross Northern Territory Division | 3 |
| East Arnhem – encompassing Nhulunbuy (Gove), Alyangula, Milingimbi, Ramingining, Galiwinku, Gapuwiyak, Yirrkala, Gunyangara, Milyakburra, Angurugu, Umbakumba, Numbulwar | Synod of the Diocese of the Northern Territory Incorporated | 2 |
| Tasmania | ||
| Burnie and surrounds | Centacare Tasmania | 2 |
| Australian Capital Territory | ||
| Inner North Canberra – encompassing Ainslie, Turner, Braddon, Watson, Downer, Dickson, Lyneham, Reid, O’Connor | Northside Community Service Inc | 2 |