Stronger Families and Communities Strategy (SFCS) 2004-2009
Communities for Children
$147.8 million over five years
- What is it?
- Why are we doing this?
- How does it work?
- Communities for Children: sites, funded organisations and funding
- Funding Extension for six Round One sites
What is it?
Communities for Children is a place-based early intervention and prevention approach to child protection and development. Non Government Organisations (called Facilitating Partners) are funded in 45 disadvantaged sites throughout Australia to work with local stakeholders to develop and deliver tailored approaches to deliver positive and sustainable outcomes for children and families across 5 key action areas of early learning and care; child-friendly communities; supporting families and parents and family and children's services work effectively as a system. All service delivery is grounded in the principles of community development, partnerships and evidence-based practice.The Facilitating Partners act as brokers in engaging smaller local organisations to deliver a range of activities in their communities.
Examples of activities being implemented under CfC are:
- home visiting
- early learning and literacy programs
- early development of social and communication skills
- parenting and family support programs
- child nutrition, and
- community events to celebrate the importance of children, families and the early years.
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Why are we doing this?
Australian and international evidence confirms that the early years of a child's life are critical to his or her future development. It is at this time that a child's brain is rapidly developing and the foundations for learning, behaviour and health over the life course are set.The path to poor outcomes such as school difficulties, welfare dependency, and poor physical and mental health, often begins in early childhood with a range of associated risk factors. Early childhood risk factors that impact on outcomes include child characteristics such as poor attachment or poor social skills; parenting styles; family factors and life events; and community factors such as socio-economic disadvantage and lack of support services.
However, these risk factors can be offset by protective factors such as good antenatal and maternal health and nutrition, parental communication and positive attention from both parents, family harmony and participation in broader social networks.
Communities for Children works towards ensuring that children have the best possible start in life by focusing on well-targeted early intervention approaches that bring about positive outcomes for young children and their families.
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How does it work?
In implementing their local initiative, Facilitating Partners establish a Communities for Children Committee with broad representation from stakeholders in their community. The Facilitating Partner oversees the development of a Community Strategic Plan and annual Service Delivery Plans with the Committee and manages the overall funding allocation for the community. Much of the funding is allocated to other local service providers to deliver the activities identified in the Community Strategic and Service Delivery Plans.[ top ]