Skip to content

Australian Government Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs

Stronger Families and Communities Strategy

Stronger Families and Communities Strategy (SFCS) 2004-2009
Early Childhood - Invest To Grow


What is it?

Early Childhood-Invest to Grow provides funding for early childhood programs and resources. Its aim is to contribute to improved outcomes for young children through prevention and early intervention and to build the Australian evidence base about what works in prevention and early intervention in early childhood..

Invest to Grow also funds development of tools and resource materials for use by families, professionals and communities supporting families and young children.

Invest to Grow funding ends in June 2009.

[ top ]

Why are we doing this?

Australian and international research confirms the critical development that takes place during the first few years of life, and where required, the real and positive effect appropriate interventions can have on a child's future.

[ top ]

How does it work?

Invest to Grow funds a range of successful established early childhood intervention programs. 2004 - 08 funding enabled programs to be developed and evaluated their effectiveness in achieving outcomes for young children, their families and communities. Final local level evaluations will be completed in July 2008. Funding for 2008 - 09 is to continue delivery of successful services to families and improve outcomes for young children while the government considers the future of its parenting programs.

From 1 July 2006, Invest to Grow has also provided funding for the Child Care Links Initiative. This initiative uses child care centres in disadvantaged areas as community hubs to link families with young children to local support services and to strengthen community networks. It aims to build the evidence base for using this model as an early intervention strategy to improve outcomes for young children and their families.

[ top ]

Funded Programs


Organisation
Program
Association for Services to Torture and Trauma Survivors Good Food for New Arrivals
Autism Spectrum Australia – ASPECT Building Blocks Early Intervention Service
The Benevolent Society Partnerships in Early Childhood
Children's Protection Society "I'm a Dad"
Core of Life Pregnancy, Birth, Breastfeeding and Early Parenting
Key Centre for Women's Health in Society, The University of Melbourne Mothers, Fathers and Newborns: Preventing Distress and Promoting Confidence Program
KU Children's Services Early Language and Literacy Initiative
Good Beginnings Australia National Parenting and Early Childhood programs
Kurrajong Waratah Rural Beginnings
Lady Gowrie Child Centre Inc Through the Looking Glass
Lifeline Community Care Parent-Child Interaction Therapy
Macquarie Research Ltd and StaR Inclusive Early Childhood Education Association Special Teaching and Research (StaR) Project
NPY Women's Council Aboriginal Corporation Child Nutrition Program
Playgroup Association of QLD Sing and Grow
Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children Teleschool Program
St Giles Society Vital Early Years Therapy and Family Support Program
Parenting Research Centre and University of Sydney Healthy Start
Phoenix House "BumbleBees" Therapeutic Pre-School Service Association Inc
School for Social and Policy Research, Charles Darwin University Let's Start: Exploring Together for Indigenous Preschools


Funded Tools and Resources


Organisation
Resource
Australian Childhood Foundation Every Child is Important Program
Communities and Families Clearinghouse Australia - CAFCA (Australian Institute of Family Studies)
CAFCA website - see www.aifs.gov.au/cafca		 Information and advice in the fields of early intervention and childhood development