Early Childhood Initiatives
Child Care Links Projects

About the project

Child Care Links was developed as a pilot program and 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 by establishing child friendly communities. The Government has committed around $9.4 million to Child Care Links since January 2004.

Under the initiative, a Child Care Links worker is funded at each site to facilitate the development of networks and linkages between the child care service and other family and children's services.

The expectations of the Child Care Links projects are that they will:

• increase parents' knowledge and understanding of services, facilities, information and available supports within the area
• increase understanding in the community of the importance of early childhood development and care and its influence on later outcomes in life, and
• lead to a greater use of child care centres for community activities which promote community connectedness and stronger families.

Project focus

The projects focus on the needs of parents of children aged 0 to 5 years living in areas that have particular needs including:

• issues related to poverty and isolation;
• children at risk of abuse and neglect;
• significant numbers of people who are Indigenous and/or from a Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) background
• families not accessing community services and activities;
• rural and remote areas; and
• have at least one FaHCSIA funded child care service.

Evaluation

An evaluation of the Child Care Links projects was undertaken in 2005 by the Centre for Community Child Health. The evaluation report concludes that the broad objectives of the Child Care Links initiative were implemented across projects, although community development has taken some time to establish. It found that the Child Care Links model is effective in supporting families with young children and developing social capital within local communities.

• Evaluation Report - PDF [226kb] | RTF [ZIP][249kb]

A further evaluation of the Child Care Links projects is currently being undertaken by O'Brien Rich Research Group. A final report is expected by end August 2008.

The locations of the sites and the sponsors:

State	Sponors
QLD	Caboolture – Creche and Kindergarten Association of Queensland Inc – (Caboolture C&K Indigenous Kindergarten) Yarrabah – Gurriny Yealmucka Health Services Aboriginal Corporation
NSW	Riverwood, Sydney – SDN Riverwood Child Care Connections Project – (Riverwood Early Learning Centre) Cabonne / Blayney – Cabonne Family Links Project – (Cabonne / Blayney Family Day Care) Penrith, Sydney – Children's Services Connecting Communities Project – (Kindana Children's Centre, St Clair)
VIC	Brunswick – Melbourne City Mission North West – (Harnett House)
TAS	Huon Valley Children's Services – Child Care Links
SA	Athol Park Child Care Links – Uniting Care Wesley Bowden – (Athol Park Child Care Centre, The Park Children's Centre) Coober Pedy Child Care Links – District Council of Coober Pedy – (Mini Gems Children's Centre, Umoona MACS). • Davoren Park Child Care Links – Anglicare SA – (Para West Community Children's Centre, NACYS Swallowcliffe Children's Centre) Family Links North – City of Playford Council – (ABC Learning Centre – Elizabeth Vale, Kaurana Plains Child Care Centre, Playford Children's Centre) Fleurieu Families Family Links – District Council of Alexandrina – (Yankalilla Community Children's Centre, Victor Harbor Child Care Centre, Goolwa Children's Centre) Family Links West – Uniting Care Wesley Port Adelaide – (Seaton Child Care Centre) Port Lincoln Child Care Links Child Care Links East – City of Burnside (prev. Unley) – (St Peter's Child Care Centre, Unley & Parkside Child Care Centre – 2 sites, Adelaide Community Child Care Centre
WA	South Hedland – Rose Nowers Child Care Centre
ACT	Tuggeranong – Communities @ Work – (Richardson Child Care Centre)