What is Child Care Links?
Child Care Links is an activity under the Family Support Program which provides prevention and early intervention programs to families with children up to 12 years. It has been a part of Invest to Grow since 1 July 2006.
Child Care Links aims to improve the health and wellbeing of young children by strengthening the resilience of their caregivers, using early childhood and other community services to foster the development of child-friendly communities.
How does it work?
Child Care Links uses childcare centres and community services in disadvantaged areas as community hubs to link families with young children to local support services and to strengthen community networks.
Under this initiative, a child care worker, supported by a sponsor organisation, is funded at each site to facilitate the development of networks and linkages between child care services and other family and children’s services.
Why are we doing this?
The expectation of the Child Care Links projects is that they will:
- Increase parents’ knowledge and understanding of services, facilities, information and available supports with the local area
- Increase the understanding in the community of the importance of early childhood development and care and its influence on later outcomes in life
- Lead to a greater use of child care centres for community activities which promote community connectedness and stronger families.
The locations of the sites and the sponsors:
| State |
Sponsor |
Site |
| ACT |
- Communities @ Work (Richardson Child Care Centre)
|
|
| NSW |
- Cabonne Council (Cabonne Family Links)
- City of Penrith (Children's Services Connecting Communities Project)
- SDN Children's Services Inc
(SDN Riverwood Child Care Connections Project) |
- Cabonne / Blayney
- Penrith
- Riverwood
|
| NT |
- Good Beginnings Australia Limited (Moulden Park Child Care Links)
|
|
| QLD |
- Creche and Kindergarten Association of Queensland Inc (Caboolture Indigenous Child Care Links)
- Gurriny Yealmucka (Good Healing) Health Services Aboriginal Corporation (Yarrabah Gurriny Child Care Links)
|
|
| SA |
- Uniting Care Wesley Bowden Inc (Athol Park Child Care Links)
- District Council of Coober Pedy Coober Pedy Child Care Links)
- Anglicare SA (Davoren Park Child Care Links)
- City of Playford Council (Playford Family Links)
- District Council of Alexandrina (Fleurieu Families Family Links)
- Uniting Care Wesley Port Adelaide Inc (Seaton Family Links)
- City of Burnside (Child Care Links East)
- Kirton Point Kindergarten (Port Lincoln Child Care Links)
|
- Athol Park
- Coober Pedy
- Davoren Park
- Playford
- Alexandrina
- Seaton
- Burnside
- Port Lincoln
|
| TAS |
- Huon Valley Council (Huon Valley Children's Services Child Care Links)
|
|
| VIC |
- Melbourne City Mission North West (Harnett House Child Care Links Project)
|
|