About the project
Child Care Links was developed as a pilot program and uses child care centres and other community services in disadvantaged areas as community hubs to link families with young children to local support services and to strengthen community networks. The aim of Child Care Links is 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.
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 objectives of Child Care Links are:
- child and family professionals have increased knowledge of early childhood development and collaborate in providing services to young children and their families;
- caregivers of young children are further supported to fulfil their parenting role;
- communities recognise the importance of the early years and support early childhood development; and
- to foster quality child care by promoting best practice.
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.
A further evaluation of the Child Care Links projects has been undertaken by O'Brien Rich Research Group.
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)
|
- Athol Park
- Coober Pedy
- Davoren Park
- Playford
- Alexandrina
- Seaton
- Burnside
|
| TAS |
- Huon Valley Council (Huon Valley Children's Services Child Care Links)
|
|
| VIC |
- Melbourne City Mission North West (Harnett House Child Care Links Project)
|
|
| WA |
- Rose Nowers Child Care Centre (Port Hedland Child Care Links)
|
|