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From 30 March 2012, this clearinghouse will be amalgamated into Child Family Community Australia (CFCA Information Exchange). For more information see the CFCA Information Exchange FAQ

Communities for Children Early Childhood Coordinators (ECCs)

The full Promising Practice Profile is available for download in PDF format (533 KB)

Project practice

Coordination and development of early childhood service delivery responses to improve access and utilisation by the local community including Aboriginal children, children with additional needs (and their families).

Project undertaken by

Centacare Wilcannia-Forbes (Facilitating partner for the Communities for Children - Dubbo, Narromine, Wellington initiative)

Start date

November 2006

Focal areas

Healthy young families

Supporting families and parents

Early learning and care

Indigenous families

Creating Child friendly communities

Families and children's services working effectively together

Program

Communities for Children (CfC)

Issue

Community consultations in the Dubbo, Narromine and Wellington Shires of central NSW have indicated that many children and families are not accessing the services and supports available to them. Together with additional local research, the findings of these consultations show that health, ante- and post-natal, playgroup, early childhood and family support services are among the services identified as inaccessible or under-utilised.

Consultations with Aboriginal community groups and families of children with additional needs have emphasised that lack of knowledge about services, transport barriers, discrimination, and services operating in ways that are offensive, denigrating, or culturally inappropriate are among the reasons that families are not accessing existing services. Lack of appropriate services was also identified as an issue by service providers and community members, including the Aboriginal community, as well as families and children with additional needs.

Service providers admitted not knowing of the existence of other services or how they operated, and expressed a wish to begin working in more collaborative ways. At consultations and meetings, many service providers pointed out that a majority of their clients are from the Aboriginal community. However, service providers and community representatives also reported that vulnerable Indigenous families are not accessing services. Service providers wished to bridge this gap.

Program context

The Dubbo, Narromine, Wellington CfC Site covers three Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the North West Statistical Division of New South Wales. There is relatively stable population growth across the North West, although the Dubbo LGA has an annual growth rate of 0.5%. The area also has a higher proportion of the population between 0-14 year olds (22.8%) than NSW in general (Dubbo City Council, 2008).

An important characteristic of the CfC site is the relatively high percentage of Indigenous people living in the community: 9.7% in Dubbo city, 14.6% in Narromine/Trangie and 13.1% in Wellington compared to the 1.9% NSW average (2001 Australian Census, www.abs.gov.au). Birth rates are higher for the Aboriginal community than for the non-Aboriginal community in the Greater Western Area Health Service.

Centacare Wilcannia-Forbes is the Facilitating Partner for the CfC - Dubbo, Narromine, Wellington initiative. The Early Childhood Coordinator initiative is the main CfC activity and forms part of the Strengthening Universal Points of Access strategy through supporting collaborative action. Four Early Childhood Coordinators (ECCs) have been employed by CfC Community Partners to engage, connect and support children, families and service providers, and the wider community:

In Dubbo, a city of 40,000 people, two ECCs have been employed. One of these positions is an identified Aboriginal position and is auspiced by Centacare Wilcannia-Forbes. The "mainstream" position in Dubbo is auspiced by UnitingCare Burnside.

Another Coordinator is working in Wellington; a town of 8,239. This position is auspiced by Wellington Council.

The fourth Coordinator is working in Narromine Local Government Area, which has a population of 6,621. The Narromine position is auspiced by Bubblegum Inc., a community-based children's services support organisation.

The client group for the ECCs are:

• young children and families (including Aboriginal children and their families, and, children and families with additional needs); and
• local service providers.

Through engaging, connecting and supporting children, families and service providers, the ECCs are aiming to achieve:

• more children and families having increased access to appropriate services and opportunities for community connections;
• increased identification, referral and support of families with additional support needs;
• more services outreaching and connecting with families within their community context;
• an increased number of expectant parents/families accessing ante- and post-natal care, education and support; and
• stronger "pathways" of coordinated services to identify the needs of and to support children and families.

The main activities and services that the ECCs undertake are:

• coordinating community based activities such as family fun days and early literacy events;
• providing information to and supported referral for families and children;
• supporting existing informal support groups, or the establishment of new groups;
• supporting and promoting the availability of services in community or alternative locations;
• promoting culturally inclusive support for Aboriginal children and families;
• working in partnership with key agencies and community groups and the CfC committees;
• developing and distributing local early childhood services directories; and
• undertaking regular promotional activities aimed at highlighting local early childhood issues, increasing community understanding of the importance of early childhood, and increasing community knowledge of early childhood services and CfC activities.

Practice description

This section lists and briefly discusses the ingredients that are emerging as being critical for the effectiveness of the CfC ECCs in their key practice of engaging, connecting and supporting children, families and service providers.

Communication

This is the core element. Accurate, respectful and inclusive communication is essential for effective practice in engaging, connecting and supporting children and families and service providers. Good communication underpins all the other practice ingredients. ECCs have emphasised that respect, listening and understanding of other people's culture and context are very important components of their communication. For example:

• ECCs have taken part in Cultural Awareness Training designed and presented by local Aboriginal Elders for CfC committee members and staff. This training assisted the ECCs to make new connections and begin a process of developing mutual understanding and respect.
• All the ECCs contribute a fortnightly "Children Matter" column to their local newspapers. The Coordinators have received feedback that people have attended events because they heard about it in the column. These columns are playing a part in raising the whole community's awareness of young children and families. One Coordinator reported being approached by an elderly lady in the street who told her how much she enjoyed reading the column each fortnight.

Networking

A central activity of all ECCs is linking community members to other community members, organisations and service providers. They take every opportunity to link services through attendance at networks, community events and meetings. Introducing people, passing on information and contact details, and arranging meetings are all important components of networking. For example:

• Each Coordinator has produced a directory of local early childhood and family support services and distributed these directories widely amongst community members and services.
• ECCs meet every month with their local CfC Early Childhood Committee to discuss and plan activities and to hear advice on local needs.
• The Wellington Coordinator has reported that through attending Wellington (Community Services) Interagency meetings she has been able to increase other services' awareness of and support for early childhood services and needs. The Shine for Kids program has started at the new Wellington Correctional Centre to support children of inmates. The Uniting Church in Wellington, Wellington Aboriginal Corporation Health Service (WACHS), TAFE and Dept of Sport and Recreation are all now supporting Shine for Kids after becoming aware of the program through the Wellington Coordinator.

Flexibility and creativity

Problem-solving and being ready to try new approaches are ingredients evident in all activities. The ECCs have identified the importance of being open to new ideas and feedback from services and community members. As the coordination projects have developed from the ground up, there have been many unexpected events and developments. Using such action research principles means that the ECCs can also encourage service providers to be reflective about the ways in which they plan and deliver their services. For example:

• When a partnership between services broke down, one Coordinator was able to forge a new way for a promising activity to continue. The Coordinator communicated diplomatically between all group participants and service providers and supported the Young Mums Us through Arts group to continue with new roles for all partners.
• All the ECCs have conducted at least one community event that was not well attended. They have listened to community and service provider feedback and tried new and more successful approaches including new venues, new times and new activities.

Collaboration with other services

At this stage, ECCs are actively supporting other services in their activities, and working in partnership with services to organise and deliver programs and community events. This practical collaboration demonstrates that the ECCs are ready to "walk the walk". This practical collaboration is establishing relationships and partnerships, which may lead to more complex and long term collaboration. For example:

• The Dubbo Family Fun Day, held in Children's Week 2007, was facilitated by the Dubbo Coordinator. Over 15 Dubbo services including early childhood services, local government and Indigenous organisations planned and worked together to present the day. This year Family Day Care joined in for the first time and made contact with Aboriginal families and service providers. The Family Day Care Coordinator has recently reported a big increase in applications from community members to become Carers. The Coordinator feels this is largely because of the service's increased profile in the community.
• The Narromine Coordinator joined in with the Narromine Birth-to-Kindergarten Early Literacy Committee to present a Reading Festival in Children's Book Week.
• A health professional from the Wellington Aboriginal Corporation Health Service (WACHS) has recently given feedback to the Wellington Coordinator. This health worker has observed that the young mums taking part in the Young Mums Us through Arts Group have gained in confidence and become more able and willing to attend family events that they would not previously have attended. The health worker believes that the Coordinator's involvement in the Young Mums Us through Arts Group has contributed to this outcome.

Outreach

Outreaching to other services at their offices, activities and meetings and to the community at their community venues has been important to building credibility and accessibility. Outreach demonstrates a genuine wish to support and collaborate. Outreach shows respect and willingness to move outside their "comfort zone". Outreach by the ECCs makes it easier for time and resource strapped services and communities to get involved in activities. Outreach is an important part of effective relationship building with the "hardest to reach" members of the community. For example:

• All ECCs regularly visit their local early childhood services. Many of these service providers are not able to attend CfC or other interagency meetings. The Coordinators all report that during these visits they hear about service issues and community issues that they would not otherwise be aware of. Transport barriers, lack of awareness of other services, resource and training needs are among issues that have been raised.

Building relationships with community members and service providers

This has been identified by ECCs as an essential element in networking, collaboration and overall communication with service providers and community members. Building a relationship means taking the time to listen, respond and follow-up. Taking the time to build relationships is important because it helps to develop trust and understanding of each others needs and characteristics. Building a relationship lays the foundation for future collaboration and communication. Building a relationship leads to players having more realistic expectations of each other. For example:

• The Wellington Coordinator has recounted how a relationship gradually developed with a group of community members in a nearby small village. The Coordinator, over time, was able to assist the group in developing their own community run playgroup. Other projects and events have flowed on from this.

Research base

The approach of the CfC ECC program is supported by, or consistent with relevant research, systematic reviews and reports in several areas. However, there is a lack of existing evidence that this specific model will achieve targeted specific outcomes. It is therefore important to record and evaluate in order to gauge and improve the quality of the program, and to add to the evidence base.

Importance of connection to community and services

The role of the ECCs within the Universal Points of Access strategy is supported by two important understandings about effective early intervention. Available demographic data and community consultations indicate that many vulnerable families are not accessing services in the area. Shonkoff and Phillips (2000) asserted that families who are connected to the community and services are better able to support their children's development. The focus of the ECCs is on increasing access to appropriate services at important age milestone and community points of access. Increased contact and access to services will increase developmental opportunities for young children.

Community capacity building

The ECCs are aiming to build the capacity of the early childhood and family service and support sector to respond to needs of children and families within their respective communities. Initiatives involved in community building need to generate social support for families with young children (Rogers & Moore, 2003).

Value of a temporary position

A pilot project that includes a temporary position can effectively develop lasting social capital through effective facilitation of service cooperation and development of skills in the community (Johnson et al., 2005).

Communication, community involvement

Effective intervention needs to include family-centred, strengths-based, culturally appropriate and empowering approaches featuring collaboration and trust between all parties (Moore et al., 2001; Rogers & Moore, 2003).

Collaborative community efforts

In his review of the literature, Munt (2003) described the importance of working together as both a means to achieve social capital outcomes as well as an important outcome in itself:

At a community level collaboration is an essential part of achieving project goals, as individuals, agencies, organisations and/or groups rely on the combined effort and resources of others to achieve meaningful and sustainable outcomes. Collaboration, as well as process, can be an outcome in itself, as it can be a key element for creating social infrastructure that is sustainable beyond the duration of the project. (p. 6)

Collaborative service provision

McCain and Mustard (1999) recommended integrated community driven services for families with children, with resources to enable the needs of all families to be met. They promote the efforts of service providers to operate in cross-disciplinary, flexible ways to be a successful part of this new approach (McCain & Mustard, 1999). Families often need a wider range of services than any single program can provide (Harbin, 2001). From a health background, Vimpani (2000) noted that a holistic network that overcomes service barriers will provide a more effective continuum of support for families. However, Wynn et al. (1994) acknowledged that there are challenges for agencies in developing new ways of working together. Scott (2005) provides a framework for identifying, analysing and addressing the potential conflict arising at inter-organisational, intra-organisational, inter-professional, interpersonal and intra-personal levels. She concludes that a willingness to identify, acknowledge and engage in conflict transactions is essential to overcoming structural or ideological obstacles to collaboration (Scott, 2005).

Although much of the writing on collaborative action focuses on inter-organisational collaboration the critical elements of collaboration in this profile also involve partnership building between families and service providers. Blue-Banning et al.'s (2004) consideration of collaborative partnerships between parents and professionals suggests that there are six key indicators which contribute to the building of successful partnerships. These are communication, commitment, equality, skills, trust, and respect (Blue-Banning et al., 2004).

Community involvement

The Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC) and the Centre for Community Child Health's (CCCH) 2004 collection of Early Childhood Case Studies describes features of twenty eight children's services which focus on working with Aboriginal families and children. All the projects reported positive outcomes where there is evidence of community participation in planning and carrying out the project.

Culturally appropriate services and the need for flexibility

The authors of the NSW Department of Community Services' Prevention and Early Intervention Literature Review (2004) claim that cultural awareness and cultural partnership, and a high level of resourcing and flexibility are important ingredients in effective programs with Indigenous families and children.

Importance of early years experience for later outcomes

Many disadvantaged families have little or no contact with other child focused service till their children reach school age (Rogers & Martin, 2002), yet children's early experiences are very important for developmental outcomes (McCain & Mustard, 1999).

The 2004 Report of the Review of Aboriginal Education' conducted by the NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative Group and the NSW Dept of Education and Training acknowledges the poor educational outcomes for Indigenous students in this state. The Report also discusses how extensive community consultations have identified the importance of inclusion of the whole family in successful education programs, and the need to strengthen schools' connections to communities. The importance of children's experiences in the years before school is discussed. Recommendations include supporting innovative transition to school programs.

Importance of early intervention and coordinated services

Core problems in relation to community services for children and families include: fragmented service delivery, lack of co-ordination between services and insufficient focus on prevention, early detection and early intervention. These problems are exacerbated with the inclusion of factors of economic and social disadvantage (Rogers & Moore, 2003).

Importance of community connections

The ABS discussion paper on Social Capital and Social Wellbeing (2002), reports that families on lower incomes have less connection to community activities. Research carried out in Hawaii on outcomes for children in very disadvantaged neighbourhoods came up with initially surprising pockets of good outcomes (Werner, 1971). Factors identified as being protective included the presence of family and community connections. Strengthening families and community connections has subsequently become a key platform of policy informing programs both in Australia (e.g., Families First and Best Start) and overseas (Sure Start in the UK and Early Head Start in the USA). See http://www.aifs.gov.au/sf/communities.html

Outcomes

At this early stage, after one year of establishing and beginning to deliver their services, outcomes are emerging because of the work of the CfC Early Childhood Coordinators. These outcomes are directly linked to the objectives for the program listed in the "Program Context" section of this profile.

• More children and families, including Aboriginal children and families, and children and families with additional needs, are having increased access opportunities to appropriate services and community connections.
• Referrals have been made
• New and existing groups are being supported by the ECCs.
• New services and partnerships are being facilitated.

Evidence of outcomes

Sources of data and information confirming the outcomes from the ECCs practice of engaging and linking families and services include:

ECC reports to the Facilitating Partner and Community Partners detailing all activities, including numbers of participants;

• participant feedback forms and surveys;
• case studies and observations made by the ECCs and CfC team;
• support statements from CfC Early Childhood committee members and community members;
• photographs;
• media columns and articles; and
• products (e.g., early childhood service directories).

More children and families, including Aboriginal children and families, and children and families with additional needs, are having increased access opportunities to appropriate services and community connections.

The Dubbo Early Childhood Coordinator has:

• Compiled and published 3,000 copies of the Dubbo Early Childhood Service Directory. These are distributed to services and directly to community members at street-based activities.
• Provided opportunities for community members to connect to others and gain information about services at several community activities, which she organised. During April to June 2007 these events included:
  • Family Easter Egg Hunt Victoria Park Dubbo 5th April 2007 35 families in attendance.
  • Mothers Day luncheon at the Gordon Centre on the 2nd of May - 15 families in attendance.
  • Family BBQ and activities at Victoria Park Dubbo 22nd June 2007-23 families in attendance.
  • Harmony Day in partnership with Buninyong School as Community Centre - 5 families in attendance.
• Facilitated the establishment of a "designated children's corner" at the Gordon Neighbourhood Centre. Young children and families who are attending the Gordon Centre have access to this play area.

(Data sources: Dubbo ECC report to UnitingCare Burnside and Centacare April-June 2007)

The Narromine Early Childhood Coordinator has:

• Compiled and distributed Early Childhood Service Directories in pamphlet form for the towns of Narromine and Trangie. 2,500 Narromine Directories have been printed and distributed. 1,000 Trangie Directories have been printed and over 500 of them have been distributed to families via a letterbox drop, thereby providing information about appropriate services. (Data source: Narromine ECC report to Bubblegum Inc. & Centacare July Sep. 2007)
• Provided direct opportunities for community connections via community events, including:
  • Painting in the Park in Narromine on Thursday 21st June in Tom Perry Park - 43 families participated.
  • Painting in the Park in Trangie on Wednesday 20th June in CB Swift Memorial Park - 23 families participated
  • A painting event In Tomingley on Tuesday 19th June at the Old School - 10 families participated.

Some of the feedback received from parents include:

"The event was great"

"My children thoroughly enjoyed themselves"

"It was a good setting"

"There was lots of variety"

"Painting was fabulous, they loved the canvases and rollers"

"No change needed really, just build on what worked well"

(Data sources: ECC's Quarterly Report April-June 07, Events Register, promotion flyers prior to the events, Children Matter newspaper, column feedback forms.)

The Wellington Early Childhood Coordinator has:

• Compiled, published, and distributed Wellington Child & Family Services Directories in brochure (3,200) and booklet (300) forms.
• Provided direct opportunities for community connections via community events, which she organised. These included facilitating Wellington's World's Biggest Playgroup, which was held on Wednesday 28th March 2007, in conjunction with National Playgroup Week. Wellington Community Children's Centre kindly donated their venue for the event, which ran for two hours, with children and parents/carers able to participate in a variety of activities, both in and outdoors. Morning tea, which consisted of fruit platters, sandwiches and cakes, was provided for all those in attendance. In total, there were approximately 50 adults and 90 children that attended the morning. Children, staff and parents from Wellington Public School & Preschool came to the event, which was a first for this service. (Data source: events register & newspaper column)
• Connected community members with services, including when a local grandmother rang requesting information about immunisations for pre-school aged children. The Coordinator was able to provide the grandmother with details and contact numbers of each service that provides child immunisations in Wellington. (Data source: work diary as quoted in the Wellington Coordinator quarterly report to Wellington Council & Centacare March-June 2007)
• Publicised family and children's services and events via a fortnightly "Children Matter" column in the Wellington Times. Recent columns have featured:
  • Local Nappy Change Facilities
  • Talking to your child; how important is it?
  • What's happening in our Community for your Family?
  • Is your child starting "big school" next year?
  • Events in our Community (Transition to School Open Day & Let's Read Launch)
  • Events in our Community (National Child Protection Week & National Simultaneous Story Time)

(Data source: copies Children Matter column & Wellington ECC report to Wellington Council & Centacare June-Sept. 2007)

Referrals have been made

The Dubbo Early Childhood Coordinator has:

Referred 20 families to the following services during April-June 2007:

• Preschool (10)
• Immunisation (5)
• DOH (2)
• Centrelink (1)
• Smith Family (1)
• Brighter Futures (3)

Data source: Non-identifying data collected to support evaluation & research. Contact data base (including follow up information & referrals made) - as reported in the Dubbo ECC report to UnitingCare Burnside and Centacare April-June 2007

The Wellington Early Childhood Coordinator has:

Received numerous calls or enquiries this quarter for a range of information including when:

A local mother rang enquiring about local preschool services for her 4-year-old daughter.

• One mother, who was to be returning to work in the near future following maternity leave, enquired about options for day care for her young son. The Coordinator was able to provide this parent with a copy of the Wellington Child & Family Service Brochure. Following this conversation, this parent has found care for her child for when she returns to work.
• An identical enquiry was received by the Coordinator from another mother who would be returning to work after the birth of her first child. As with the above parent, the Coordinator provided the parent with the details of various service options, and since then, this parent has also secured care for her young child.
• A local parent, who attended a Parent Education Session at Community Health, was interested in the details of local playgroups that ran in the local area. Following the session, the Coordinator accompanied this parent and young daughter to a play session which was being held at Family Day Care. This enabled her to meet the local Family Day Care Coordinator, as well as two local family day carers who attend another local playgroup.

(Data source: referral consent forms and reported in Wellington ECC report to Wellington Council & Centacare March-June 07)

The Narromine Early Childhood Coordinator, from July to Sept 2007 has:

• Referred 2 families to early childhood services in Trangie (Playgroup),
• Referred 2 families to early childhood services in Narromine (Playgroup, Mums Monday),
• Referred 2 families to the Preschoolers Reading Afternoon in Narromine; and also reports that:

Other families may also have begun to attend new services this quarter, and although I may not have directly referred them, I would like to think that my news columns, which promote activities such as library activities, etc., do increase the number of families who are accessing these services.

(Data source: Narromine ECCo report to Bubblegum Inc and Centacare July-Sept 2007)

New and existing groups are being supported by the ECCs.

The Dubbo Early Childhood Coordinator has supported:

• Apollo House (East Dubbo Women's Group) in developing a children's corner;
• The Early Intervention Coordination Project (ECICP) by purchasing kites & promoting the "Kites for Kids" day for the ECICP (an annual event designed to promote public awareness and support for children and families with additional needs); and
• The Aboriginal Maternal Health Strategy in establishing a new mums group for Aboriginal mothers.

(Data source: Dubbo ECC report to UnitingCare Burnside and Centacare April-June 2007).

The Wellington Early Childhood Coordinator:

• Through the Small Grants Initiative, as part of CfC, the following services were supported and encouraged to put forward an application of funds:
  • Comobella Playgroup
  • Noah's Ark Playgroup
  • Mumbil Playgroup
  • Nanima Preschool
  • Wellington Community Children's Centre
• Wellington Public School Transition to School Committee: The ECC had been invited to become involved with the Wellington Public School Transition to School Committee, which began meeting in March, and have continued to meet once a month. Because of these meetings, the Public School will change their orientation week to a series of sessions once a week during Term 4, which is more consistent with a Transition to School program. The Coordinator has been involved with distributing information for the Program to local services, and will continue to promote the change in program as Term 4 draws closer. In addition, she will actively promote any other activities that the school may plan as part of their Transition to School Program.

(Data source: ECC report to Wellington Council & Centacare March-June 08).

The Narromine Early Childhood Coordinator has:

• Continued attending Tomingley's Playgroup "Li'l Tackers" on a regular fortnightly basis and has helped them to apply for funding from CFC Small Grants to improve their service. This playgroup is an informal support network that has only been up and running (quite slowly) for a couple of years and caters in the main to the farmers families around Tomingley. This playgroup is very eager for the Coordinator to continue coming along to their sessions on a fortnightly basis, and are so thankful assistance with the funding application. (Data Source: Narromine ECC quarterly report to Bubblegum Inc & Centacare April-June 07)
• Engaged Aboriginal community members via Us through Arts (UTA) workshops, which are producing culturally appropriate resources to promote early childhood development.
  • Total number -  38 people (18 adults and 20 children)
  • Total number of new families - 12 (19 people)
  • All of the families engaged in the workshops and production of the resource are Aboriginal and range from ages of two months old to approx. 50 years of age.
  • There is a mix of children, nieces, nephews, mothers, aunts, expectant women, grandmothers and grandfathers who attend the group.
  • In order to facilitate the families in UTA to increase their knowledge through the workshops, service providers such as Narromine's Community Technology Centre, Early Childhood Nurses, Rivergum Childcare Centre, Families NSW, Narromine's Aboriginal Women's and Men's Support Workers, High End Design and All Occasions Photographers have been invited along to the group.
  • The early childhood focus of the first resource that will be completed by the end of this 6-month period is a "Birth to Twelve Month Development Calendar".

(Data source: ECC quarterly report to Bubblegum Inc & Centacare July-Sep. 07)

New services and partnerships are being facilitated.

The Dubbo Early Childhood Coordinator has:

• Facilitated the first and second combined services Dubbo Family Fun Day, held in Children's Week. It took many meetings with over 16 agencies participating to plan and provide a range of quality children's activities for this community event. Twelve service providers responded to a feedback questionnaire after the first Family Fun Day. When asked "What was achieved by the day?", most respondents identified:
  • networking - agency-to-agency, family-to-agency, and family-to-family was the most frequently identified outcome;
  • families participating in activities; and
  • agencies working together and sharing resources to put on the day.

(Data sources: Dubbo Family Fun Day planning meeting minutes, feedback questionnaire & media cuttings.)

The Wellington Early Childhood Coordinator:

• Is supporting a community based "Lets Read" Initiative which involves many partnership activities and the provision of a new service.

"The Let's Read Official Community Launch was held on Thursday 23rd August 2007, with 45 families in attendance. At the launch, 68 children and 42 adults were present. It was coordinated by the Let's Read Sub Committee, formed from members of the Wellington Early Childhood Committee. The launch was held at Wellington Civic Centre, and was attended by a range of local families, early childhood services, school groups, FaCSIA representatives, Wellington Council Representatives and members of local service clubs and organisations. Invitations were sent out to local services and schools, as well as to local family contacts." (Data sources: Wellington ECC report to Wellington Council and Centacare June-Sep 2007)

The Narromine Early Childhood Coordinator:

• Is working closely with the Narromine Families NSW Family Worker and other local agencies to support the Birth to Kindergarten Committee in Narromine, and to implement new "Birth to Kindergarten" early literacy programs in the Narromine and Trangie communities. (Data source: Birth to Kindergarten meeting minutes 30.10.07)
• Liaised with Bubblegum Inc., CfC and Narromine Council to facilitate the development of "Child & Family Friendly Spaces" in Dundas Park, Narromine. (Data source: CfC Newsletter January 2008)

The literature and CfC program logic suggest that these early stage outcomes will support and link to the desired longer term outcomes of better maternal, child and family health, early childhood development, and better family functioning. It will be interesting to submit a second stage "promising practice" review of the ECC project in late 2008 to see how the practices and outcomes develop over twelve months. This PPP has provided examples showing how the "essential ingredients" described in the Practice Description section are leading to connections, referrals, new activities and support, in many cases for families and services where there had previously been no connection.

More specific information from these sources can be supplied to verify/support the outcomes listed above.

Policy analysis

The Early Childhood Coordinators initiative of the Dubbo, Narromine and Wellington CfC site is a clear example of collaborative action. The Coordinators in each community take on roles that reflect the needs, strengths and opportunities of that community. Networking is a central activity of each Coordinator. Given these contextual differences, however, it seems that over time variability in roles and functions emerge. The capacity to adapt and respond to emergent needs and preferences is particularly important given the premise on which the initiative is based, namely that improvements in access to and relevance of service provision will lead to improved outcomes for children and families.

While there is a genuine commitment to a comprehensive evaluation strategy there is little information available at this stage on outcome measures or evaluation processes. How the initiative can effectively promote and support more responsive service access and provision to Aboriginal children and families and to children with additional needs is of particular importance. There is little research evidence on examples of this type so evaluation data that will begin to emerge over the next 12 months will be welcome.

Evaluation

N/A

Project related publications

N/A

References

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2002). Social capital and social wellbeing. (Discussion Paper). Canberra: Author.

Blue-Banning, M., Summers, J., Frankland, N., Nelson, L., & Beegle, G. (2004). Dimensions of family and professional partnerships: Constructive guidelines for collaboration. Council for Exceptional Children, 70, 167-184.

Centre for Community Child Health (CCCH), Australian Early Development Index (AEDI). Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne Telethon Institute for Child Health.

Dubbo City Council. (2008). Dubbo LGA: Economic and demographic profile, April 2008. Dubbo, NSW: Dubbo City Council.

Johnson, D., Headey, B., & Jensen, B. (2005). Communities, social capital and public policy: A literature review. Canberra: FaCS.

McCain, N. M., & Mustard, F. (1999). Reversing the brain drain: Final report of the early years study. Toronto, Canada: Ontario Children's Secretariat.

Moore, T., Ochiltree, G., Cann, W. (2001). Best Start Effective Intervention Programs: Examples of Effective Interventions, Programs and Service Models (PDF 452 KB). Centre for Community Child Health for the Victorian Dept of Human Services: Melbourne.

Munt, R. (2003). Building Collaboration. Stronger Families Learning Exchange Bulletin, 3(Winter), 6-8.

National Network for Collaboration Framework. (1995). Collaboration Framework: Addressing Community Capacity

NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative Group & NSW Deptartment of Education and Training. (2004). The report of the Review of Aboriginal Education (DOC 1.9 MB). Yanigurra Muya: Ganggurrinyma Yaarri Guurulaw Yirringin.gurray. Freeing the Spirit: Dreaming an Equal Future.

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Rogers, R., & Moore, T. (2003). The Early Years Project: Re-focussing community based services for young children and their families. A literature review. Melbourne: Centre for Community Child Health, Royal Children's Hospital in partnership with Good Beginnings Australia.

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Contact

Jenny Slack-Smith

Communities for Children
Centacare Wilcannia Forbes
12 Dandaloo Street
Narromine NSW 2821
Phone: (02) 6889 4932

Website

N/A

More information

More information on the Promising Practice Profiles can be found on the Communities and Families Clearinghouse Australia website.