THE Albanese Government is helping First Nations children get the best start in life, expanding the successful Connected Beginnings program to the New South Wales Central Coast.
Minster for Early Childhood Education and Care today announced $3.8M for Barang Regional Alliance to deliver Connected Beginnings sites in Wyong and Gosford.
The program connects First Nations children aged zero to five with a range of early childhood health, education, and family support services – helping children meet the learning and development milestones necessary to achieve a positive transition to school.
In communities where the program is already established we are seeing success in increasing hours of centre-based childcare and preschool enrolments and in the number of children on track in all five Australian Early Development Census domains.
The new Central Coast sites will support around 2,400 First Nations children in the local area.
The program is a key contributor to the early childhood targets set in Closing the Gap. It builds partnerships with First Nations communities by supporting community-led decision-making.
The Government partners with SNAICC National Voice for our Children and the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation to deliver the Connected Beginnings program, a community-led project achieving results for about 19,600 First Nations children across Australia.
The new Wyong and Gosford sites are part of an $81.8 million investment to expand the program to 50 sites across the Country. Once all 50 sites are established the program has the potential to support up to 20 per cent of all First Nations children aged zero to five.
Other Connected Beginnings sites in New South Wales include Doonside, Mount Druitt, Taree, Bourke, Wagga Wagga and Broken Hill.
Learn more about the Connected Beginnings program at: https://www.education.gov.au/early-childhood/community-child-care-fund/connected-beginnings.
Member for Dobell Emma McBride said: Early learning is one of the most powerful tools we have in Closing the Gap, programs like Connected Beginnings help make sure First Nations children in our community are school ready.
“The Central Coast Connected Beginnings Sites will provide wrap-around education and health support to around 2,400 local First Nations children in the critical first five years of life.”
