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The Federal Minister for Early Childhood Education, Child Care and Youth, Kate Ellis, and the Victorian Minister for Children and Early Childhood Development, Maxine Morand, today (20 October 09) announced two new 'Children and Family Centres for Victoria', in Bairnsdale and Whittlesea.

The new centres are 2 of 35 centres nationally to be fully funded by the Australian Government under the Indigenous Early Childhood Development National Partnership and are due to open by mid-2011. The National Partnership provides joint funding of $564 million over six years to help address the needs of Indigenous children.

Minister Ellis said "The Children and Family Centres will target the needs of Indigenous families and their children, but can also provide services to all disadvantaged families in the local communities. The Victorian Government will consult the community to decide the new sites and the types of services offered."

The media release notes that about 100 Aboriginal children aged four-years-old or younger live in the City of Whittlesea, with 24 births recorded last year. There are 158 Aboriginal children aged between 0-4 years in East Gippsland, with 41 Indigenous babies born last year.

SNAICC  looks forward to the development of the new Indigenous children and family centres and welcomes any information or ideas in relation to their development.

Contacts:

Key Victorian department contact: Professor Peter Dawkins, Secretary, Department of Education and Early Childhood Development

Lead Victorian department project officer: Julie Reid, Senior Policy and Project Advisor, Aboriginal Services, Early Years Branch, Department of Education and Early Childhood Development.

Key federal Minister:
The Hon. Kate Ellis - Minister for Early Childhood Education, Childcare and Youth

Contact Frank Hytten