Early Years Partnership budget boost welcomed
Telethon Kids Institute has welcomed today’s announcement by the Cook Government and Minderoo Foundation of a $34.6 million boost for the Early Years Partnership to achieve better outcomes for children.
The Early Years Partnership is a collaboration between the State Government, Minderoo Foundation and the Telethon Kids Institute aiming to improve the development, health and learning of children aged 0-4 years across its partner communities of Armadale, Central Great Southern, Derby and Bidyadanga.
The budget uplift will deliver 24 priority projects under the Early Years Partnership, including the construction of an Early Learning and Family Centre, additional support for child dental health services, increased Child and Maternal Health Checks, and more accommodation for visiting early years and family support service providers.
Additionally, it will help deliver improved access to early learning, support early identification and intervention of developmental delay, and provide critical family support to enable children’s development and school readiness.
As the evidence partner, Telethon Kids Institute will independently evaluate the program to ensure the model can be used in communities facing similar challenges, benefiting all Western Australian families and communities.
Telethon Kids Institute Executive Director Professor Jonathan Carapetis said the funding boost represented a milestone in ongoing efforts to foster better outcomes for children and families, with collaboration and co-design with the community at the heart of Early Years Partnership.
“In collaboration with the Cook Government and the Minderoo Foundation, Telethon Kids Institute researchers will evaluate the program and provide communities with the best available evidence of how we can improve child development,” Professor Carapetis said.
“Having researchers partner with Government and philanthropy represents a remarkable opportunity to ensure children have the best possible chance to be happy and healthy.
“This announcement also builds on Western Australia’s long-term leadership in research excellence and innovation for child development and learning outcomes.”
You can read the Cook Government’s full announcement here: Budget boost to partnership delivering better outcomes for children | Western Australian Government (www.wa.gov.au)
