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EARLY YEARS ADVOCACY
Western Australia’s performance in relation to developmental and wellbeing outcomes achieved by children aged zero to eight lags behind other Australian jurisdictions. In 2009, the COAG-endorsed Australian Early Development Index (AEDI) revealed that one in four WA children is developmentally vulnerableon at least one of the five domains measured, and one-in-eight children is developmentally vulnerableon two or more domains. Comparative results show that Western Australian children are ranked sixth overall behind Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania and the ACT.
Using advocacy strategies such as letters to Ministers, a community ‘postcard’ addressed to politicians and policy makers, and submissions to parliament, Investing In Our Youth have been calling for increased financial commitment from the Government in the area of prevention and intervention in the early years of life.
SHOOLS OF THE FUTURE
In May 2011, Investing In Our Youth supported a ‘Schools of the Future’ workshop for health and education delegates. The workshop was held in response to interest in exploring innovative health and education partnerships, with a view to making best use of limited resources and contributing to better learning and development outcomes for young children.
The workshop was organised in response to recent interest in the ‘community in schools’ concept and increasing focus on the ‘one stop’ availability of developmental and educational services for young children.
Children are presenting to school with many different needs in ever increasing numbers. The workshop was viewed as a first step in collectively finding some solutions to these concerning trends.
Workshop participants showed a great willingness to be flexible and consider a range of ideas, practices, and possible service models.
Shared objectives discussed at the workshop included:
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identifying effective, economically viable and sustainable collaborative models of practice;
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improving access to school based primary health care for families with young children;
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focusing on early intervention;
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promoting a family centred approach, and,
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responding to individual community needs.
Ongoing Schools of the Future meeting notes and activities will be uploaded here:
Schools of the Future Forum
Sept 2011 Schools of the Future Meeting notes
LINKING EDUCATION AND FAMILIES (LEAF) RESOURCE PACKAGE
Investing In Our Youth continue to support the school based Linking Education and Families (LEAF) program targeting families with young children. This early years program runs in several schools in Bunbury and Collie, and at Yarloop, and there is great interest in the program expanding locally and across the State.
We are pleased to learn that Minister for Health the Hon Dr Kim Hames, has confirmed that the Child and Adolescent Community Health Service plans to examine the feasibility, cost and effectiveness of the LEAF program and have built a review of the program into their Operational Plan.
In 2010, Investing In Our Youth and members of the Linking Education and Families (LEAF) program steering group were also greatly pleased to learn that an application to the Royalties for Regions scheme had been successful in securing funds for a LEAF multimedia resource package.
There is a lot of interest from schools who would like to develop greater links with the community. A self-learning LEAF resource package will help to make this a reality providing easily accessible links to the program, research links and a wide variety of ‘early years’ information.
Work on the resource package is progressing well and is nearing completion The LEAF program is founded on exemplary inter-agency partnerships between the Department of Education; the Western Australian Country Health Service—SW; the Department for Communities; Investing In Our Youth Inc, Local Government Authorities and the South West Development Commission.
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