Two early childhood partnerships in Mildura and Greater Shepparton will be expanded thanks to a Brumby Labor Government boost of $1.2 million to help children in disadvantaged communities get the best start in life.
Minister for Children and Early Childhood Development Maxine Morand said the two Best Start partnerships would each receive $600,000 over three years to improve breastfeeding rates and help ensure children were accessing early childhood services.
“We already have Best Start partnerships operating in 30 locations across Victoria and these partnerships are doing an outstanding job in ensuring children and their families are accessing high quality early childhood services,” Ms Morand said.
“I am delighted to announce that two of these existing partnerships in Mildura and Shepparton will receive extra funding so they can strengthen and expand their activities to provide even more support to local families.
“Best Start has been an extremely successful initiative and has already made a positive impact and we want this important work to continue.
“Key areas where Best Start has proven successful include increasing rates of breastfeeding, attendance at Maternal and Child Health centres, parents reading to their children earlier and higher rates of physical activity.
“This additional funding will allow these two Best Start partnerships to further improve on these great results.”
Ms Morand said the Best Start program was a Brumby Labor Government initiative aimed at improving the health, development, learning and wellbeing of children from birth to eight by building partnerships between councils, early childhood services, parents and local communities.
“Creating family-friendly communities where families and children are supported is a priority – that is why we have invested more than $23 million in the Best Start initiative since 2002,” Ms Morand said.
Member for Northern Victoria Candy Broad said key areas the Mildura Best Start initiative had been focusing on included increasing rates of breastfeeding and increasing kinder participation.
“It is great this additional funding is being provided which will allow the centre to increase its focus on two key areas - further improving breastfeeding rates and increasing participation rates of vulnerable children and their families in early childhood services,” she said.