Glenelg Shire welcomes funding injection from CCF to boost children’s ECEC access

Victoria’s Glenelg Shire has welcomed $210.000 of Federal funding from the Government’s Community Child Care Fund Grant designed to increase the number of children able to access care in regional, remote and disadvantaged communities.

 

Under the grant stream, two of the Council’s Integrated Centres – The Karreeta Peeneeyt Mara Portland Child & Family Complex (PC&FC) and the Kathleen Millikan Centre (KMC) in Casterton – will receive funding to address barriers and develop innovative solutions to increase childcare participation.

 

The Council’s Children’s Services Manager Miryam Franjic said the Grant news was “fantastic” for families across the Shire, and an announcement which highlighted the importance of early childhood education and care. 

 

“Current and future families will benefit from this critical funding boost which will ensure all children have the best start to their educational and developmental journey,” she said.

 

“$60,000 will be allocated to PC&FC to develop a community support engagement strategy. The ultimate aim will be to support the participation of all children in care, particularly our vulnerable children and their families.”

 

KMC, meanwhile, will receive $150,000 to create an enhanced, more sustainable business model of service delivery. The model will include a service review, needs analysis, benchmarking and development of model options that can increase places for children 0-12, including vulnerable children.

 

“This will assist local families to participate actively in work, study and community life and improve access for disadvantaged families. It is a win for all sectors of our community,” Ms Franjic said.

 

“The funding will also include strategies to recruit, support and retain staff which is paramount to the future sustainability of our services.”

 

The Glenelg Shire is one of 385 successful childcare providers from across Australia who will share in $100 million worth of funding from the Community Child Care Fund (CCCF).

 

Funding will be allocated across three financial years, from 2021 to 2024.