What we are seeking
We seek ongoing funding to expand our Supported Playgroups Program to respond to growing demands of local vulnerable families.
What it will deliver
Playgroups contribute to better outcomes for children and their families, but current funding levels are insufficient to provide adequate levels of service based on current and projected future demand.
What you can do
To help us deliver this priority, you can write to our Lower House Member of Parliament for this electorate or any of our Upper House Members of Parliament for their commitment to deliver funding for this project.
Overview
We currently receive funding from the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing to assist vulnerable children with additional skills in preparation for kindergarten and schooling.
We prioritise directing funding to our most vulnerable suburbs, including Heidelberg West, where children are twice as likely to experience development vulnerability at school entry (27.8% vs 13.9%).
However, even with this approach, the playgroups are not meeting demand:
- Our current funding supports 5 playgroups, which provides a service to no more than 50 families.
- Groups remained at capacity throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and currently maintains waiting lists.
- We have no surge capacity or available resources to manage increased demand for supported playgroups, exacerbating the gaps in service delivery.
- Because of the high demand and the need to provide the service for extended periods due to the lower baseline of parenting capacity, we are not able to service the needs of many families referred to the program.
Increased funding is required for post-COVID-19 demand and to accommodate the projected influx of families with young children post-completion of the Big Build Social Housing projects in Heidelberg West.