Over the last week 13 Indigenous Children and Family Centres sites have been announced in South Australia and Queensland.

Three South Australian Children and Family Centres sites are at Christies Beach/Noarlunga, Whyalla and Ceduna. The centres are to open in 2011, with the Federal Government, in partnership with the South Australian Government investing $25.22 million over six years.  (See the joint press release 30 October by Minister for Early Childhood Education and Child Care Kate Ellis and the South Australian Minister for Early Childhood Development Jay Weatherill.)  A fouth SA site is under development at the Ernabella/ Pukatja on the AP Lands, negotiated outside the National Partnership.

On 5 November the Federal Minister for Early Childhood Education and Child Care Kate Ellis and Queensland's Premier Anna Bligh  announced ten new Queensland centres at Mt Isa, Cairns, Mareeba, Ipswich, Mackay, Rockhampton, Mornington Island, Doomadgee, Marsden and Palm Island costing $75.18 million.

The press releases relating to both announcements say the centres target the needs of Aboriginal families and their young children, but all families will be able to use the service and the centres will bring together services to help children and their families develop in terms of health, education and social development.

SA Minister Weatherill said: 'We will make sure we engage with the local community to ensure the services will meet the needs of local families and improve outcomes for young children,' he said.  The Queenslland press release notes that: 'The Queensland Government will lead the next step, talking with each community about the specific sites for the centres and what types of services best suit local needs.'

These services are 13 of the 35 Children and Family Centres will be built across Australia as part of the $564 million Indigenous Early Childhood Development National Partnership Agreement between the Australian Government and states and territories.

SNAICC has been actively following the development of these services over this year, and urges decision makers to fully understand the core issues around cultural safety and Indigenous community control and that this is the best mechanism to ‘Close the Gap’ and perhaps achieve even better outcomes. For details see previous article 'The 35 Indigenous Child and Family Centres and the MACS' (26 September 2009).

SNAICC urges involved parties to actively engage in the development of these services. If you wish to make comment, the SA and Queensland regional contacts are:

SA lead department and officers

Hon. Jay Weatherill MP
South Australian Minister for Early Childhood Development
E: minister.weatherill@saugov.sa.gov.au

Chris Eccles
Chief Executive, Department of Premier and Cabinet
E: eccles.chris@dpc.sa.gov.au

Kathryn Jordan
Manager, Children’s Centres Project, Department of Education and Childhood Services
E: jordan.kathryn.decs@sa.gov.au 

QLD lead department and officers

Geoff Wilson MP
Minister for Education & Training
E: education@ministerial.qld.gov.au

SNAICC contact Frank Hytten, SNAICC EO