Communities for Children

Creating strong, child-friendly communities 

The Greater Shepparton Communities for Children program identifies and funds local priorities and projects for children and families in the community.

The aim of Communities for Children is to improve the health and wellbeing of children and their families and create child-friendly communities.

Access Support Now 

Establishing positive outcomes for children and families

Communities for Children is an Australian Government initiative aimed at enhancing early childhood development and wellbeing for children from before birth to age 12, and for their families.

CatholicCare Victoria manages this program within the local community to improve service accessibility, responsiveness and outcomes for families and children in the Greater Shepparton region.

The Communities for Children program focuses on:

• early prevention and intervention for children and families
• providing evidence-based support programs
• support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families
• support for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse families
• meeting locally identified needs in the community
• complementing and adding value to existing collaborative services
• providing professional development opportunities to build capacity in the local services community

The Communities for Children program is based on partnerships and collaboration, through joint planning and sharing information, advice and expertise.

Communities for Children funds programs that meet community needs

The Communities for Children steering committee, which consists of local service providers and stakeholders, develops and reviews the community’s strategic plan on an annual basis.

This steering committee is also responsible for identifying local priorities, projects and activities for children and families in the community, and funding these through the Communities for Children program.

Some of the projects that have been funded by the Greater Shepparton Communities for Children program include:

• Mobile play groups (run by Save the Children)
• Young parents and home visiting programs (run by The Bridge youth service)
• Parenting in a New Culture and refugee face-to-face programs (run by Uniting Kildonan)
• Transition support for children going into Secondary schools (run by Mission Australia)
• Family support programs (run by Lulla’s Children and Family Centre)
• Parent-Child Day Stay (run by Family Care)
• Early learning programs (run by Relationships Australia Victoria)
• Seasons for Growth program (run by Primary Care Connect)

Local primary schools have also delivered a number of Communities for Children programs, including vegetable gardens and healthy food programs, sand play therapy for children, and literacy programs for children and parents.

How do I access this program?

Communities for Children funds a range of programs in the City of Greater Shepparton. 

Community service organisations and health professionals can make referrals into Communities for Children funded programs by contacting us or collaborating service providers.

Fees

Fees are dependent on the specific service/program and its service provider.

The City of Greater Shepparton Communities for Children service is funded by the Commonwealth Government Department of Social Services.

More information

CatholicCare Victoria is the facilitating partner for the Communities for Children program in Greater Shepparton.

Client Rights and ResponsibilitiesChild Safety at CatholicCare