- Children and families in the Kimberley communities of Derby, Mowanjum, and Pandanus Park will benefit from an Early Years Partnership (EYP) Community Plan
- The EYP is a 10-year agreement between the State Government and Minderoo Foundation to improve the wellbeing and school readiness of WA children under five
- Community Plans have been co-designed with the Derby, Bidyadanga, Armadale West and Central Great Southern communities
A community plan which aims to improve the wellbeing of children living in Derby and the nearby communities of Mowanjum and Pandanus Park has been released today as part of the Early Years Partnership (EYP).
The EYP is a 10-year collaboration between the State Government and Minderoo Foundation to improve school readiness for children aged 0-4 years across four Western Australian communities, including Derby, where more than half of all children are considered developmentally vulnerable at the time of starting school.
Early Childhood Education Minister Sabine Winton was in Derby today to launch the ‘Wirriya Dunyji Ooba Babanil Ingun’ (Happy Strong Small Children) Early Years Community Plan for children in Derby, Mowanjum and Pandanus Park.
The Plan has been co-designed with local families, community members and service providers with the departments of Communities, WA Health and Education, Telethon Kids Institute and Minderoo Foundation with the strong local leadership of Ngunga Group Women’s Aboriginal Corporation.
It forms a roadmap for change for children living in the region and is underpinned by the importance of culture and language.
The communities of Derby, Mowanjum and Pandanus Park identified seven priority areas. These are child health, child development, parent health and wellbeing, family safety, family financial wellbeing, community service aspects, and community physical and social aspects.
The Early Years Partnership has also partnered with the communities of Bidyadanga, Armadale West and Central Great Southern (comprising the Shires of Katanning, Kojonup, Gnowangerup, and Broomehill-Tambellup).
Read the EYP Derby Community Plan here
As stated by Early Childhood Education and Community Services Minister Sabine Winton:
“The first five years of a child’s life are so important. It is during this time that they build the foundation for lifelong learning, health, and wellbeing.
“The Early Years Partnership is a unique collaboration between the State Government and Minderoo Foundation that promotes new ways of working to achieve great results for children, families and the wider community.
“The State Government acknowledges the generous support of Minderoo Foundation and the local leadership and advocacy of the Derby, Mowanjum and Pandanus Park communities, as well as the strong local leadership of Ngunga Group Women’s Aboriginal Corporation”.
Comments attributed to Minderoo Foundation’s Nicola Forrest AO:
“I am very proud that the Early Years Partnership has been launched in Derby, Mowanjum and Pandanus Park.
“I am particularly grateful to the leaders in each community who have led the development of plans that recognise their community’s unique needs.Wehope this community-led, place-based approach will have lasting impacts on the lives of local children and families.
“Minderoo Foundation’s unique partnership with the State Government aims to demonstrate what can be achieved for children and families, not just in the Early Years Partnership communities, but across WA and nationally – so that all Australian children get the best possible start in life.”
As stated by Minderoo Foundation’s Jay Weatherill:
“We are incredibly proud to work alongside the Western Australian Government in this unique partnership between philanthropy and government that is designed to do new things in new ways to support the development of children across WA.
“A crucial part of the Early Years Partnership is involving local communities in the design and delivery of those services to ensure they get the services that their communities need.
“This 10-year commitment across four sites in WA showcases how a place-based, community-led and innovative model using the best available research and evidence can demonstrate better ways to support children and families and gives us knowledge to benefit all Western Australian families and communities.”
As stated by Member for Kimberley MLA Divina D’Anna:
“Children and families in remote communities like Derby face very different challenges to those in the city, and that is why the Early Years Partnership with its tailored approach is so important in achieving good outcomes.
“I applaud the Ngunga Group Women’s Aboriginal Corporation and the Derby community which has shown strong local leadership and provided invaluable input into the co-design of this Community Plan.
“By building strong foundations in the early years, we are supporting a brighter future for our children, and I’m pleased Derby families will have the opportunity to benefit from this partnership, which is already delivering positive change in other partner communities.”
