A Strategic Assessment of the Children's Services Industry

More documents

Recommendations

Info

STRATEGIC ASSESSMENT OF THE CHILDREN’S SERVICES INDUSTRYsignificant resources towards early years infrastructure and integrated service planning anddelivery.Golden Plains Shire Early Years PlanGolden Plains Shire recognised in 2004, that development of a Municipal Early Years Plan(MEYP) was a key component of council’s commitment to improving planning, developmentand delivery of community services throughout its municipality. Seeing parallels with theShire’s children services plan the council made a decision to integrate these two planningactivities and produced the Golden Plains Shire Early Years Plan. Each year councilundertakes a review of its Council Plan, which articulates the strategic direction and prioritiesof the council. The Early Years Plan is an important reference point with strategies andactions emerging from implementation ‘feeding into’ the annual strategic review processundertaken by councillors/senior management.Aim:The Early Years Plan aims to improve health and wellbeing of children and families living inGolden Plains Shire. It focuses on responding to needs of families and children throughpregnancy to end of primary school. The Council’s Youth Development Plan complimentsthis strategy (focusing young people 12 – 18 yrs.). Community consultation was undertakenin 2002/03 when an assessment of services and needs of families with children aged 0-5 yrswas undertaken. The Early Years Plan 2003-2008 had its achievements reviewed inSeptember 2007 and the new MEYP is currently being developed.Principles:These provide both the foundation and the reference point for implementation of the EY Plan.Goals:• Active, Healthy Children – children growing up actively learning, healthy, sociable &safe• Developing, Healthy Communities – communities planning & shaping their future• Access to and Availability of Services – families with young children have access toservices that effectively respond to their health, learning & social needs and• Quality, Family Centred Services – services are planned, managed and delivered in amanner that promotes healthy families and prevents harm to children.• Partnerships in Planning and Delivering Services – Communities, organizations,business, governments all working together to plan & resource quality services.The following were committed to as key result areas for the Shire.1. Planning Together• Working with governments for sustainable early childhood services• Involving local communities in planning & developing early childhood services,identifying emerging needs• Outcome: new Long Day Care service (49 places) established.2. Promoting Early Childhood Health• Working with key service providers to ensure effective delivery of healthpromotion programmes• Working for more effective delivery of local playgroups71
STRATEGIC ASSESSMENT OF THE CHILDREN’S SERVICES INDUSTRY• Improving information to families regarding early childhood services• Outcomes: development of the Golden Plains Health Planning Forum; playgroupnetwork strengthened. MCH nurse & Children’s Services Development Officerconduct information sessions at playgroups.3. Improving the Quality of E.C. Services Provision• Outcome: Golden Plains Council now a Kindergarten Cluster Manager.4. More effective planning, development & management of E. C. Service Infrastructure,specifically:• A new Family Services Centre in Bannockburn• Enhancing provision of services in the north of Shire• Opportunities to co-locate early childhood services in Shire and• Outcome: the new Bannockburn Family Services Centre won a State Award forsuccessfully integrating a range of services: Long Day Care, Kindergarten, MCH,Innovations programme, community health nurse, Family Day Care, familycounselling, podiatry & a dietician.The Plan clarified key roles played by the Shire council in the early years:• firstly the service planner and facilitator• secondly important advocate and• thirdly service developer/provider.The development of its first Early Years Plan, provided for Golden Plains Shire council, amechanism for building and focusing resources for early years planning, new infrastructureand improved models of service delivery for the benefit of this rural community. Service coordinationand health promotion have also significantly improved through mobilizingcommunity partnerships and resources.72
Page 1 and 2:
A StrategicAssessment of theChildre
Page 3 and 4:
AcknowledgementsThe paper was commi
Page 5 and 6:
STRATEGIC ASSESSMENT OF THE CHILDRE
Page 7 and 8:
Page 9 and 10:
Page 11 and 12:
Page 13 and 14:
Page 15 and 16:
Page 17 and 18:
Page 19 and 20:
Page 21 and 22:
Page 23 and 24:
Page 25 and 26:
Page 27 and 28:
Page 29 and 30:
Page 31 and 32: STRATEGIC ASSESSMENT OF THE CHILDRE
Page 81: STRATEGIC ASSESSMENT OF THE CHILDRE
show all

A Strategic Assessment of the Children's Services Industry

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?