Early Childhood Initiatives
On 16 May 2003 the Prime Minister announced a $10 million package of initiatives from the Stronger Families and Communities Strategy (SFCS) to fund a range of Early Childhood Initiatives (ECI), specifically designed for early childhood intervention and prevention.
These early childhood initiatives formed part of the first practical steps under the National Agenda for Early Childhood (National Agenda). The National Agenda was subsequently boosted by an injection of funding from the new SFCS. The $10 million initial package consisted of $1.2 million for 11 new projects under the SFCS and $8.8 million for initiatives under the National Agenda.
These included:
Supporting families and parenting
- $1 million to extend the Australian Childhood Foundation's "Every Child is Important" programme to all states and territories.
- The Parenting Information Project has reported on what information parents need at different times to support them in their important role as parents, and how best to get that information to them.
- The Child Care Links projects facilitate development of child care centres as neighbourhood networks in selected areas throughout Australia, including several in remote Indigenous communities.