Children and Early Childhood Development Minister Wendy Lovell presents an award to City of Greater Dandenong playgroup development officer Doris Wong, community wellbeing manager Martin Fidler, early years team leader Jan McCaffrey, and family and children’s services co-ordinator Jackie Sahely.
By CASEY NEILL
REACHING Out has earned City of Greater Dandenong one of four Victorian Early Years Awards and a $15,000 prize.
The playgroup program won the Better Access to Early Years Services award at a ceremony at the National Gallery of Victoria on 19 October.
The Victorian Children’s Council selected the winners, and Children/Early Childhood Development Minister Wendy Lovell presented the awards.
“These initiatives are making a real difference in their communities by increasing parents’ skills and creating fun learning and play opportunities for children, who might not have had these otherwise,” Ms Lovell said.
Reaching Out saw the council create multicultural playgroups at Dandenong and Dandenong South primary schools, and another at Dandenong Library for families on community detention.
The playgroups support refugee families who have suffered trauma, families being monitored by child protection, and migrant families in community detention.
They involve informal support like visits from maternal and child health nurses, language support, tutoring from volunteers and access to bilingual resources.
Migrant and refugee support agencies promote the initiative and make referrals.
The two school-based playgroups enable families to become familiar with the local community and schools, and assess their children’s needs before enrolling.
Community services director Mark Doubleday said the win added to the positive outcomes the program had achieved for families.
