The Early Years Partnership (EYP) has been developed between the State Government departments of Communities, Health and Education, Minderoo Foundation and Telethon Kids Institute.
The EYP Armadale West Community Plan has been developed in a co-design process with the local community and forms a roadmap for change for children living in the area. The community has called their plan ‘Koorlangkas Danjoo Koorliny’, meaning ‘children coming together’ in Noongar.
Through a series of workshops, the Armadale West community identified four main priorities for improving child developmental outcomes: early intervention for child developmental delay, family safety, maternal health and family financial wellbeing.
In Armadale West, approximately one in four children are considered developmentally vulnerable, as measured by the Australian Early Development Census. As such, the community was identified as an area with a need for better support for families with children aged 0-4 years.
Launched in 2018, the EYP aims to improve child wellbeing in four WA communities, and in doing so learn what it takes to create change for all Western Australian children.
As well as Armadale West, the communities of Derby, Central Great Southern (comprising the shires of Katanning, Kojonup, Gnowangerup and Broomehill-Tambellup) and Bidyadanga Aboriginal Community are also involved.
The $49.3 million project is a 10-year partnership between these four communities, the State Government, Minderoo Foundation and Telethon Kids Institute, to promote better outcomes for WA children aged 0-4 years and their families.
The Armadale West Community Plan will be implemented in consultation with a local working group which includes representatives from the Department of Communities, City of Armadale, three local primary schools and other local service providers.
