State Budget 2012-13: Supporting our Community - New facility for Child and Parent Centre in Kwinana

• State Govt will invest $1m to build a new early childhood facility at Calista PS

• New facilities are part of a $28.8m investment over the next 4 years to establish 10 Child and Parent Centres in WA

Education Minister Liz Constable today announced details of a new $1million Child and Parent Centre at a public school in Kwinana.

Calista Primary School will benefit from a new purpose-built early childhood facility designed to allow a range of professionals to assist families to nurture young children.

The State Government will spend a total of $10.9million around the State on new buildings, refurbishments and purpose-built facilities to provide integrated services for children and parents including parenting workshops, playgroups and child health.

"This centre will provide support and services to some of the most vulnerable children and their families in the Kwinana area," Dr Constable said.

"The centre will ensure that children are well prepared to start school.

"This is part of a $28.8million investment over the next four years to establish 10 Child and Parent Centres in Western Australia.

Services will begin to be offered as soon as a co-ordinator is appointed at the school later this year. The new Child and Parent Centre building is expected to officially open in January 2014.

Calista Primary School principal Glenn Edwards said parents were looking forward to services and support which would help them give their children a better start in life.

"Our main focus will be early identification and intervention for speech therapy, growth and development, occupational therapy and physiotherapy where it is required," Mr Edwards said.

"We are in an area with a growing population and finding children are not quite school-ready. There is a joint responsibility for children's education and it starts with building a strong relationship between the school and parents.

"To have this facility at the school which parents already know and trust will make a huge difference for our families."

      Fact File

• The departments of Education and Health and the Department for Communities will work together to deliver services at each Child and Parent Centre

• Centre co-ordinators will begin working with their communities and agencies later this year

• WA Budget statements are available at http://ourstatebudget.wa.gov.au

Minister's office - 6552 5700