Startingblocks.gov.au is a new, family friendly resource available to help new parents answer child care questions and better understand the benefits of early childhood education and care. It offers helpful tips for parents on early childhood development and what to look for to ensure their child gets a quality care and learning experience. Starting Blocks is brought to you by ACECQA.
The Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) is a population measure of children’s development in communities across Australia. It provides a national picture of children’s health and development with results that identify strengths in the community as well as what can be improved.
The Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth (ARACY) is a national collaboration of eminent experts disseminating knowledge about problems and solutions to issues affecting children and young people.
The Centre for Community Child Health is an internationally recognised centre of excellence supporting and empowering communities to continually improve the health, wellbeing and quality of life of children and their families, now and for the future.
Through a range of policies and programs, the Department of Education and Training helps to provide families with access to quality early childhood education.
The Department of Human Services is responsible for the development of Australian Government service delivery policy and offers a range of social, health and other payments and services. Support is available through Medicare, Centrelink, the Child Support program, CRS Australia and Australian Hearing. You can go directly to the Medicare program or the Centrelink program.
Early Childhood Intervention Australia (ECIA) is a national forum for promotion of early intervention for infants and young children with developmental delays or disabilities and their families, including workshops, seminars and conferences to facilitate quality service provision.
The Fair Work Ombudsman provides information and advice about workplace rights and responsibilities for employees, employers and contractors. It is a statutory office created by the Fair Work Act 2009 operating independently of Government. The Ombudsman ensures compliance with Commonwealth workplace laws and has the power to investigate complaints or suspected contraventions of workplace laws, awards and agreements. The services are free to all workers and employers in Australia.
Family Assistance Offices have been set up in Medicare offices and Centrelink Customer Service Centres across the country, offering a range of payments to support families with their work and family responsibilities. It gives Australian families better access to government services. Instead of going to different agencies to get family assistance, families are able to get all their payments from just one place – the Family Assistance Office. Financial assistance includes the Family Tax Benefit, Child Care Benefit, Child Care Rebate and Baby Bonus. The Family Assistance Program is the responsibility of the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relation
The National Out of School Hours Services Association (NOSHSA) is a network of all Australian State and Territory Out of School Hours Services Associations. These organisations promote provision of Out of School Hours Services and act as a united voice to advocate both to Government and the community for excellence in service provision.
Occasional Child Care Australia is a resource and advocacy body on matters relating to occasional care centres across Australia.
An independent, non-profit research and development organisation focused on supporting parents through the development of resources, programs and policies based on scientific evidence.
Playgroup Australia is the national peak and administrative body for playgroups in Australia.
The Raising Children Network Website provides centralised, Australian-focused, evidence based information for parents and carers of children from birth to fifteen years of age. It also provides information for those who work with parents.
The Secretariat of National Aborginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC) is the national non government peak body in Australia representing the interests of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families.
The Australian Institute of Family Studies is a national research and information agency on children and families in Australia. Includes research, publications, online library, and further links and resources for professionals.
As Australia’s peak national non-government cancer control organisation, Cancer Council Australia advises the Australian Government and other bodies on practices and policies to help prevent, detect and treat cancer. Cancer Council Australia launched the national SunSmart Schools program in 1998. The program has grown rapidly and there are now more than 2500 SunSmart schools and 3500 SunSmart childcare centres across the country.
The Department of Social Services is responsible for helping to support Australian families and children. The Families and Children section of this website provides detailed information on the various forms of assistance available including programs, services, benefits and payments.
The Department of Health is responsible for supporting better health and active ageing for all Australians. Information is available on a wide range of conditions and diseases, education and prevention, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health issues and topics relevant to ageing and aged care.
Early Learning Association Australia (ELAA) is a not-for-profit, peak membership organisation representing the voice of parents and early learning providers. ELAA represents over 1200 early childhood services, including stand-alone kindergartens, cluster managers, integrated services, long day care centres, local government, government and independent schools, and before and after-school care providers, and provides a range of resources, advisory, training, and advocacy services.
Fair Work Australia is the national workplace relations tribunal. It is an independent body with power to carry out a range of functions relating to: the safety net of minimum wages and employment conditions, enterprise bargaining, industrial action, dispute resolution, termination of employment and other workplace matters. Fair Work Australia provides information on cases and decisions and links to workplace laws in Australia.
Family Day Care Australia is a national peak body which supports, enhances and resources family day care services. Their role is to resource and promote family day care services to ensure the strength and continued growth of the sector in Australia.
Good Beginnings builds better outcomes for children in vulnerable communities through effective early intervention programs. Good Beginnings provides free early childhood and practical parenting programs for children and families across Australia, based at their Early Years Centres or home visits.
The Isolated Children’s Parents’ Association provides support, advice and advocacy for parents in isolated communities. It is a voluntary national parent body dedicated to ensuring that all geographically isolated students have equality with their non-isolated peers, of access to an appropriate education.
Kidsafe is dedicated to the prevention of injuries in children under 15 years.
Mychild is Australia’s online childcare portal containing information for families, carers and providers. The website provides information about children’s early learning, care and wellbeing. It includes information on different types of childcare, how to access help with the cost of childcare, a searchable database of local child care services, other relevant links and support.
The Murdoch Childrens Research Institute is dedicated to finding ways to prevent and treat conditions affecting babies, children and adolescents, helping them lead happy, healthy lives. The Institute has close partnerships with the Royal Children’s Hospital and the University of Melbourne.
Example Event Post Do you need Childcare? check out the current open day around Australia This is an example event post.
