Latrobe City Council is pleased to partner with the Department of Education and Training, Morwell Park Primary School and the Colman Education Foundation to implement the Our Place approach at Morwell Park.
The Victorian Government is investing $5.35 million to build a new early learning centre, classrooms and shared community spaces at the school. It will offer kindergarten and a range of health and family services, using the Our Place approach.
Morwell Park will be one of 10 sites around the state delivering the Our Place approach in partnership with the Colman Education Foundation.
From 2023, Council will deliver three- and four-year-old kindergarten programs from the site and will work with the school and Our Place staff to ensure the community space is activated based on the needs of the local community.
This will be a space for families to attend a range of services from one location. This could include maternal and child health, support playgroup, allied health and general practitioners, parenting programs and adult education.
Mayor of Latrobe City, Councillor Kellie O'Callaghan was pleased to see the Our Place partnership developing at Morwell Park.
"Council is contributing to an Our Place partnership with the Victorian Government, Morwell Park Primary School and the Colman Education Foundation.
"This is a great opportunity to provide integrated services to our community, ensuring our local children and their families can access necessary services all at the one location. It ensures family-centred approaches are taken and that our families feel supported and confident in services offered," said Cr. O'Callaghan.
Our Place's Executive Director of Services, June McLoughlin highlighted the important work of the partnership and the benefits to the Morwell community.
"A child's earliest years set the foundations for their lifelong health, learning and wellbeing.
"Research shows that high-quality early learning services, playgroups and other parenting supports are of benefit to all young children directly, and indirectly by enriching their home learning environments.
"The partnership has collaborated to increase ease of access to services for the Morwell community by placing these services in the same location. I'm excited these services will be extended to Morwell Park Primary School," said Ms. McLoughlin.
