A unique Ceduna project helping local parents give their children the best start in life in secure housing, while accessing vital support services, is receiving a significant boost from the Liberal National Government.
The $150,000 funding for Save the Children for its $1.25 million Ceduna Supported Accommodation program was approved by Indigenous Health Minister Ken Wyatt AM and announced in Ceduna today by the local Member for Grey, Rowan Ramsey.
"This is about giving our children a flying start, so they have the best opportunity to begin reaching their full potential," Minister Wyatt said.
"Importantly, the Ceduna Supported Accommodation program is being strongly supported by a range of local Indigenous service providers and that augers well for its success."
Minister Wyatt said 90 percent of the program’s clients and more than 70 percent of the staff were First Nations people.
The service is located in a quiet area of Ceduna, providing a fully furnished 4-bedroom house for families and children with a shared kitchen, bathroom and laundry facilities.
It can accommodate up to 3 families at once, with an expected average stay of up to four months.
"The program is a two-year trial project that supports parents to provide safe, nurturing care for their children in secure housing, while accessing services that support positive child health and development," said Minister Wyatt.
"It targets local caregivers with children from birth to two years of age who are experiencing a range of risk factors including domestic and family violence, limited engagement with appropriate health care, involvement with child protection authorities and poor child health and development."
Mr Ramsey said the provision of safe accommodation and services for pregnant women and new parents had been identified as a key service gap by the Ceduna Service Reform project.
"Since April 2017, this program is working to close the gap in health equality by filling local service gaps, particularly for First Nations parents," Mr Ramsey said.
"In the past 12 months, Save the Children has received sixteen written referrals for families, reinforcing its value. In the first year of operation the home cared for eight women and their families.
"It is improving children’s health by engaging Mums and Dads in antenatal and postnatal care and supporting ongoing clinical services for vaccination, child health and development checks, as well as hearing screening."
The Ceduna Supported Accommodation program aligns strongly with the maternal health and parenting and childhood development goals of the Implementation Plan for the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan 2013-2023.
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