A community-run early childhood education and care service has opened in Kununurra, creating opportunity for children in remote Western Australia.
The One Tree Wunan Garndim-banjelng Badang Yarrawoo Menewoolbtha service provides high-quality, culturally safe early childhood education and care for up to 38 local children.
Early education gives children the best start in life, and we want every child to have access to quality early education and its transformative benefits.
The service's name, meaning "Growing Strong Roots for Strong Futures", came from community consultation and reflects perfectly the role of early education in children's lives.
The opening of Garndim-banelng follows more than two years' work from the community, led by the Wunan Foundation and One Tree Community Services and supported by the Department of Education and SNAICC - National Voice for our Children.
The new Garndim-banelng service was funded as part of an almost $30 million expansion of the Australian Government's Community Child Care Fund Restricted Program, which funds the establishment of sites run by mainly First Nations led organisations.
This is another example of the Albanese Government's commitment to the Closing the Gap National Agreement, in particular increasing the role of Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations.
SNAICC, the national peak body for Indigenous children, is the community partner for these sites to support their establishment and the implementation of community-led and culturally safe early childhood education and care.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Early Childhood Education Senator Dr Jess Walsh:
"The opening of the Garndim-banjelng Badang Yarrawoo Menewoolbtha Children's Service is an exciting milestone for First Nations children and families in Kununurra.
"The teams at Wunan Foundation and One Tree have been working tirelessly since 2022 to establish this important service, and its opening is a great achievement for the whole community.
"Every child should benefit from access to quality and culturally safe early childhood education and care.
"Our Government is investing in our regional and remote communities through programs like the Community Child Care Fund.
"More families deserve access to quality early childhood education and care in areas where it is needed most. And over the next four years, our Government will invest $500 million to deliver just that."
Quotes attributable to Senator Glenn Sterle:
"I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations my dear friend Ian Trust and all at Wunan Foundation and One Tree for achieving this outcome.
"Ian and his staff work tirelessly for the betterment of their communities and the opening of this Children's Service is testament to their hard work, dedication and commitment to delivering important and essential services for local people and their children.
"I am proud to be a member of the Albanese Government and of this investment and I look forward to visiting the service when I am next in Kununurra."
