Eleanor Duncan Aboriginal Services, based in Wyong, is one of three organisations sharing $44M from the State Government and will use the money to build a new Aboriginal Child and Family Centre to provide services right across the Central Coast.
The other two centres will be in Broken Hill and Bourke.
The Aboriginal Child and Family Centres (ACFC) will improve access to early learning and health services and deliver needs-based and culturally appropriate supports for Aboriginal families and children, such as counselling, playgroups and mums’ programs.
While designed to provide Aboriginal family services, the ACFCs also operate as community hubs, providing universal early childhood education and care services for all families.
CEO of Eleanor Duncan Aboriginal Services Belinda Field said the ACFC was not just a building – it would be a living, breathing space of culture, learning and care for our gudjagang.
“It’s a place where our children are surrounded by language, identity and the loving guidance of Aboriginal educators, Elders, and community from the very beginning of their journey,” she said.
“We are proud to be delivering a model that places culture at the centre, supported by early years learning, developmental screening, and wraparound allied health.
“This is how we create strong foundations for strong futures our way.
“We are deeply proud and grateful to be part of something that will nurture generations to come on Darkinjung Country.”
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Treaty, Minister for the Central Coast and Member for Wyong, David Harris, said the three new centres would play a vital role helping to close the gap by ensuring Aboriginal family received culturally appropriate services tailored to local needs.
“ACFCs are trusted organisations within Aboriginal communities and are recognised as safe spaces,” he said.
These new centres are part of the NSW Government’s $100M ACFC Expansion and Enhancement Program, which aims to provide early support to children and families – to help make crisis interventions rare, brief and not repeated.
Addressing the over-representation of Aboriginal children in out-of-home care (OOHC) is a priority.
Currently, nearly 45% of all children in out-of-home care are Aboriginal, despite being only 3.4% of the state’s population.
The Program will ultimately see six new ACFCs delivered across the state, with further locations to be announced.
Funds will also be used to enhance the nine existing centres and expand service delivery for all new and existing centres, to reach more families.