The Minister for Early Childhood Peter Garrett and the Chief Minister Jon Stanhope today opened a multi-purpose children and family centre funded through the National Partnership Agreement on Indigenous Early Childhood Development in West Belconnen.

Mr Garrett said the children and family centre offers vital access to early learning activities, playgroup and parental courses, as well as other important services such as maternal, child health and allied health services.

“Community engagement is vital to the success of the new centre, which is why the ACT Government has worked closely with the local community to ensure the centre reflects the needs of families in the area,” Mr Garrett said.

“Our goal is to improve the early childhood development of children in West Belconnen.”

Mr Stanhope welcomed the $8.09 million funding that the Australian Government had provided to the ACT to build the centre.

“The ACT Government is very pleased to be working with the Commonwealth to improve services for families in West Belconnen and ensure that children in the ACT have the best possible start in life.” “The Centre is based on the successful child and family centres in Tuggeranong and Gungahlin and will offer outreach and programs specifically for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families,” Mr Stanhope said.

The National Partnership agreement to build 38 children and family centres is a partnership between the Australian Government, state and territory governments, and local communities.

“These centres are being built as part of the Indigenous Early Childhood Development National Partnership, which will invest $564 million over six years to provide quality early childhood services to Aboriginal children and their families,” Mr Garrett said.

“These centres are about building strong connections between quality early childhood education and care, school education and achievements later in life,” Mr Garrett said.

For more information about the new centre please visit www.dhcs.act.gov.au/childandfamilycentresor call 02 6207 0120.