Giving Compass' Take:

• The University of Wollongong has received a $500,000 grant to build a new model of early childhood service connection to transform preschools into resource hubs for families. 

• How can funders leverage existing resources through this model? What features do this type of resource hub need? 

• Learn how community schools are delivering a range of services directly to families. 

The University of Wollongong’s (UOW) Early Start has received a $500,000 grant from the Ian Potter Foundation to develop a model of service integration that is aimed at connecting families with services that are relevant to their local needs.

The model proposes using early childhood education and care settings, such as childcare centres and preschools, as a safe, trusted and accessible place to connect children and family with relevant services.

Health and education services include those targeted at children, such as nutrition or speech pathology, through to help for adults and families with mental health or parent education programs.

However, the tendency to roll out the same suite of services in each location has led to inefficient and less effective use of support services, while the number of programs on offer can create duplication or overwhelm parents.

The result is reduced engagement, particularly in regional and remote areas with high levels of disadvantage.

Through its partnership with 41 early childhood settings across regional New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, Early Start has developed an understanding of the diversity and complexity in community needs and the difficulty in connecting children and families with the support they need.

The model will allow an early childhood center to develop a picture of the child and family and link them with the resources young children and families need to thrive at the place they are most likely to access them.

Read the full article about early childhood service connection at the University of Wollongong.