Community Strategic Plan 2022-2026
Communities for Children is an initiative supported by the Australian Government.
Communities for Children is an initiative supported by the Australian Government.
Windermere Child & Family Services (Windermere) has been the Facilitating Partner (FP) for Cranbourne 3977 since the inception of Communities for Children (CfC) in 2005. Our role as the FP, is to work in consultation and collaboration with local stakeholders. As the FP, Windermere funds Community Partners (CPs) to provide services targeted to the Cranbourne community, to improve outcomes for children 0 – 12 years and their families. We build on local strengths to meet community needs and create a capability within local service systems, using strong evidence of what works in early intervention and prevention.
The areas supported by CfC FP Cranbourne are located within the City of Casey Local Government Area (LGA), which has an Estimated Resident Population for 2020 of 364,600[1]. This is anticipated to increase in 2026 by approximately 19% to 433,821[2].
In comparison, the adjoining LGA, Cardinia Shire has an Estimated Resident Population for 2020 of 116,193 with forecast growth of approximately 33% to 154,741[3] in 2026.
However, more specifically, the Cranbourne population is forecast to increase/decrease by 2026 (see the following table)
It is anticipated that the CfC FP Cranbourne area will grow from a total URP of 79,833 in 2016 by 63.72% to a population forecast of 130,703 in 2026, with the largest anticipated percentage increases in Cranbourne East – 127.78%, Cranbourne South – 83.77% and Cranbourne West – 70.91%
The City of Casey is an increasingly diverse community with recent overseas arrivals (2016 - last 5 years) from India (19.1%), Afghanistan (14.9%), Sri Lanka (11.9%) New Zealand (8.7%) and Pakistan (5.45) of total overseas arrivals[1]. In 2016, there were 107,274 non-English speakers living in the City of Casey (increasing by 42% from 75,365 in 2011).
In 2016 there were 56,201 people in low-income households living in the City of Casey, increasing from 38,403 in 2011.[1] (approximately the bottom 20% of equivalised incomes across Australia. For 2016 this includes range of households under $500 per week)
In the City of Casey (2016), 137, 909 people were employed, of which 59% worked full-time and 31.8% part-time, 2% not stated (a total of 92.8%), with 7.2% unemployed.[1]
In the City of Casey, 45.1% of households were made up of couples with children in 2016, in comparison with 33.5% in Greater Melbourne[1] and 38.5% in Cardinia Shire.
During our consultation, community and service providers were asked what they love and value in and around Cranbourne[1]. The top five most frequently referenced features were:
“I really love the community aspect and the multi-cultural environment in Cranbourne”
“There are many shops and playgrounds, and paths for walking, it's quite family friendly.”
Communities for Children is an early intervention and prevention program, with a whole of community approach to supporting disadvantaged and vulnerable children 0 – 12 years and their families.
To improve the health and well-being of families and the development of young children, from before birth through to age 12 years (but may include children up to age 18 years), paying special attention to:
Healthy young families — supporting parents to care for their children before and after birth and throughout the early years’
Supporting families and parents — supporting parents to provide children with secure attachment, consistent (parenting) and quality environments that are stable, positive, stimulating, safe and secure;
Early learning — providing access to high-quality early learning opportunities in the years before school; providing early identification and support for children at risk of developmental and behavioural problems; assisting parents with ways to stimulate and promote child development and learning from birth; and
School transition and engagement - supporting children and families to make a smooth transition to school and working with local schools to assist children and families with their ongoing engagement with school.
To create strong child-friendly communities that understand the importance of children and apply this capacity to maximise the health, well-being and early development of young children at the local level.
Place-based approach
Windermere as the FP for CfC Cranbourne is committed to building upon the current strengths and assets of the community, local services and the wider sector including universal access such as Maternal and Child Health, Early Years, schools and community organisations.
CfC FP Cranbourne has taken a systemic and place-based approach to consider change by:
Community survey respondents referred to a variety of hopes for the future (myself and my family): the top five most frequently referenced themes in hopes for the future were:
“A healthy family unit”
“More support to raise children”
“A diverse and vibrant community”
“Grow up strong, healthy, educated and connected to culture”
“Healthy, happy kids and supportive community”
Community participants provided suggestions for making Cranbourne an even better place for all children and families to live: the top four most frequently referenced suggestions were:
The CfC site comprises five local communities in the postcode of 3977 Cranbourne:
Cranbourne is an area of relative social and economic disadvantage where many families experience intergenerational poverty*. The ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) Index of Relative Socio-Economic Disadvantage (IRSD) contains only disadvantage indicators (e.g. unemployment, low incomes or education levels, lack of internet access) and is often used to distinguish between disadvantaged areas. This index reflects the relative level of socio-economic disadvantage and is most commonly used for funding allocations and advocacy.
As shown in (Findings Report), in 2016, Cranbourne West (new) had the lowest level of disadvantage in postcode 3977 and Cranbourne had the highest level of disadvantage in postcode 3977.
(* for the purpose of this plan, intergenerational poverty is defined as the transfer of poverty from one generation to the next.
ABS Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage for suburbs in 3977 (ABS 2016)
A higher score on the index means a lower level of disadvantage. A lower score on the index means a higher level of disadvantage (profile.id.com.au)
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population has increased in 2016 by 38.39% from 435 in 2011.
Children and young people needing assistance has increased in 2016 by 33.41% from 431 in 2011.
Couples with Children has increased in 2016 by 52.79% from 7,355 in 2011, along with one-parent families in 2016 by 22.88% from 2,675 in 2011.
Lowest income earners have increased in 2016 by 15.00% from 3,399 in 2011,
Households connected to the internet has increased in 2016 by 46.48% from 14,738 in 2011.
Child Development and wellbeing domains from the Australian Early Development Census (AEDC), indicate that children in the City of Casey have shown changes in indicators across all areas from 2015 to 2018. However, children in Cranbourne East and Cranbourne North indicate no significant change during this period.
For 2018:
Project Kids 3977 – engagement and consultationDuring September – December 2021, CfC Windermere undertook an engagement and consultation strategy, “Project Kids 3977”, engaging ChatterBox Projects Pty Ltd. The purpose of this project was aimed at seek community and service sector feedback and voice, contributing to the development of the 2022 – 2026 Strategic Plan. The mixed approach and modified engagement program included: an online workshop for service providers, seven face-to-face community-based “pop-ups” located across Cranbourne, postcard drops and an online survey.
The intention of “Project Kids 3977”, was to capture insights from a broad range of people inclusive of children, families, services, key stakeholders and diverse communities. Community members were able to provide feedback through an online survey and pop-ups. The surveys were also available in hard copy format and online in English, Arabic, Dari, and Punjabi, reflecting the cultural diversity of the area. Service providers and key stakeholders were able to access both an online survey and participate in an online workshop
In addition to Project Kids 3977, CfC FP Cranbourne, collaborative consultation continued into early 2022, with both its Executive Committee and Community Partners. Feedback from these sessions assisted in informing the vision and priorities for CfC Cranbourne.
Gather insights from the 3977 community and key stakeholders (such as CPs and local groups/service organisations) about community strengths, challenges, gaps in support or service, barriers and emerging issues that are important to the local community, with a particular focus on families and children
Engage a broad range of people within this diverse community including children; CALD community, including non-English speaking background, refugee, newly arrived; ATSI community; parents, including young parents, same-sex families, single parents and families experiencing vulnerability
Provide a positive, inclusive and genuine engagement experience for the community and key stakeholders which builds ongoing connections and trust; and
Support the community to provide sufficient input to confidently and effectively inform the development of the Strategic Plan 2022-2026.
Community and Service Provider participants referred to a range of challenges facing individuals and families living in and around Cranbourne the top five most frequently referenced challenges were:
“Access to free activities”
“Concerns about safety”
“There isn't much community groups”
“Not enough to get out and do/see with kids locally"
Based on the consultation findings and research examined, the consultants propose the following potential implications for service provision to children and their families in Cranbourne are as follows:
Information on family incidents in Cranbourne is available from Crime Statistics Victoria (2021). As shown in Table (below), this dataset signals a consistent and generally upward trend in the number of family incidents reported from 2016 to 2020.
Family incidents by selected suburbs - July 2016 to June 2021
When asked about challenges facing individuals and families, some consumers reporting feeling unsafe in private and public places and at night (see Findings Report). Important programs and activities to support children and families identified safety (safety programs for children and adults) as the equally most important program/activity.
When asked about challenges facing individuals and families, family violence was identified (see Findings Report). Parenting programs/courses aimed at addressing family violence (including a possible focus on CALD communities run by CALD community members) was identified as a gap in programs, services and activities for children and families.
Services may want to consider the skills and experience of staff in identifying family violence and potential risks through the knowledge of frameworks such as Multi-Agency Risk Assessment and Management (MARAM).
Service Provider participants referred to a variety of possible future issues (next five years) facing children and families in Cranbourne: the top five most frequently referenced future issues are:
Relationships, isolation and connectedness: relationship building, connections and social connectedness/development, social opportunities for children that are off-screen, families and services understanding each other to collaborate together, resilience and ability to connect, socialisation, loss of community, cultural isolation, isolation and post-separation issues.
Mental health: Mental health generally and parent mental health impacting children.
Other areas noted: housing, anxiety, early intervention (absence of), parent confidence, access to services when needed, family violence, health and wellbeing (including physical health), public transport, food security and others
To gather this feedback, Service provider online workshop participants were asked “Are there any gaps in programs, services and activities that can support the health and wellbeing of children and families in 3977?” and Service provider survey respondents were asked “In your view, are there any gaps in programs, services, or activities in the wider Cranbourne area (postcode 3977) that could be addressed to mitigate these potential future issues?”
Service Provider participants indicated there were gaps in programs, services and activities for children and families in Cranbourne: the top five most frequently referenced gaps were:
Community and Service Provider participants referred to a range of programs and activities as being the most important to support children and families in Cranbourne: the top five most frequently referenced important programs and activities were:
Community participants referred to a range of support mechanisms and resources that are required to create a desired future state: the top five most frequently referenced themes in support requirements were:
“Education, learning programs, support for parenting (7 and up)”
“Understanding”
“Community”
“Inclusive culture”
Since March/April 2020, Victoria has experienced several periods of restrictions, some extended, due to COVID-19. This notably impacted both community participation and service delivery during this time.
In responding to the COVID-19 context, the service sector experienced high levels of competing priorities in a complex environment including community need, staff wellbeing, adaption and flexibility, online fatigue and reduced movement within public spaces due to restrictions, capacity limits, and social distancing. Children and families were also impacted by the challenges of overseeing their children’s online/remote education, working from home, possible changes in financial circumstances and employment, developing new or interrupted routines, online fatigue, social distancing and health and wellbeing.
Throughout the unexpected pandemic environment, CfC Cranbourne Community Partners responded promptly and developed flexible ways of working which may continue as a mixed or hybrid approach to engaging with participants in the future ie: online or telepractice (where suitable) and face-to-face.
During COVID-19 services supporting children and families by:
In some cases, telepractice reduced travel times and minimised the need for childcare and may be considered as a future approach for some participants as a flexible and adaptable method of service delivery.
Supporting recovery and reducing the impact of COVID-19 was identified during CfC FP Cranbourne consultations as an emerging theme and a potential area of focus.
CfC FP Cranbourne embarked on a community engagement project (Project Kids 3977), along with seeking feedback from local services, the Executive Committee and Community Partners.
In response to this, the previous priorities were reviewed, revised and endorsed for 2022 – 2026 as:
Fostering positive family functioning
Supporting parents to increase their knowledge and skills
Promoting positive mental health and wellbeing
Increasing social connectedness through diversity and inclusion
It is anticipated that activities will respond to the identified priorities, undertaking a holistic, strength based and whole-of-family approach to engaging and supporting the children and families of Cranbourne.
CfC FP Cranbourne will fund at least 50% of funded activities as Evidence-Based Programs (EBP) for direct service delivery. EBPs aligned to the CfC FP Cranbourne priorities will be highly regarded.
Additional themes were also identified in areas such as:
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The Department of Social Service, Families and Children Activity, along with CfC FP Cranbourne, are working towards improving outcomes for Cranbourne children and their families. Therefore, CfC FP Cranbourne activities will be required to demonstrate that their activity is contributing to the following aims and outcomes of the Framework for the Families and Children Activity below:
Data collection
From 1 July 2022 CfC FP Cranbourne-funded activities will need to meet the following data and outcomes requirements:
In collecting data and outcomes, services will need to seek informed consent from consumers,
including considering this for children participating in activities such as early years and school environments.
Key stakeholders and CfC FP Cranbourne support approaches and practices that demonstrate cultural competence and inclusivity, ensuring that programs are accessible for Cranbourne families with children 0 – 12 years, prioritising and seeking to actively engage the following participants:
In addition, CfC FP Cranbourne activity providers will need to consider men and fathers, aiming to work holistically in supporting children and their families in an inclusive approach.
Activities will need to work in partnership with the CfC FP Cranbourne to address actual or perceived barriers that may impact on the capacity for children and families to engage with the funded service. This includes knowledge of the wider service sector to ensure that participants are supported, and referrals are preferably “warm” or “actively” facilitated (where needed) to: additional supports, an appropriate service that meets the families’ needs, pre or post participation in the activity (ie community supports or links) etc.
As the CfC Cranbourne Facilitating Partner, we continue to support funded community partners, through best practice, to work closely with diverse communities, improving outcomes for consumers. We value diversity, respecting differences and the development of opportunities for all to be able to participate, regardless of background.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities:
Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities:
CfC FP Cranbourne supports the benefits of an ongoing collaboration to develop strategies and improve outcomes for Cranbourne children (0 -12 years) and their families. It also aims to build upon this practice, knowledge and skills through capacity building with Community Partners and the wider service sector.
In addition, the aim and purpose of the Communities for Children Cranbourne Executive Committee are to work collaboratively with Windermere, as the Facilitating Partner, to develop, guide and support the implementation of the Communities for Children Cranbourne initiative and Community Strategic Plan to achieve outcomes.
The Committee seeks to bring together people with a wide and diverse range of skills, knowledge and technical expertise required to work within an integrated policy, planning framework and support planning.
Features of place-based approaches:
Local collaborative governance is a key feature of place-based approaches. It ensures that systems are driven by local people in place and involves establishing inclusive leadership structures in different areas of the community and with multiple levels of influence and capacity-building communities to lead systemic changes.
mentoring emerging leaders in the community - QCOSS
CfC FP Cranbourne continues to build upon its current relationships with the wider sector and local knowledge through engagement with the following networks, along with exploring new opportunities as they arise:
CfC FP Dandenong Executive Committee