❓ Mr Hughes asks about the government's commitment to improving the health and wellbeing of WA children and actions to support early childhood development. The Minister outlines initiatives and a target to increase the number of children developmentally on track by 10% by 2027.
AnsweredQoN 82Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CHILD DEVELOPMENT —
SUPPORT
82. Mr M. HUGHES to the Minister for Child Protection:
Mine is a relatively short question;
let us hope it is a relatively short answer!
I refer to the priority of the
McGowan Labor government of ensuring that our children have a bright future and
the best possible start in life. Can the minister outline to the house why this
government is committed to meeting its target of improving the health and
wellbeing of Western Australian children and can the minister outline to the
house what action this government is taking to support the development of
children in their early years?
SUPPORT
82. Mr M. HUGHES to the Minister for Child Protection:
Mine is a relatively short question;
let us hope it is a relatively short answer!
I refer to the priority of the
McGowan Labor government of ensuring that our children have a bright future and
the best possible start in life. Can the minister outline to the house why this
government is committed to meeting its target of improving the health and
wellbeing of Western Australian children and can the minister outline to the
house what action this government is taking to support the development of
children in their early years?
AnswerView source ↗
Many members in this house will be aware of the growing body
of research showing the complexity of development that occurs in the early
years—from in utero to three or four years of age, and even up to the
age of eight. I refer to research that includes that of our own world-class
Telethon Kids Institute. We understand that when children are nurtured and
properly supported in the very early years, not only is brain architecture and
neurodevelopment supported, but also the psychological and emotional
development that can take place will reap dividends for years to come.
Similarly, when that development is interrupted—when there is poor
physical health but also, importantly, too much stress and uninterrupted trauma—the
brain architecture suffers quite significantly. For that reason, we know that
investment in the early years really will pay dividends. We have already known
that in many cases, but we are starting to appreciate it more and more.
Sadly, in Western Australia one in five children aged four
years and under are considered developmentally vulnerable; that is as measured
by the Australian Early Development Census. That is something that we need to
address. For that reason, we understand that we need to work differently with
not only vulnerable children, but also the families and communities around
them. The McGowan government is committed to doing things differently to support
vulnerable children, their families and their communities. Our priorities,
through the leadership of the Premier, include increased focus on early
intervention, ensuring that we are accountable to the outcomes we want to
achieve, and tackling complex issues head-on.
The target, member, is to increase the number of children in Western
Australia who are developmentally on track on all five of the Australian Early
Development Census, or AEDC, domains by 10 per cent by 2027. That is a significant
goal. It is an ambitious goal, but one I think we should all across this
chamber be committed to if we want to turn around the intergenerational
disadvantage in our community that is playing out all too tragically in the
lives of some of our children. We have already taken specific action as a government
by continuing to support and actually expanding the number of child and parent
centres, funding support for parents through, for example, the evidence-based
Triple P—positive parenting program—and supporting our incredible
child health nurses, as well as the establishment and development of playgroups
across the state, and also the Kimberley schools project needs to be commended.
I would also like to quickly make mention of the
unprecedented early years initiative, which is a partnership between this
government, Telethon Kids Institute and Minderoo Foundation. Minderoo
Foundation is putting significant dollars towards that 10-year project. The
whole premise of that project is the idea that if we invest properly and
soundly in the early years, we have a chance of turning around
intergenerational disadvantage in some of our communities. Last December I was
very pleased to announce the first of the four communities in the great
southern that will benefit from that effort: the Shires of Katanning,
Broomehill–Tambellup, Kojonup and Gnowangerup. That will be an exciting
initiative in the member for Roe's electorate.
Several members interjected.
Ms S.F. McGURK : I am surprised that the other side is
interjecting on this, because I would have thought the opposition would support
this initiative in the great southern.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members! Your interjecting is not going
to make it any quicker.
Ms S.F. McGURK : The great southern is a regional centre
that has long had intractable disadvantage that we are trying to turn around.
Several members interjected.
Ms S.F. McGURK : I am sorry the opposition is not
supporting it. This government is supporting early years development and
challenging communities that need our support.
The SPEAKER : Member for Scarborough, I call you to
order for the first time.
of research showing the complexity of development that occurs in the early
years—from in utero to three or four years of age, and even up to the
age of eight. I refer to research that includes that of our own world-class
Telethon Kids Institute. We understand that when children are nurtured and
properly supported in the very early years, not only is brain architecture and
neurodevelopment supported, but also the psychological and emotional
development that can take place will reap dividends for years to come.
Similarly, when that development is interrupted—when there is poor
physical health but also, importantly, too much stress and uninterrupted trauma—the
brain architecture suffers quite significantly. For that reason, we know that
investment in the early years really will pay dividends. We have already known
that in many cases, but we are starting to appreciate it more and more.
Sadly, in Western Australia one in five children aged four
years and under are considered developmentally vulnerable; that is as measured
by the Australian Early Development Census. That is something that we need to
address. For that reason, we understand that we need to work differently with
not only vulnerable children, but also the families and communities around
them. The McGowan government is committed to doing things differently to support
vulnerable children, their families and their communities. Our priorities,
through the leadership of the Premier, include increased focus on early
intervention, ensuring that we are accountable to the outcomes we want to
achieve, and tackling complex issues head-on.
The target, member, is to increase the number of children in Western
Australia who are developmentally on track on all five of the Australian Early
Development Census, or AEDC, domains by 10 per cent by 2027. That is a significant
goal. It is an ambitious goal, but one I think we should all across this
chamber be committed to if we want to turn around the intergenerational
disadvantage in our community that is playing out all too tragically in the
lives of some of our children. We have already taken specific action as a government
by continuing to support and actually expanding the number of child and parent
centres, funding support for parents through, for example, the evidence-based
Triple P—positive parenting program—and supporting our incredible
child health nurses, as well as the establishment and development of playgroups
across the state, and also the Kimberley schools project needs to be commended.
I would also like to quickly make mention of the
unprecedented early years initiative, which is a partnership between this
government, Telethon Kids Institute and Minderoo Foundation. Minderoo
Foundation is putting significant dollars towards that 10-year project. The
whole premise of that project is the idea that if we invest properly and
soundly in the early years, we have a chance of turning around
intergenerational disadvantage in some of our communities. Last December I was
very pleased to announce the first of the four communities in the great
southern that will benefit from that effort: the Shires of Katanning,
Broomehill–Tambellup, Kojonup and Gnowangerup. That will be an exciting
initiative in the member for Roe's electorate.
Several members interjected.
Ms S.F. McGURK : I am surprised that the other side is
interjecting on this, because I would have thought the opposition would support
this initiative in the great southern.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members! Your interjecting is not going
to make it any quicker.
Ms S.F. McGURK : The great southern is a regional centre
that has long had intractable disadvantage that we are trying to turn around.
Several members interjected.
Ms S.F. McGURK : I am sorry the opposition is not
supporting it. This government is supporting early years development and
challenging communities that need our support.
The SPEAKER : Member for Scarborough, I call you to
order for the first time.
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