I am pleased to announce today that the Australian Government will provide $800,000 in ongoing funding for the Uniting Care Connections Working Together programme.
The Working Together programme provides vital early intervention and support services to parents, teachers and carers of preschool aged children who experience significant social and emotional difficulties and has helped 125 families during 2002-2003.
Without the Working Together programme, the children from many of these families would be excluded from using services such as child care and be deprived of access to early childhood development services.
I have also released an evaluation report on the work to date under the programme. The report clearly shows the value of the outstanding work done under the programme for families in the outer-eastern and inner-southern suburbs of Melbourne.
The report shows that Working Together is making a real difference and has achieved some outstanding results. For example, 82 per cent of parents who used the service stated that they could manage their child';s behaviour better after attending the programme.
The latest funding will allow the expansion of the programme to address higher demands by providing for an extra two workers, enabling the programme to be delivered to the entire city of Bayside.
The Working Together programme is an excellent example of how the Australian Government is working with community organisations in responding to families' own needs and circumstances and ensuring these children get the best possible start in life.