Supporting families and communities in western NSW
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Early Learning and Development Initiative

This strategy aims to support and enhance children’s early learning and development opportunities starting from birth though to school transition.

ACTIVITY 1.  EARLY LITERACY APPROACHES – completed July 2008

In partnership with Macquarie Regional Library (Dubbo), Narromine Shire Council and Narromine Birth to Kindergarten and Early Childhood Committees and Wellington Council with Wellington Early Literacy Committee, this activity supported locally devised and owned approaches to early literacy development.  

Resources, products and activities completed include:

  • production, and distribution by community nurses, of baby book bags (Dubbo and Narromine), with parenting messages, a high quality board book,  Let’s Read DVD, library and community information. The bags assist in raising awareness of the importance of early literacy but are also bringing new families to the library and accessing the services libraries offer for small children, such as story time

  • provision of resources to the August 2007 Narromine Reading Festival, a Children’s Book Week event, including story book costumes, media and  ‘reading bug’ costumes

  • engagement of author and teacher Libby Gleeson to read and hand out signed books to 384 children from Trangie and Narromine in four April 2008 workshops. Ms Gleeson also spoke to over 40 early childhood workers

  • establishment of nine book corners in local businesses and service providers

  • a collaboration between Wellington Early Childhood Committee and the Smith Family’s Lets Read initiative. The program provides age appropriate packages of information and books delivered by community nurses to parents when their children are at the four months, 12 months, 18 months and 3 ½ years stages.   

“He had six little kids enthralled, I was so proud. It was awesome to see him and his class mates helping out like that”. A Narromine Mum commenting on her nine year old son reading books to other children in a reading corner during the Reading Festival.

ACTIVITY 2. TRANSITION TO SCHOOL

In partnership with Bravo Marketing by Design, the Communities for Children Transition to School Committee aims to build awareness about the importance of transition to school activities for children going into primary school.

This activity has commenced with the production and distribution of 1,500 fridge magnets (right) at the Kids at Heart Festival on 25 October in Dubbo. Further actions are in development.