About the Centre

Located in Ballarat, the Early Childhood Parenting Centre provides a number of services focused on families with very young children. There is growing research and information about the importance of the first five years of life for healthy brain development, good mental health in the future and positive development and attachment.

Parenting Assessment and Skill Development Services (PASDS)

Referrals are received from the child protection program that operates across the Central Highlands area. Services are provided either in families’ homes or at the residential facility. The focus of PASDS is to provide an assessment of the parenting capacity within the family to DHHS, and to assist families to develop skills required for them to maintain the safety and wellbeing of their very young children.

Access to Early Learning

The Access to Early Learning program offers free kindergarten and focused education support to 16 vulnerable three-year-old children who would not have been able to ordinarily access preschool. Staff in the program work intensively with families at home and with staff in kindergartens to ensure that children are able to fully engage in this critical year before school. The program also offers professional development for staff working in kindergartens on topics such as childhood trauma and attachment.

Day Stay

The Day Stay program offers parents with infants the opportunity to be supported in learning about sleep, settling, feeding and the importance of strong attachments to their young children. This is a very popular service which often has a lengthy waiting list. We hope to soon expand this service to include home visiting and follow-up to centre-based programs.

Other programs offered at Cafs ECPC include; 

- Circle of Security

- Growing Together 

- Transition to School programs

- Early Childhood Development Programs