DPV Health to remedy developmental disadvantage with School Readiness Program
DPV Health successful in securing $1.2 Million to improve pre-school learning and reduce developmental disadvantage for children in Hume.
The Victorian Government Department of Education and Training has funded DPV Health $1.2 million to provide allied health and early intervention services to local pre-school children.
One in five Victorian children start school developmentally vulnerable. The impact of this can result in significant health and well-being issues that last a lifetime. The ‘School Readiness Funding Program’ will support a team consisting of DPV Health speech pathologists, child psychologists and occupational therapists to provide services to educators, families and their children within priority kindergartens across Hume.
Intended to make quality healthcare accessible to children who need it, full-time health professionals will deliver more than 300 sessions in designated kindergartens across Northern Melbourne.
CEO Don Tidbury is delighted to see DPV Health make positive and wide-reaching change for better health and well-being outcomes for children in our community. “I’m very proud that the expertise of DPV Health’s early childhood allied health service has been recognised in such a significant way. We are the first community health service awarded to deliver this Program in Northern Melbourne” he said. “The Program will make an enormous difference to the lives of many children and families, serving DPV Health’s Vision to ensure the health and well-being of our community.”
As well as helping children in priority health outcome areas including communication (language development) and wellbeing (social and emotional), the Program can also connect children and families with other appropriate supports within their local community to optimise learning opportunities.
These services are urgently needed in our community, with the Hume region experiencing high rates of children who are developmentally vulnerable according to Australian Early Development Centre data 2018.