Cradle to Kinder Program: intensive ante
and postnatal support for Victorian families
April 2015
Background
The Cradle to Kinder program is an intensive ante and postnatal support service to provide longer term, intensive
family and early parenting support for a group of vulnerable young mothers and their children. The service
commences in pregnancy and continues until the child reaches four years of age.
Six Cradle to Kinder programs, including one Aboriginal program, have been operating since April 2012. Another
three programs, including a second Aboriginal Cradle to Kinder program, were announced in January 2014. The
successful service provider for the tenth program, to be located in Central Highlands Area, will be announced in
early 2014.
Service description
The Cradle to Kinder program provides a whole-of-family service in the form of pre-birth support, intensive and
longer term interventions and case work support until the child reaches four years of age.
Cradle to Kinder builds the capacity of parents to not only provide for their children’s health, safety and
development, but to build their own self reliance and sustainability through access to education, vocational training
and employment.
The target group for the Cradle to Kinder service is young pregnant women (under 25 years of age):

when a Report to Child Protection has been received for their unborn child, where the referrer has
significant concerns about the wellbeing of the unborn child, or

where there are a number of indicators of vulnerability/concerns about the wellbeing of the child when born
and the young woman is not yet involved with the Child Protection system.
Child FIRST teams provide a consolidated intake service to family services within sub regional catchments. There
are 24 Child FIRST catchments across the state. These 'hubs' provide a central, community-based referral point to
a range of community based family services and other supports. The Cradle to Kinder service uses Child FIRST
catchment areas and networks to provide a coordinated and enhanced service, based on existing local
arrangements. The catchment for Aboriginal Cradle to Kinder programs may include more than one Child FIRST
catchment.
Families within this target group are referred to the Cradle to Kinder program through Child FIRST, providing Child
FIRST with an enhanced range of service options for vulnerable families expecting a new child.
Referrals are accepted from a broad range of service providers, including, but not limited to: maternity services;
general practitioners; community health; Aboriginal community controlled organisations; maternal and child health
services; housing services; youth services; disability services; early parenting and family services; and child
protection services.
The Cradle to Kinder program brings together a strong case work response to the underlying areas of concern
associated with the family’s vulnerability. It provides intensive and specialised early parenting support to
strengthen the relationship between the parent/s and child, and help parents meet the health, development, safety
and wellbeing needs of their infants and young children.
While the Cradle to Kinder program is a targeted, specialist secondary support service, it is also closely aligned
with the Victorian universal early childhood services, such as maternal and child health, child care and
kindergarten, as well as tertiary child and family services such as child protection and out-of-home care services, to
achieve the best outcomes for families.
Service locations
Cradle to Kinder and Aboriginal Cradle to Kinder Stage 1 Programs: commenced April
2012
Locations
Local government area
Service providers
East Division
Outer East Area Cradle to Kinder –
Outer East Catchment
 Yarra Ranges
 Anglicare (lead)
 Knox
 Mercy Health-O’Connell Family
Centre
 Maroondah
 Cara Inc
East Division
Goulburn Area Cradle to Kinder –
Goulburn Valley catchment
 Greater Shepparton
 Moira
 The Bridge Youth Service
East Division
Goulburn Area Aboriginal Cradle to
Kinder - Goulburn Valley catchment
 Greater Shepparton
 Rumbalara Aboriginal Cooperative
South Division
Southern Melbourne Area Cradle to
Kinder – Outer South catchment
 Strathbogie
 Goulburn Valley FamilyCare Inc
(lead)
 Strathbogie
 Moira
 Casey
 Cardinia
 Queen Elizabeth Centre (lead)
 Greater Dandenong
 Victorian Aboriginal Child Care
Agency
South Division
Inner Gippsland Area Cradle to Kinder
– LaTrobe and Baw Baw catchment
 La Trobe
 Anglicare (lead)
 Baw Baw
 Quantum Support Services
West Division
Western Melbourne Area Cradle to
Kinder – Western catchment
 Hobson’s Bay
 Melbourne City Mission (lead)
 Maribyrnong
 Kildonan
 Melbourne
 VACCA
 Moonee Valley
 ISIS Primary Care
 Queen Elizabeth Centre
 Wyndham
Cradle to Kinder Stage 2 Programs: announced January 2014
Locations
Local government area
Service providers
West Division
Western District Area Cradle to Kinder
– South West catchment
 Warrnambool
Centacare
West Division
Central Highlands Area Cradle to
Kinder – Greater Grampians
catchment
 Moyne
 Glenelg
 Southern Grampians
 Ararat
Centacare
 Pyrenees
 Hepburn
 Ballarat
 Golden Plains
 Moorabool
Cradle to Kinder Information Sheet January 2015
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North Division
Mallee Area Cradle to Kinder – Mallee
catchment
North Division
North Eastern Melbourne and Hume
Moreland Areas Aboriginal Cradle to
Kinder – North East and Hume
Moreland catchments
 Buloke
 Gannawarra
 Swan Hill
 Whittlesea
Mildura
 Nillumbik
Mallee Family Care (lead) and
Mallee District Aboriginal Service
(MDAS).
.
Victorian Aboriginal Child Care
Agency
 Darebin
 Banyule
 Yarra, Hume
 Moreland
General information
Additional information about the Cradle to Kinder program can be obtained by contacting your local
Child FIRST service or the local agency:
To receive this publication in an accessible format phone 03 9096 9901, using the National
Relay Service 13 36 77 if required
Authorised and published by the Victorian Government, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne.
© State of Victoria, April 2015
Available at http://www.dhs.vic.gov.au/about-the-department/plans,-programs-andprojects/programs/children,-youth-and-family-services/cradle-to-kinder-program
Cradle to Kinder Information Sheet January 2015
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