Reflecting on 10 years of community service, the Child and Parent Centre (CPC) South Hedland has marked their milestone birthday by bringing families, community members and stakeholders together to celebrate on Tuesday 17 June. A crucial resource for the community, the CPC provides early childhood support, service and programs to parents with children up to 8 years of age, including expecting parents.
South Hedland was the first CPC in WA, with the Y WA being selected to operate the centre back in 2014 to support a community with a high proportion of Aboriginal children and children with English as a second language, many of whom faced health and developmental challenges in their early years.
Y WA CEO Dr Tim McDonald said, “The CPC South Hedland plays a vital role in the local Hedland community being a central hub for parents to access health and education support and services, socialising and preparing children for school, as well as supporting parents as they navigate the complex world of raising children.”
While there are some standardised features of the CPC model, all CPCs are tailored to meet the unique needs of the community they serve and support families to grow school-ready children. After 10 years, the Y WA CPC team are continuously adapting and evolving their service delivery, reflecting local data and ongoing consultation with local families and schools.
Dr McDonald said, “This 10-year milestone demonstrates that vulnerable families in the Pilbara can rely on Y WA services to assist families and children, they can seek us out when they need community connection and lean on us to gain access to a diverse range of integrated health and education services that will help them navigate the early childhood years.”
The CPC South Hedland has many valued partnerships including the Earbus Foundation who through the CPC, provides regular access to ear screening and treatment for under 5’s, with a focus on Aboriginal and at-risk children and a purpose-built clinical area of the CPC that delivers information and group sessions as well as hosting a Child Health Nurse, Dietitian, Speech Therapist and Occupational Therapist.
Other services coordinated by the CPC team include immunisations, maternal health workshops, early learning programs, supported playgroups, school holiday programs, mum and bubs groups, programs on food education and positive parenting and collaboration with providers such as Ngala during their visits to the Pilbara.
Dr McDonald adds, “After 10 years of operating the CPC South Hedland, we are excited to see how we can continue to support parents and children to flourish. In 2025 we will continue to seek parent and school feedback and review local data and research to design new program offerings to meet families where they are at and support them to be healthy, connected and to flourish.”
CPCs have been established in 16 communities throughout WA and are an early intervention initiative developed between the Department of Education, Department of Health and Department of Communities. Offering a space that respects diversity, the CPC South Hedland is a welcoming, inclusive and culturally safe space for all children and families.
The Child and Parent Centre South Hedland is managed by the Y WA in partnership with South Hedland Primary School and is located at 1 Weaver Place, South Hedland.