Children and Young

People’s Strategy

Responsible Directorate: Community Development

Authorised by: Council

Date of adoption: 16 November 2015

Review date: <Date>

Expiration date: <Date

Children and Young People’s Strategy

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Contents

1. Executive summary .................................................................... 4

2. Introduction................................................................................. 7

2.1. Vision and purpose ........................................................................................... 7

2.2. Method .............................................................................................................. 7

3. Council planning ........................................................................ 8

3.1. Children and Young People’s Strategy framework .......................................... 8 3.2. Integrated planning framework ......................................................................... 8

4. The external policy environment ............................................... 10

4.1. Policy Gaps ....................................................................................................... 11

4.2. Local governments’ planning ............................................................................ 12

5. The research evidence ............................................................... 12

6. The Boroondara context ............................................................ 15

6.1. Population overview.......................................................................................... 15

6.2. Families with children ....................................................................................... 15

6.3. Cultural diversity ............................................................................................... 16

7. Health and wellbeing of children and young people ............... 16

7.1. Mental health .................................................................................................... 18

7.2. Alcohol and illegal drugs ................................................................................... 19 7.3. Youth pathways ................................................................................................ 20

7.4. Social exclusion ................................................................................................ 21 7.4.1 Children and young people of low income households……………………. 21

7.4.2 Children and young people with a disability…………………………………. 22

7.4.3 International students………………………………………………………….. 22

7.4.4 Unemployment…………………………………………………………………. 22

7.4.5 Homelessness…………………………………………………………………. 23

7.4.6 Family violence…………………………………………………………………. 24

7.4.7 Child abuse……………………………………………………………………… 25

8. Service mapping ......................................................................... 25

9. Consultation................................................................................ 27

9.1. Methodology ..................................................................................................... 27

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9.1.1 Survey…………………………………………………………………………….28

9.1.2 Face to Face Consultation……………………………………………………. 29

9.2 Consultation outcomes ......................................................................................... 30

10. Key Themes and Priorities ........................................................ 34

11. Implementing and monitoring ................................................... 37

12. Evaluation ................................................................................... 37

13. Accountabilities .......................................................................... 37

14. Corporate governance ............................................................... 37

15. Risk management ....................................................................... 38

16. Financial implications ................................................................ 38

Appendix 1 - Specific relevant policies, charters and guidelines 39

Appendix 2 - The research evidence .............................................. 42

Appendix 3 - The Boroondara context ............................................ 47

Appendix 4 - Service mapping ........................................................ 54

Appendix 5 - Feedback from Consultation ..................................... 61

Appendix 6 - Issues, links to consultation and research, and

connection to key priorities and actions ........................................ 76

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1. Executive summary

An investment in children and young people is an investment in the future. They are

tomorrow’s community leaders, work-force, parents and the future custodians of our

community. It is therefore vital that they are provided with appropriate support and

opportunities to continually grow and develop as happy and engaged members of

society.

In 2011, 54,685 children and young people 0 to 25 years were living in Boroondara,

representing 34.4% of the entire Boroondara population. Many more travel into

Boroondara every day to study at one of 57 primary and secondary schools, Swinburne

University, Swinburne TAFE and a University of Melbourne campus.

Over the course of the 2014/15 financial year, more than 850, children, young people,

their families and service providers have contributed their views and aspirations to

enable Council a deeper understanding of the key things that in their view are great

about living in the City of Boroondara. Consultation also provided valuable insight into

the key issues of concern for children, young people and their families and constructive

ideas and suggestions of how these issues may be addressed.

Children, young people and their families are generally very positive about the City of

Boroondara citing they value many things including its cleanliness, trees and parks,

public transport, level of safety, facilities, shops and cafes. In general terms, they are

faring well in comparison to other Melbourne metropolitan areas. Demographic data

reveals a strong and positive engagement in early health, education and care programs

and initiatives, a high level of education attainment and high family income levels.

However, on closer examination, some outcomes for some children and young people

are not all at desired levels. Areas of concern include the prevalence of mental health

issues for young people, the use of illegal drugs and alcohol and additional support for

parents with children of all ages facing challenges with parenting.

Research evidence emphasises that the social capital of a community and provision of

high quality services that take a holistic approach are key to ensuring successful

achievement of key developmental milestones that affect children and young people’s

learning, behavior, health and life course trajectory. Planning that supports and facilitates

effective strategies and initiatives that support children and young people to be the best

they can be is vital.

The African proverb “It takes a village to raise a child” encapsulates the significance of a

strong, connected service system and community that nurtures children and young

people’s growth and development.

The key themes that have arisen through consultation and analysis of research data and

literature are:

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Mental health: whilst most children and young people are faring well there are

some specific issues such as depression, anxiety and eating disorders which are

a particular challenge to young people and young adults

Illegal drugs and alcohol: there is high proportion of Boroondara’s young people

that use tobacco and drugs and consume alcohol

Safety: parents, children and young people identified a number of concerns, in

particular; perceptions of traffic safety and how and where their children play

Transitions: there are key times that can challenge children and young people

where additional support may be required

Parenting: a need for more information, support and advice to assist parents

understand and manage a range of issues including behaviour, dealing with

mental health issues, setting boundaries and when to intervene

Disadvantage and vulnerability: particular groups within the community are

experiencing disadvantage and vulnerability and require specific support that is

accessible and affordable

The key findings of the Boroondara Health and Wellbeing Plan (BPHWP) 2013-17 and

how they relate to children, young people and their families have been considered when

developing this Strategy, and in line with Council’s commitment to integrated planning,

the four themes of the Plan have been used as the framework for the action plan of this

strategy.

Council, as the tier of government closest to the community plays a key role in planning,

and provides a range of services and supports to young people, children and their

families. It is not possible for Council to be “everything to everyone”; however it can play

a key role in identifying the particular needs of the community and through its influence

and advocacy, facilitate appropriate service responses to meet these needs. Ultimately

Council plays an important role in influencing and shaping outcomes for young people

and children and by doing so, benefits the current and future communities.

The City of Boroondara does this through:

research and planning,

facilitating and delivering services and partnerships

coordination of resources, information and advice

infrastructure planning and development

advocacy

Within the context of Council’s roles and responsibilities the following key priority areas

have been identified to respond to key issues arising from the research undertaken:

Improve access to services and support through the provision of information and

advice for families and young people.

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Ensure planning and service responses are relevant to those they are intended

for, by engaging and consulting with young people on matters that are important

to them.

Contribute to a well-coordinated and accessible service system for children, young

people and their families by fostering partnerships and collaborative practise

amongst local providers.

Promote healthy and interesting environments where children and young people

feel safe and connected.

Continue to develop and maintain high quality facilities and explore opportunities

to enhance cross collaborative service initiatives.

Ongoing scanning of current local, state and national policy environments to help

determine future directions.

Continue to advocate on behalf of communities and people within the municipality

for increased and better coordinated services.

Council’s previous planning to support the needs of children and young people through

the Early Years’ Strategy 2008-13 and the Young People’s Strategy 2009-14 provided a

strong foundation for planning, of which many positive outcomes for children, young

people and their families have been achieved. This Strategy will build upon the

achievements made by Council over the course of the last six years and, for the first

time, one planning document that includes children and young people 0 to 25 has been

developed, capturing the needs of the 8 to 10 year old age group, which has not

previously been included in Council’s strategic planning framework.

In response to the development of this Strategy, an action plan has been developed for

implementation. The actions outlined in the Plan reflect the key priorities and should be

read in conjunction with this Strategy and are each aligned to specific Council roles.

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2. Introduction

2.1. Vision and purpose

To facilitate effective service responses and initiatives that build the capacity of children

and young people to be the best they possibly can be by identifying their needs and

aspirations and responding to issues that are most important to them.

2.2. Method

The Children and Young People’s Strategy (the Strategy) has been developed using the

following processes:

A policy and literature review

Identifying relevant policy at the global, national, state and local level and the

implications for the Strategy.

A review of relevant literature to ensure future planning is grounded in

research that is evidence based.

Demographic data collection and analysis

Indicating key health and wellbeing outcomes for children, young people and

their families in Boroondara.

Consultation and engagement with children, young people, their families

An online survey that asked about what children and young people like about

Boroondara, as well as issues they are facing was completed by 93 children

and young people.

Focus groups involving 88 preschool children aged 3 to 5 years, 162 primary

and secondary aged children aged 6 to 18 years and 11 young people aged

18 to 25 years.

Focus groups involving 68 parents of children and young people 0 to 18 years.

Two parent forums involving 185 parents of children aged 0 to 25 years.

Peer-to-peer interviews with 18 young people and young adults, undertaken

by members of the Boroondara Youth Reference Group.

An Instagram competition that asked young people aged 13 to 25 years to

take photos of something they love about Boroondara and post it on their

Instagram account. Forty-five entries were received.

Consultation and engagement with services and peak bodies both within Council

and external to it

A total of 179 representatives from services and peak bodies working with

children and young people in Boroondara including Council staff were

consulted through service provider meetings, advisory group meetings and

one to one interviews.

Service Mapping and Gap Analysis

Documenting Service provision for children, young people and their families in

Boroondara and identifying areas in which gaps exist or improvement may be

required.

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3. Council planning

3.1. Children and Young People’s Strategy framework

The City of Boroondara’s Children and Young People’s Strategy (the Strategy) supports

the development of children and young people across the spectrum of ages 0 to 25

years. The strategy takes a life stage planning approach, focussed on the holistic needs

of children, young people and their families.

In Council’s previous planning cycle two strategies covered children and young people

across these age groups; they were the Early Years’ Plan 2008-13, for children 0 to 8

years, and the Young People’s Strategy 2009-14 that focused on young people aged 10

to 25 years.

The approach taken for the Strategy is supported by current research into best practice.

While the shift to the life stages approach covering the first 25 years of life is taken in the

Strategy, this is not currently a universal practice. Council recognises that a life stages

approach to planning provides increased opportunity for holistic, integrated actions that

will better support children, young people and their families through the critical transition

periods: kindergarten to primary school, primary to secondary education, secondary to

tertiary education and beyond. It will also be more inclusive of children in the 8 to 10 year

age group missing from previous planning approaches.

The Victorian Charter for Child Friendly Cities and Communities (2013)1 (The Charter)

was developed specifically for local governments and other organisations to take steps

towards achieving child friendly cities in Victoria. The Charter embraces the principles of

the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Victorian Charter of

Human Rights and Responsibilities. It is a statement of the principles and actions that

underpin the right to be considered a child friendly city. The key principles of the Charter

underpin the key actions to be implemented as part of the Strategy. They are:

Freedom for children to experience environments that consider their needs.

Respect and dignity for children to express their individual opinions, participate in

and contribute to decisions about their communities and their wellbeing.

Equitable access to supportive environments and services for children regardless

of gender, ethnicity, religion or ability.

3.2. Integrated planning framework

The Child and Young People’s Strategy sits within Council’s overarching planning

framework as indicated in Figure 1.

1 Victorian Local Government Association (2013) Victorian Charter for Child Friendly Cities and Communities

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This is a ‘third tier’ document that comprises actions identified by community consultation

and research. It also draws on broader Council consultation processes, strategies, plans

and projects of other Council departments to add value to their current strategic direction.

The higher level plans and strategies that impact on the Strategy are outlined below:

Vision Statement Our Boroondara - Our City Our Future

Our Boroondara - Our City Our Future is Council’s 20-year vision for the City to 2028.

The vision statement seeks to ensure that Council planning is responsive to community

needs now and into the future. This approach focuses on maintaining and enhancing the

current level of community wellbeing and community assets and ensuring an inclusive

local community where everyone has the opportunity to participate.

Council Plan 2013-17

The Council Plan 2013-17 outlines Council’s strategic direction and long-term

commitment to the Boroondara community. Through its objectives and priority themes,

the draft Strategy is aligned to achieving Council’s desired outcomes under the theme of

‘strong and engaged communities’.

The Municipal Strategic Statement (MSS)

The Municipal Strategic Statement provides a 10 to 15 year vision for land use planning

and development in Boroondara and forms part of the Local Planning Policy Framework

in the Boroondara Planning Scheme. It reflects both Council and community objectives of

the City, and sets in place a framework for actions and controls to achieve the desired

land use and development outcomes. The Strategy is strongly aligned with its focus on

public land use related to parks, gardens and open space and infrastructure planning to

Figure 1: Council's planning framework

Our Boroondara - Our City, Our Future

Council Plan 2013-17

Boroondara Public Health and

Wellbeing Plan Municipal Strategic Statement

Plans and Strategies Children and Young

People’s Strategy Policies

Children and Young People’s Strategy

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provide safe engaging buildings and specific spaces allocated to current and future use

by children, young people, their families and the services they require.

The Boroondara Public Health and Wellbeing Plan 2013-17

Where the MSS is concerned primarily with land use, buildings and infrastructure, the

focus of Boroondara’s Health and Wellbeing Plan 2103-17 is to provide the broad

framework and direction for social cohesion and whole-of-community advancement.

These two documents work together to provide consistent planning focus and a firm

foundation for Council priority setting. Considerable community consultation supports the

findings and directions of both of these important Council strategies.

The four themes of the Public Health and Wellbeing Plan have been used as the

framework for the action plan for the Strategy, detailed in Section 10 of this document:

Theme 1: Resilient, safe and inclusive community

Theme 2: Liveable, sustainable, health-promoting City

Theme 3: Equitable access for all

Theme 4: Best practice health and wellbeing planning and leadership

4. The external policy environment

The policy environment at the global, national and state level has been thoroughly

considered. Although there is a complex web of policies and charters and good practice

guidelines, there is consistency and clear planning principles that the City of Boroondara

has identified in the establishment of the Strategy. These are:

The rights of the child and young person are paramount in building a child and young

person friendly community.

Children and young people have a right to contribute meaningfully to their community

and to be heard.

Child friendly environments should include places for children and young people to be

active, to explore and to be challenged appropriately.

Services should be inclusive and accessible and coordinated around the needs of

children and young people.

Early intervention is both financially efficient and effective in addressing issues of

concern.

Services for children and young people with specific needs should be available and

within reasonable reach.

Safety for children and young people is a key planning concern across all domains

A holistic and integrated approach is required.

An overview of the specific relevant policies, charters and guidelines relevant to children

and young people that have been reviewed as part of the development of the Strategy

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are provided in Appendix 1. In reviewing these policies, consideration has been given

to the implications of them for the Strategy and specifically how they relate.

In addition to the specific policies and charters provided in Appendix 1, there are also a

number of frameworks, strategies and plans that relate to children and young people

either directly or as part of their participation in the broader community. All levels of

governments are working together to protect Australia’s children, through initiatives such

as the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and Children and the National

Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children. These plans outline what measures are

available to ensure children are kept safe and live in supportive families and

communities.

In early 2012, the Victorian Government received a qualitative and quantitative analysis

of the state of Victoria’s child protection system, the report of the Protecting Victoria’s

Vulnerable Children Inquiry. This resulted in an initial response in the form of a Directions

Paper of action areas and commitments titled Victoria’s Vulnerable Children – Our

Shared Responsibility. The strategy outlines the aspiration that “vulnerable children are

kept safe and have every opportunity to succeed in life”. It also outlines the importance of

universal services such as maternal and child health and kindergarten as opportunities to

identify and support families.

In addition, the former Victorian State Government facilitated the establishment of

Children and Youth Area Partnerships which are designed to provide an opportunity for

government and the community to work together to improve outcomes for vulnerable

children and young people. This approach is currently being piloted across the state, in

key areas where vulnerability is high; Boroondara is not in one of the pilot areas.

4.1. Policy Gaps

While there is significant policy focus on early childhood in Australia, as indicated in

Appendix 1, there is a significant policy gap relating to the middle years and lack of a

coordinated approach to policy development and implementation for young people. This

is despite the growing body of research indicating the importance of this time in a young

person’s development. (See Section 5 - The research evidence)

The years 8 to 17 are covered by various childhood and young people’s policy and

strategies including the Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood

Development Strategic Plan, but have little or no policy relating to them specifically.

Furthermore, there appears to be a complete gap in policy (national, state and local)

between the ages of 8 and 12 years. This is a time of transition for young people from

primary school to secondary school and into puberty, where robust planning of

appropriate services is needed.

The National Strategy for Young Australians, 12 to 24 years, was launched in 2010;

however, its current status is unclear. It was developed with young people and highlights

eight priority areas including health and wellbeing, education, work and early

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intervention. Similarly, the Australian Youth Forum was described as a key

communication channel between young people and the Australian government, but it

concluded in December 2013 and has not been replaced.

4.2. Local governments’ planning

As part of the research for this Strategy, a review was undertaken of the plans and

strategies related to children and young people developed by a select number of local

governments both in the eastern metropolitan region and beyond. A total of 15

strategies/plans across 10 local governments were reviewed including the cities of:

Yarra, Monash, Glen Eira, Stonnington, Whitehorse, Wyndham, Port Phillip, Whittlesea,

Yarra Ranges and Hobsons Bay.

Over recent years, local governments have reviewed and considered the approach to the

age span when developing strategies and plans for children and young people. The

needs of children aged between 10 and 12 years are recognised to have been somewhat

overlooked in previous plans and strategies across the local government network, with

early years plans often covering children aged 0 to 8 years and young people’s

strategies covering the years 12 and older. Many local governments, including the

previous iteration of the City of Boroondara’s Young People’s Strategy 2009-14, have

managed this by acknowledging that people younger than 12 years are needing supports

and services that are available to their older counterparts and including them informally

in this demographic.

Some councils reviewed have moved to a more contemporary integrated planning

approach for children and young people aged 0 to 25, recognising that age distinctions

do not provide the flexibility to support key transition points in a child or young person’s

life. However, while there is evidence that this planning practice is occurring, it is not the

norm. Three Councils were identified that have now developed strategies for 0 to 25 year

olds - Hobsons Bay City Council, City of Whittlesea and Yarra Ranges Shire.

The Victorian Charter for Child Friendly Cities and Communities is the most widely used

planning framework across all local government, with its focus on participation by and

engagement with children and young people.

5. The research evidence

Robust planning requires consideration of available literature to ensure strategic

directions and actions are grounded in sound evidence based research.

A plethora of International and National research identifies the importance of the

development of the human brain in early childhood to the end of adolescence (25 years)

to enable positive health, social and education outcomes for children and young people.

An overview of the key themes gleaned from the literature review is summarized below

with further detail provided in Appendix 2.

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At each stage of a child’s development, from prenatal to early years, to middle years and

through to young adulthood, the human brain is rapidly maturing, with the most rapid

growth early on in life, when the brain is most plastic (the first three years of life).2

Middle childhood (ages 5 to 12 years), is often known as the ‘forgotten years’ of

development because most research is focused on early childhood development or

adolescent growth. However, middle childhood is rich in potential for cognitive, social,

emotional and physical advancements. During middle childhood, the brain is actively

undergoing synaptic pruning and, as such, is constantly becoming more refined. Neurons

responsible for cognition, language and social skills are being consolidated in the brain.

The move from primary to secondary school, the physical transformations of puberty, the

ongoing development of the brain and the social and emotional changes that accompany

these milestones make the middle years a highly complex period.

Young people’s brains go through a period of remodelling around puberty, which

continues into their early twenties; with development occurring that is responsible for

emotions, impulses, aggression and instinctive behaviour. The development reasoning

and problem solving skills develop last. This helps us think before we act. The

development of the brain during this period helps to explain teenagers’ thinking and

behaviour, which at times seems quite mature; and impulsive or emotional at others.

Teenagers are working with brains that are still under construction. The brain continues

to change and mature well into adulthood.3

Reflecting the significance of the early years, brain development and the consequences

of disadvantage and vulnerability; is the importance of early intervention. Research

highlights long-term social, educational and economic dividends that can be delivered by

investing in services for young children and their families. 45678. Investment in early

intervention and preventative programs represents an efficient use of public funds and

significant long-term savings for communities in areas such as crime rehabilitation,

housing, health and employment.9

2 Raising Children Network (2013), ‘Child development: The first five years’. Available at:

http://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/child_development.html/context/740 3 Raising Children Network (2013), ‘Teenage brain development’. Available at:

http://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/brain_development_teenagers.html 4 Raising Children Network (2013), ‘Child development: The first five years’

5 Moore, Tim (2006), Early Childhood and Long Term Development: The importance of the early years, ARACY, West

Perth. Available at: www.aracy.org.au/publications-resources/area?command=record&id=62 6 Shonkoff JP. See footnote 6

7 Sylva, K Melhuish, E. C., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I. and Taggart, B (2004), The Effective Provision of Pre-

School Education Project: Final Report Institute of Education, University of London. Available at: www.ioe.ac.uk/EPPE_TechnicalPaper_12_2004.pdf 8 Yoshikawa, H., Weiland, C., Brooks-Gunn, J., Burchinal, M., Espinosa, L., Gormley, W., Ludwig, J.O., Magnuson,

K.A., Phillips, D.A., & Zaslow, M.J. (2013, August, September). Investing in our future: The evidence base for early childhood education. Briefings of federal agency leadership 9 Shonkoff JP. Investment in early childhood development lays the foundation for a prosperous and sustainable

society. In: Tremblay RE, Boivin M, Peters RDeV, eds. Encyclopedia on Early Childhood Development [online]. Montreal, Quebec: Centre of Excellence for Early Childhood Development and Strategic Knowledge Cluster on Early Child Development; 2009:1-5

Children and Young People’s Strategy

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However recent research also emphasises that early intervention is not restricted to the

early years but is beneficial at key points in the developmental path.10 The middle years,

straddling the period from childhood to adolescence, are therefore a ripe time for early

intervention with children who display risk factors. It has been noted that while the early

years are critical, the middle years should be viewed as an opportunity to overcome any

barriers or harm that could be detrimental to future development11

Common across the research into various developmental stages is an emphasis on

resilience, supportive home environments, school and community (including friends and

peers). The presence of these factors, particularly in the early and middle years, is seen

as setting children up for positive future outcomes, with benefits to the wider community

and governments.

There are key times in a child's and young person's life that can create additional

challenges for them and where additional support may be required. This includes the

transition from kindergarten to primary, primary to secondary school and secondary

school to university or the workforce. The research emphasises the importance of

supporting children and young people at these particular times to successfully progress

through each development stage.

“Change is a key feature throughout each of these transition periods. It is

important to ensure that these transitions are successful by building on the

commonality between environments and supporting learning and development in

ways that connect with a child and their family. Creating this continuity involves

building on children’s prior and current experiences to help them to feel secure,

confident and connected to people, places, events, routines and

understandings.12”

The key themes arising from the research reinforce the importance of an accessible and

high quality service system and an environment for children, young people and their

families that provides universal access to a range of experiences, programs and

supports. It is important that this environment nurtures community connections that will

enable children, young people and their families to socialise and connect with peers, and

learn and play. More targeted services are needed that are flexible and respond to

particular needs of individuals who are experiencing disadvantage and/ or are

vulnerable. Recognising that at particular times of a child or young person’s life

additional support is required to support them to move successfully through key

development stages is critical.

While Council plays a key role in planning and provides a range of services and supports

to young people, children and their families, it is not possible for it to be “everything to

everyone” however it can play a key role in identifying the particular needs of the

community and through its influence and advocacy facilitate appropriate service

10

Tully L (2007), Early intervention strategies for children and young people 8 to 14 years, NSW Department of Community Services, Sydney 11

QCOSS (2006), Investing in Prevention and Early Intervention: A ten-year plan, Brisbane. 12

DEECD (2004), Transition: A Positive Start to School Resource Kit, State of Victoria, Melbourne.

Children and Young People’s Strategy

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responses to meet these needs. This may include but is not limited to: facilitating and or

partnering with other levels of government or agencies to respond to particular needs,

community education and coordination of activities that promote positive outcomes and

facilitating initiatives that serve to build the capacity of individuals and the social capital of

the community.

6. The Boroondara context

6.1. Population overview

In 2011, 159,181 people were living in Boroondara of which 54,685 were children and

young people aged 0 to 25 years, comprising:

8,664 0 to 4 year-olds,

16,201 5 to 12 year-olds,

11,503 13 to 17 year-olds, and

22,470 aged 18 to 25 years.

In addition, there are also a significant number of children and young people that travel

into the municipality to attend study or work.

Between 2011 and 2030 population forecasts indicate the 0 to 25 year age cohort is

expected to grow by 9.8%. While below the state average of 30.2%, this still reflects a

steady increase for this age group.

For planning purposes, a key issue is the distribution of the population and where

children and young people reside currently and in the future. Understanding trends in

populations including age group trends enables good decision-making around

establishment of services, structures and open spaces to meet future needs. A detailed

analysis of population distribution and growth by local planning precincts, South East,

South West, Central, North West and North East are provided in Appendix 3.

6.2. Families with children

In 2011, 43.3% of all households have children or young people aged between 0 and 24

years (25,779 households). Just over a quarter of households (25.3%) in Boroondara

have children younger than 15 years (15,081 households)13.

Across Boroondara households:

35.5% are couples with children or young people aged 0 to 24 (21,156 households)

and 22.7% are couples with children under 15 years (13,503 households)

7.8% are single parents with children or young people (4,623 households) and

2.6% are single parents with children under 15 years (1,578 households).

13

ABS, Census of Population and Housing 2011

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6.3. Cultural diversity

While the City of Boroondara is still a comparatively homogenous population, the

population is slowly becoming more diverse. This clearly has implications for planning

services and supports for children, young people and their families. Between 2001 and

2011 the proportion of people born in another country and living in Boroondara increased

by 4% (24.2% of the total population in 2001). The greatest growth in cultural groups has

been people who have come from India and China (+2,075 and +4,075 persons

respectively)14.

Cultural diversity increases in the older ages with 26.9% of young people (18 to 25

years) born overseas compared to 5.7% of children in the early years (0 to 4

years)

English proficiency also increases with age, the proportion of children aged 5 to 12

years who speak another language and have limited or no English skills is

considerably lower when compared to 0 to 4 year olds in Boroondara (0.9%

compared to 8.0% respectively). This coincides with the beginning of formal

education in Victoria.

Chinese and Indian cultures are the fastest growing culturally diverse group in

Boroondara. With the North East precinct identified as having a higher proportion

of children and young with a Chinese background and the South West precinct

having a higher proportion of children and young people with an Indian

background.

At the 2011 Census, there were 226 residents who identified as Aboriginal or

Torres Strait Islander, 50.4% were aged 0 to 25 years (114 residents)15.

7. Health and wellbeing of children and young people

Health and wellbeing data indicates the majority of children and young people in

Boroondara are faring well in terms of their health, development, education and social

connectedness. Indicators relating to the wellbeing of children and young people have

been sourced from the Victorian Child and Adolescent Monitoring System (VCAMS)

which is provided by the Victorian Department of Education and Training (former

Department of Education and Early Childhood Development). The following indicators

reveal positive outcomes for children in Boroondara:

High breastfeeding rates at 3 months (65.6%) and 54.1% at 6 months of age as

compared to the average rates for the Eastern Metropolitan Region, 58.3% and

40.9% respectively16.

100.2% infant enrolments in the Boroondara Maternal and Child Health Service in

201217.

14

ibid 15

ibid 16

2013/14- Department of Education and Early Childhood Development Maternal and Child Health Services, selected annual reports.

Children and Young People’s Strategy

17

A kindergarten participation rate (2012) of 108.5%18 (4 year old kindergarten)

In 2013/14, 91.9% of children fully vaccinated (at 60-63 months; slightly lower than

the Victorian average of 92.6%).

In 2011, more than 98% of primary school aged children in year 3 and 5 achieved

or exceeded the national benchmark in numeracy and literacy as compared to the

Victorian average (95.5% and 94.7%; for numeracy 94.6% and 92.9%

respectively)

A high year 12 or completion rate of 97.9% (2011) as compared to the Victorian

average of 84.2%.

Secondary school students in Year 7 and 9 with a higher proficiency in literacy

and numeracy with 98.5% or more students in 2011 achieving the national

benchmark, exceeding the state average by 3.4% to 5%.19

While overall, the data reveals positive outcomes for children and young people in

Boroondara in comparison to other local government areas, not all children and young

people in Boroondara benefit from relative advantage. Tensions are created for low

income families living within a largely affluent community; divisions are evident both

between and within groups in the community. As a result of this, low income residents

can be further disadvantaged due to the higher cost of living in an affluent municipality

(housing, food, health services), and because Boroondara is less able to attract

government funding for support programs.20 This is due to a perceived smaller need

when compared to other areas and a resulting lack of funding from the State and

Federal government. Furthermore, it is equally important to recognise that affluence

does not negate many issues faced by children and young people today; but rather,

may create a new set of factors that can potentially impact negatively. Living in an

affluent community may lead to additional pressures for individuals to achieve high

levels of academic success, issues such as family-break down, mental health and

substance abuse cut across all walks of life.

17

VCAMS. It is possible for this value to exceed 100% if the family attends (enrols in) a different LGA to the one where the child’s birth notice was registered 18

VCAMS NB: Figures for some LGAs total above 100% due to the attribution of single year age (3year old) population to LGA’s. Estimated resident population is normally used at more aggregated levels so when used at this level disaggregation, there can be large differences between the population data and the actual kindergarten enrolments. This will be particularly evident in LGA’s with small populations. 19

Selected outcomes from the VCAMS Portal. Accessed from http://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/research/Pages/vcamstableau.aspx 20

Capire (2013), Social Exclusion within the City of Boroondara: Research, Analysis and Key Recommendations,

Carlton.,

Children and Young People’s Strategy

18

7.1. Mental health

As discussed earlier in this document, evidence based research identifies emotional

wellbeing as a development issue at all ages. Mental health is one of the priorities

identified in the National Health Priority Areas21.

Younger or older maternal age can be a contributing factor to postnatal depression.22 In

Boroondara, there is a higher rate of births to mothers aged 35 to 39 years and 40 to 44

years compared to the State average (101 per 1,000 women compared to 74 per 1,000

women for 35 to 39 year olds and 22 per 1,000 women compared to 18 per 1,000

women for 40 to 44 year olds )23.The Boroondara Maternal and Child Health Service

confirms that they are seeing a trend of postnatal depression and anxiety, particularly in

older mothers (over 35 years of age) who have established lifestyles and professional

careers and may be struggling to adjust to life changes as a result of parenthood.

Consultation and demographic analysis indicates that as children and young people in

Boroondara get older, their emotional wellbeing becomes more of an issue.

Young people’s mental health was an issue identified by organisations, schools,

families and young people who participated in consultation. Reports of

depression, anxiety and eating disorders were common among agencies, with the

issue starting mostly in adolescence but occasionally in younger children.

Pressures related to academic achievement, conflict at home and the strain of

some families’ financial stress.

The School Focussed Youth Service establishes partnerships between schools

and community agencies to develop initiatives to support vulnerable young people

(aged 10 to 18 years) and their families. In 2009, 55% of respondents to the

School Focussed Youth Service (SFYS) Needs Analysis identified ‘emotional

wellbeing and mental health” with a strong focus on anxiety as the number one

issue impacting on upper primary and secondary school students. Anxiety was

identified as an issue for both students and their families. After anxiety, other

mental health issues identified consistently were depression and eating

disorders.24

headspace, the National Youth Mental Health Foundation located in Hawthorn,

reported anxiety and depression, among young people aged 12 to 25 years, as

the main presentation to the service. This was particularly in relation to family

conflict and school pressures.

Council’s Youth Services team report frequent presentations of young people who

are experiencing difficulties and potential mental health issues. Often young

people present experiencing high levels of anxiety due to academic pressures and

21

The National Health Priority Areas (NHPAs) are diseases and conditions that Australian governments have chosen for focused attention because they contribute significantly to the burden of illness and injury in the Australian community. 22

Post and Antenatal Depression Association Inc., (PANDA) Women and postnatal depression fact sheet no. 14, accessed from http://www.panda.org.au/practical-information/panda-fact-sheets « 23

ABS (2013) Births, Australia, Canberra 24

School Focussed Youth Service (SFYS) Needs Analysis (2013) - Boroondara and Manningham, unpublished

Children and Young People’s Strategy

19

expectations regarding levels of achievement. It is also the experience of the

Youth Services team that these issues tend to exacerbate in the lead up to

academic exam time.

The Adolescent Community Profile for Boroondara shows that in 2009,

Boroondara had higher rates of self-harm and psychological distress (for young

people aged 12 to 17 years) compared to the Eastern Metropolitan Region

(EMR).25 This data was last compiled in 2009 and has not been replicated since.

o 16.7% of young people in Boroondara suffered from high levels of

psychological distress as compared to 14.1% of young people in the

Eastern Metropolitan Region and 13% in Victoria.

o hospitalisation admissions for adolescent self-harm in Boroondara

surpassed the EMR rate - the rate for Boroondara was 0.7 incidents per

1,000 adolescents aged 10 to 17 years compared to 0.5 incidents

compared to 1,000 adolescents aged 10 to 17 years in the EMR.26

Bullying can affect the mental health and wellbeing of children and adolescents. In

2013, a slightly higher proportion of Boroondara children in grade 5 and 6 reported

to have experienced bullying compared to the EMR (13.9% compared to 13.5%).27

Some young people indicated that there is a stigma associated with mental health issues

and many individuals and schools are unsure of where young people can get help. The

existence of community-based, including headspace Hawthorn and private mental health

services in Boroondara suggest that ongoing promotion is required.

7.2. Alcohol and illegal drugs

The most recent data available identifies that a higher proportion of Boroondara’s young

people use tobacco and drugs on a regular basis compared to EMR and Victorian

averages. While lower than EMR and Victorian averages for 12 to 14 year olds, a large

proportion of Boroondara young people report that they consume alcohol.

In 2009, 23.8% of Boroondara adolescents aged 15 to 17 years reported to have

smoked recently compared with 18.4% and 17.7% in the EMR and Victoria

respectively.

Additionally, the same age group reported a higher use of drugs compared to the

State averages.

o In 2009, 19.0% of 15 to 17 year olds reported that they had used marijuana

in their lifetime, compared to the Victoria average of 16.0%.28

o In 2009, 2.3% of adolescents aged 12 to 14 years in Boroondara, reported

to have ever used other illegal drugs. This was higher than, the proportion

of 12 to 14 year olds surveyed in Victoria (1.0%). In comparison, 6.9% of

15 to 17 year olds, in Boroondara, reported to have used other illegal

drugs, higher than the proportion in Victoria (4.7%).

25

DEECD (2009) Adolescent Health and Wellbeing Survey, DEECD, 2009, unpublished 26

ibid 27

Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (2013) The Victorian Child Health and Wellbeing Survey, Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, Melbourne 28

DEECD (2009) Adolescent Health and Wellbeing Survey, DEECD, 2009, unpublished

Children and Young People’s Strategy

20

While the use of ICE (crystal methamphetamine) is gaining significant attention of

governments and the community, agencies in Boroondara report that they are not

seeing a high volume of presentations related to methamphetamine. The most

common issue reported by agencies related to drug abuse for young people in

Boroondara is cannabis use.

In the 2009 Adolescent Community Profile, a high proportion of young people

reported that they had consumed alcohol in the last 30 days. Community

consultation with agencies and young people identified alcohol consumption as a

concern, in particular the trend of binge drinking and pre-loading at parties.

o In 2009, 53.5% of 15 to 17 year olds reported that they had consumed

alcohol in the last 30 days, compared to 50.6% and 52.3% of 15 to 17 year

olds in the EMR and Victoria respectively, and

o 15.2% of 12 to 14 year olds reported they had consumed alcohol in the last

30 days. This is lower than the EMR and State levels (21.8% and 23.8%

respectively)

From the online survey results, 30.8% and 38.5% of young people (12 to 25

years) reported concern with drugs and alcohol respectively. Consultation with

young people suggested a need for education campaigns tailored to particular

groups of young people to address the issue.

7.3. Youth pathways

The On Track report shows that early school leavers in Boroondara are more than twice

as likely to be disengaged (not in full-time work or education) compared to the Victorian

average (12.5% compared to 5.1% respectively).29 While the Youth Connections service

ceased at the end of 2014 due to a loss in Federal funding, the most recent budget

includes a commitment of $331 million to a Youth Employment Strategy to improve

employment outcomes for young people, including a $212 million Transition to Work

programme to help disengaged young people aged 15 to 21 years become job-ready. It

is hoped that this funding will help to boost the availability of youth employment services

in Boroondara.

Community consultation, with agencies, revealed concerns about future outcomes for

disengaged young people as well as high school graduates. Agencies voiced a need for

alternative pathways to education and employment for young people. Young people

themselves identified the need for more up-to-date career guidance, life skills programs,

mentoring and a youth employment service and parents feel they need support on

responding effectively to their children who may not be disengaged or at risk of

disengaging from education or employment.

29

DEECD (2014) The On Track Survey: Boroondara LGA Report

Children and Young People’s Strategy

21

7.4. Social exclusion

In 2005, the estimated number of socially excluded children living within Boroondara was

4,594 or approximately 12% of children (age range not identified)30. The positive socio-

economic indicators, in Boroondara, can disguise pockets of social disadvantage.

Agencies reinforced that this issue exist throughout the municipality and within smaller

cohorts of people in communities. Social exclusion can be ‘absolute’ (for example,

unable to access sufficient food) or ‘relative’ (for example, a child or young person is

comparatively excluded in that he or she doesn’t share the same level of resources as

peers). For example, social exclusion for low income earners in Boroondara is

exacerbated due to the higher costs for housing.

The 2013 report on social exclusion in Boroondara identified key groups of people who

are vulnerable to disadvantage. Those groups, relevant to children and young people,

include children of low income households, sole parents, children and young people with

a disability, international students, the unemployed, homeless people and individuals

experiencing family violence.31

7.4.1 Children and young people of low income households

Overall, the City of Boroondara experiences an overall high level of affluence and socio-

economic status, however there are still households that reported low income levels

(<$600 per week) at the 2011 Census. Ashburton had the highest proportion of

households who reported an income of less than $600 per week followed by Kew East

and Balwyn (13.3% and 13.2% respectively)32. Income inequality has been found to

create reduced opportunities and lead people to poor psycho-social and health

pathways, as well as to result in diminished social cohesion and increased inter-group

conflicts.33 Thus, relative poverty may be of particular significance in an area where

many are well resourced and few are not, as in Boroondara.34

In 2011, the Median Equivalised Gross Weekly Household Income for Boroondara

was $1,130, compared to $837 in the EMR and $749 in Victoria.35

As at the 2011 Census, couples with children comprise 35.5% of households in

Boroondara, with nearly half these households reporting a weekly income of over

$3,000.

30

Stanley, J, Eadie, C and C. Baker (2005) Social Exclusion in Boroondara, Stage One: Scoping Published Data on Child Poverty in Boroondara and Recommendations for Stage Two, Brotherhood of St Lawrence, Melbourne 31

Capire (2013), Social Exclusion within the City of Boroondara: Research, Analysis and Key Recommendations, Carlton. 32

ibid 33 Subramanian, S.V., 2005, ‘Income inequality and health’, Paper presented at New

Developments in Social Determinants of Health: International and Australian Perspectives, VicHealth and Key Centre for Women’s Health, Melbourne. 34 Stanley, J, Eadie, C and C. Baker op. cit. 35

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), 2011 Census of population and housing, Canberra

Children and Young People’s Strategy

22

At the same time, 7.7% of Boroondara’s households were single parent

households, with almost half (44.4%) of these on a weekly income of less than

$1,000 and only 4.8% with an income over $3,000.36

7.4.2 Children and young people with a disability

In 2011, 1.1% (or 596) of children and young people aged 0 to 25 years were reported to

require assistance with core activities, this is lower to the state average of 1.9%.The

Census question about need for assistance is designed to be a measure of severe or

profound disability, and does not capture many within the community who consider

themselves to have a disability. It can be assumed that that a greater proportion of

children and young people have a disability than was reported in the 2011 Census.

Boroondara Annual Maternal and Child Health Data reveals that in 2013-14 there

were 505 consultations for a potentially disabling condition and 280 MCH referrals

to other services for a potentially disabling condition37.

Anecdotally, Council’s Inclusion Support Field Officers and Preschool Field

Officers, (staff involved in supporting children with additional needs into Childcare

and Kindergarten), report an increase in requests to assist children with Autism

Spectrum Disorders (ASD) in Boroondara.

For some families, supporting their child with a disability can be particularly

challenging and at the time of diagnosis, emotionally difficult. Agencies and

service professionals report this is a particularly difficult time for parents who on

the one hand may have a range of supports in place to assist their child but little

access to practical and emotional support for themselves.

7.4.3 International students

In 2011, 15,017 students were enrolled at the Hawthorn Swinburne University Campus.

Of this number, 4,788 (one in three) were international students38.

International students may experience many challenges when they live in Australia.

Local agencies highlighted the need to support international students in Boroondara and

indicated that they would like to work in a collaborative way to do so. Further consultation

with agencies revealed that social isolation and loneliness, access and affordability of

childcare and high living expenses are issues affecting this group.

7.4.4 Unemployment

The effects of unemployment are diverse, including severe financial hardship and

poverty, debt, homelessness and housing stress, boredom, alienation, shame and

36

ABS, Census of Population and Housing 2011 37

Boroondara Annual Maternal and Child Health, unpublished data 38

City of Boroondara, Boroondara Public Health and Wellbeing Plan 2013-17 Issues Paper, City of Boroondara, Melbourne, 2013.

Children and Young People’s Strategy

23

stigma, increased social isolation, crime, erosion of confidence and self-esteem and the

reduction of work skills and ill-health.39

There is evidence that the effects of unemployment can flow-on to other family members.

Living in a jobless family increases the risk of children having behavioural and emotional

problems40. In 2011, 4.5% of Boroondara residents reported to be unemployed and

looking for work. While this proportion is below the State average (5.4%) there is still a

need to support families facing hardship.

The far-reaching changes to economic and employment conditions such as increasing

youth unemployment rates (currently 14% for 15 to 25 year olds compared to 6.3% for all

ages)41 and the increased cost of living, is likely to have a direct impact on young people

exiting school or tertiary study. Research states these impacts are likely to be long-term

and their exact nature is still being determined42.

In 2011, 6.6% of young people in Boroondara aged 18 to 25 were unemployed and

looking for full or part time work. This figure is lower compared to the State average

(7.5%).43

7.4.5. Homelessness

Homelessness is almost always accompanied by several other difficulties. Leaving

home is a last resort for young people who have no other options. There will likely be a

significant history of violence, abuse, conflict or neglect in a young person’s life before

they become homeless. This complex history coupled with the trauma of being

homeless places a homeless young person at extreme risk for developing mental health

and substance issues. They may also be victimised further due to their vulnerable social

position and lack of resources.

Homelessness has been identified as an issue for some young people, in particular

accessing affordable housing and crisis accommodation. Anecdotally couch surfing

(sleeping at friends and families homes) is reported by young people in Boroondara.

Many of these young people do not have the knowledge or means to access the private

rental market.

There is no data available on the number of children and young people that make up

Boroondara’s estimated homeless population. Research regarding the level of youth

homelessness and associated issues is required and is included in the Action plan.

In 2011, for the state of Victoria, Homelessness Australia estimates the following

prevalence of homelessness for young people:

39

McClelland A and Macdonald F (1998) The social consequences of unemployment, The Brotherhood of St Laurence, Fitzroy 40

Gray M, Taylor M and Edwards B (2011) Unemployment and the Wellbeing of Children Aged 5-10 Years. Australian Journal of Labour Economics, vol. 14, no. 2 41

Brotherhood of St Laurence (2015) The teenage dream unravels: trends in youth unemployment, Fitzroy, Victoria 42

The Smith Family (2014) Young people’s successful transition to work: What are the pre-conditions? Youth Transitions Research Report, September 2014 43

ABS op.cit.

Children and Young People’s Strategy

24

3,834 young people aged 19 to 24 years, representing 16.8% of homeless

people state-wide

2,283 teenagers aged 12 to 18 years, representing 10% of homeless people

state-wide

3,638 children aged under 12 years, representing 16% of homeless people state-

wide.44

7.4.6. Family violence

Family violence is defined by the Family Law Act 1975 as “violent, threatening or other

behaviour by a person that coerces or controls a member of the person’s family (the

family member), or causes the family member to be fearful”. A child is exposed to family

violence if the child sees or hears family violence, or otherwise experiences the effects of

family violence.

Agencies reported seeing a rise in family conflict and family violence, with negative

impacts on children and young people’s development. While the rate of children present

at reported family violence incidents is comparatively low in Boroondara, the significant

effects of family violence on children mean targeted interventions are required for this

group. The complexity of the issue has also created some difficult living situations, where

separated parents may be living in the same house due to financial pressures. It is

reported that families are less likely to report family violence due to the associated

stigma. Family conflict and family violence have obvious implications for the mental

health of children and young people.

Lower incidences of family violence in Boroondara, compared to regional and state data,

result in less targeted funding from other levels of government to support families,

children and young people residing in Boroondara who are experiencing the impacts of

trauma and violence. Organisations and professionals who work with these families,

children and young people report they are constantly challenged to meet the demand for

the particular and often complex needs of this target group due to limited service

provision at the local level.

In 2013-14, 645 family violence incidents were reported in Boroondara.

Of these reports children were present in 201 cases. Rates of family violence

incident reports in Boroondara are low compared to the EMR. However the rate

has steadily increased since 2009/2010. In the last 5 years there has been a

40.1% increase in the rate of reports in Boroondara. The number of children in

Boroondara who are present at police attended family violence incidents has also

increased.45 It is likely that the prevalence of family violence is far greater, as often

incidents go unreported.

The proportion of family violence incidences where children and young people are

involved as other parties in Boroondara is 29.5%. This is lower than the EMR

(36.2%) and the State Average (36.3%).

44

ABS (2011) Census of Population and Housing: Estimating homelessness, Canberra 45

Victoria Police, Family Violence Incidents Report, 2008/09 to 2013/14

Children and Young People’s Strategy

25

7.4.7 Child abuse

When compared to Victorian and the EMR, Boroondara has a lower rate of:

Substantiated child abuse

Children on child protection orders

Children in out-of-home care.46

Table 1: Selected VCAMS Indicators for Boroondara47

Indicator Boroondara EMR Victoria

Rate of substantiated child abuse* 1.6 4.5 6.7

Rate of children on child protection

orders* 1.2 3.2 5.4

Rate of children in out of home care* 0.8 2.8 4.6

*Rate per 1,000 children and young people aged between 0 and 17 years

Whilst child abuse rates in Boroondara are low compared to the EMR and State average,

there are children experiencing trauma and are vulnerable who need additional support.

8. Service mapping

Through consultation, participants of all groups placed a key emphasis on the high

quality of services, beautiful parks and open space that, overall makes Boroondara a

great place to live.

Families with young children particularly identified facilities and services such as the

Boroondara libraries and the maternal and child service as valued and of high quality.

For parents of children of primary and secondary school age the quality of schools and

choice was viewed as second to none. Young people particularly noted their enjoyment

in hanging out in cafes and parks.

The feedback received from participants of consultation has not come as a surprise due

to the vast range of facilities and services on offer in the municipality including: 57

primary and secondary schools, Swinburne TAFE, Swinburne University, a campus of

Melbourne University, five public libraries, four aquatic and leisure facilities, 56

sportsgrounds, over 170 sports clubs and two arts and cultural facilities, just to mention a

few.

Services for children, young people and their families are provided through a ‘mixed

economy’ including services managed and operated by private operators, community

based organisations and some directly by Council. While it is not Council’s role to

provide all services it does play a key role in supporting and advocating for the provision

of the services required to support positive outcomes for its community.

46

Selected outcomes from the VCAMS Portal. Accessed from

http://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/research/Pages/vcamstableau.aspx 47

Selected outcomes from the VCAMS Portal. Accessed from

http://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/research/Pages/vcamstableau.aspx

Children and Young People’s Strategy

26

The service system for children and young people is organised into three broad

categories that each meet a different level of need: universal services, secondary

services and tertiary services. Examples of services within these categories are

displayed below.

Figure 2: The Boroondara service system

In Boroondara, the universal service system supporting children and young people is well

developed and encompassing including the provision of childcare options, kindergarten,

maternal and child health, libraries, and sporting and recreational options. The range of

secondary services for children and their families with additional needs is of a high

standard. However, service gaps exist, such as a lack of services for children with a

need for developmental psychiatry interventions. While there is a wide range of private

providers there is no publicly funded psychiatry service located in the municipality. In

addition, services that respond to developmental needs, behavioural problems, parenting

issues, mental health concerns or children with special needs have been identified as in

high demand and are not always able to meet the needs of families of children and

young people. While a key emphasis of Australian and State government funding is

directed to tertiary services for families and children at high risk, services that can

respond to the needs of families with emerging needs, who if no support is provided are

at risk of issues escalating are extremely limited. Family support from services such as

Camcare that can provide early intervention and practical support to families who are

experiencing personal challenges are in demand. This is particularly evident for children

aged 5 to 12 years, where limited supports have been identified for this age group.

While there are housing advisory services for young people, crisis accommodation is not

available in Boroondara. Young people who are in need of this service need to travel

•Tertiary services - for people with needs that require intensive (and often ongoing) intervention eg child protection, youth justice, specialist allied health; mental health and drug and alcohol treatment programs.

Tertiary Services: Intensive

Intervention

•Secondary services - for families/children/young people with a special need or early stage risk factor eg developmental disability services, parenting/family relationship programs eg Camcare, early intervention services

Secondary Services: Early Intervention services, Early stage

risk factor

•Universal services - services offered to everyone eg Maternal and Child Health, kindergarten, school

Universal Services: Services available to support all, providing opportunity for early

identification and referral

Children and Young People’s Strategy

27

outside the municipality. This has the potential to impact on young people’s connection

within their local community, most importantly their friends and members of their family.

In addition, while there is a wide range of private student housing options available,

affordable housing for young people and students is missing in the municipality.

See Appendix 4 for more information on service provision in Boroondara.

9. Consultation

9.1. Methodology

To enhance Council’s understanding of what is important in the lives of children, young

people and their families; community consultation was undertaken using a variety of

methods. This included face to face consultation through focus groups, workshops,

interviews and surveys. A total of 860 people participated in the consultation process.

Consultation and engagement methods included:

An online survey, completed by 93 children, young people and their

parents.

Focus groups involving 88 preschool children aged 3 to 5 years, 162

primary and secondary aged children aged 6 to 18 years and 11 young

adults aged 18 to 25 years.

Focus groups involving 68 parents of children and young people 0 to 18

years.

Two parent forums involving 185 parents of children aged 0 to 25 years.

Peer-to-peer interviews with 18 young people and young adults, undertaken

by members of the Boroondara Youth Reference Group.

An Instagram competition that asked young people aged 13 to 25 years to

take photos of something they love about Boroondara and post it on their

Instagram account. Forty-five entries were received.

Consultation with representatives from 179 services and peak bodies

working with children and young people, including Council staff through

advisory groups, service provider networks and one to one interviews with

service professionals.

Figure 3 provides a breakdown of the numbers of participants representing each age

cohort, parents and organisations who participated in the community consultation

process.

Children and Young People’s Strategy

28

Figure 3: Cohort breakdown for all community consultation methods

* includes Council involved in direct or indirect support to young people, children and the their families

9.1.1. Survey

A survey was developed and made available to the community for the period March to

November 2014. It was distributed to service providers and made available to children,

young people and parents at key locations including, parent forums, youth events and

the Boroondara Youth Resource Centre, 360. There were ninety-three respondents to

the survey. A breakdown of respondents is provided in Figure 9.

Figure 4: Cohort breakdown for respondents to the Children and Young People's Strategy Survey

48

48

Respondents were able to select multiple answers. For example, a young person 12 to 25 years could also be a

service provider or parent.

89 104 108

71

309

179

Child (0-4 years) Child (5-12 years) Young person (13-17 years)

Young adults (18-25 years)

Parent/carer of 0-25 year old

Professional*

Consultation participation by group

1.1%

11.4%

44.3%

34.1%

12.5%

4.5%

Survey Respondents - Children and Young People's Strategy

Children and Young People’s Strategy

29

Survey respondents were asked a series of questions. These questions were optional,

providing the opportunity for survey respondents to skip questions if they did not feel they

were relevant to them. While responses to the following survey questions below have

been obtained, limited responses were provided to the questions relating to the biggest

challenges and issues facing children and young people in Boroondara:

What do you value most about Boroondara?

What do you think are the biggest issues and challenges facing young children

aged 0 to 8 and 8 to 12 years and young people (13 to 25 years) and their

families?

How can Council best support the healthy development education and wellbeing

of young children, young people and their families in Boroondara?

9.1.2. Face to Face Consultation

The greatest engagement and feedback was provided through face to face consultations

and a significant number of participants from all age cohorts and professional

organisations participated in this process. A series of questions were used to guide the

face-to-face consultations with children, young people, families and service providers

and adapted to suit individual groups. Questions included:

What would you like Boroondara to look like in 2020?

What is good about bringing up children/being a child/young person in Boroondara

What could be improved? How could things be made better?

If you could improve one thing for families, children and young people in

Boroondara what would it be?

How would you like to be involved in improving things for children, young people

and families in Boroondara

How can children/ young people/ families be more involved in decision making in

Boroondara?

Supplementary questions for children:

What do you like about your area

Where do you feel safest

How do you have fun with your family outdoors

How often do you play outdoors after childcare/kindergarten or on the

weekends?

Describe your ideal park

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9.2 Consultation outcomes

The feedback provided through the consultation and engagement process has resulted

in an enhanced understanding of the issues that are important to children, young people

and their families and particular experiences they find challenging and hence require

additional support. The feedback gained is summarised below with supporting detail

provided in Appendix 5.

What children, young people and their families’ value about Boroondara

Participants in the survey were asked to identify what they most valued about

Boroondara. In response to this question, it has been identified that children, young

people and families place a high value on Parks (76.14%), schools (63.64%), shops

(57.95%) and trees (56.82%). While these aspects of Boroondara were identified as the

top four things of most value, a range of other aspects were also identified including

facilities and services such as libraries, sporting facilities and early years’ services and

local amenities such as good neighbourhoods, gardens and cafes. Feedback received

through the various focus groups and forums with all age cohorts, parents and

organisations was consistent and reinforced the feedback received through the survey,

citing the value placed on the range of facilities, services and amenity of the local area.

Issues and challenges

While a number of aspects about life in Boroondara were identified as highly positive,

experiences and issues that some children, young people and their families find

challenging were identified through consultation:

Children aged 0 to 4 years

The most pressing issue identified for families was access and affordability of

childcare. This was a key issue identified through survey results and focus groups.

Parents who participated in focus groups also indicated a strong appetite to engage

in parenting education and support opportunities. Agencies identified issues relating

to managing behaviour, healthy eating, sleep and settling and kindergarten and

school readiness as common themes for which parents are seeking support.

Support to parents to participate and network with other families was identified to

reduce the impacts of social isolation, it was suggested that this is particularly

important for parents from CALD communities.

Safety for children of this age group was a key concern identified by parents,

identifying their desire to keep their children safe may be limiting opportunities to

allow their children to explore and play. Some suggested the need for playground

fences to ensure adequate supervision, while others did not think this was necessary

and would limit opportunities.

Similarly the importance of safe pedestrian and cycling crossings, bike paths and

public transport was important for parents to keep their children safe.

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A focus group for parents of children with additional needs identified some pedestrian

crossings can be particularly difficult for their children or themselves as carers to

navigate.

Generally children who participated in focus groups indicated they felt safe in familiar

environments. They did note that busy traffic was a source of fear, but felt protected

by the adults in their lives

Children who participated in focus groups identified they enjoyed playing outside and

that bikes, slides and gardening were their most preferred activities. The backyard

and parks were their most preferred places to play.

Children aged 5 to 12 years

The impact of increased use of technology and social media by children of this

age group, particularly in relation to their increasing use of technology to interact

with others rather than face to face contact was highlighted by parents as an issue

of key concern.

Consultation with organisations and through Council’s School Focused Youth

Service needs analysis identified cyber bullying as a key issue of concern for

upper primary school children. Children did not identify this as an issue

themselves, however stated that if bullied they felt they would know what to do.

A desire for parenting support around building healthy relationships with their

children and supporting them to make the transition from primary to secondary

school was expressed by parents

Limited after school and holiday programs that are engaging for children 10 to 12

years was identified by parents, citing at this age they were becoming bored of

programs they had attended since first commencing primary school.

Affordability of after school and vacation care was identified by some parents as

an issue.

Parents of children with additional needs (1.6% of children aged 5 to 12 years in

Boroondara) commented on a lack of support as children entered their adolescent

years and the need for accessible school holiday programs for their children.

An opportunity and strong desire to participate in family friendly events and

activities was expressed by parents of this age group

In relation to traffic, focus group participants, both parents of this age group and

children themselves identified safety issues related to speed limits and pedestrian

crossings around built up areas and schools and the shared use of roads by

children and drivers.

Some parents identified that while they would like their children to have more

independence; traffic safety was of a key concern and contributed to limiting

opportunities to become independent pedestrians.

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Young people aged 13 to 25 years

Of the total respondents (69 parents and young people) to the survey, 38.5%

identified one of the biggest issues facing young people was alcohol and 30.8%

identified issues with drugs.

Consultation with young people of all groups (12 to 25 years) identified that mental

health and drug and alcohol use was of key concern, citing the pressures and

impact of high expectations regarding academic achievement on wellbeing, the

dangers and safety concerns regarding use and abuse of drugs and alcohol and

the impact this may have on an individual’s mental health.

Young adults (18 to 25 years) identified that promotional activities would assist to

raise a greater awareness of mental health services and supports available to

them.

Young people aged 13 to 18 years identified a stigma attached to mental health

issues and how this may have a detrimental impact on them accessing services.

Agencies working with young people and young adults identified mental health as

a key issue, noting a high prevalence of young people presenting with issues

related to self-harm, anxiety, depression and eating disorders.

Social isolation was identified by agencies, particularly for young adults (18 to 25

years) from CALD communities who are undertaking study in Boroondara and

experience loneliness and difficulty adapting to Australian culture.

33.3 % of vox pop respondents (12 to 25 years) identified that the transition to

university, particularly the cost of a university education, was an issue.

Service providers identified opportunities to support young people make the

transition from secondary to education and or employment and greater

independence was “absent” from the service system

Securing appropriate employment and obtaining appropriate income levels to be

able to stay and live in Boroondara was a key issue identified by young adults 18

to 25 years.

Social media and the increased use of technology by young people to

communicate with peers and adults was raised by parents of young people 12 to

25 years, who perceived that vital social skills obtained through face to face

interaction were not being gained.

Young people themselves identified social media as a key tool to keep them

connected with their community and friends and highly important in their lives.

The Youth Reference Group raised issues of concern for young people relating to

the significant use of “selfies” on social media, and how this creates a need for

self-affirmation and the potential bullying that young people experience as a

consequence.

Family relationships were of a key concern raised by parents of young people 12

to 25 years and service organisations through the consultation.

Family conflict and breakdown were also key issues identified by agencies and

noted as an area in which families and young people require particular support to

manage.

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Parents of secondary school aged children highlighted a desire to participate in

parent education forums and sessions, particularly on issues in relation to peer

relationships, bullying and mental health issues.

Parents of young adults (18-25 years) identified concerns regarding supporting

their young person to transition from school to employment and keeping them

engaged and motivated, while parents of younger people (12 to 17 years)

identified concerns regarding boundary setting and maintaining healthy

relationships.

Agencies identified from their experience an increased prevalence of children and

young people living in households where family violence occurs, resulting in

negative mental health outcomes.

How can council support children, young people and families

In thinking about the key challenges and issues identified, respondents to the survey

were asked to select ways Council could support children, young people and families.

Table 2 lists the options provided for selection by participants and how they may address

the key issues and challenges identified through the consultation.

Table 2: How Council can support children, young people and families

Support Examples that reflect Council’s current and future responses

Planning &

Coordinating

community events

Facilitating arts and cultural events targeted to meet the interests of young people, children and

families. Providing Children’s Week and Youth Week events with a variety of opportunities and

activities for the community to participate in.

Improving open

spaces

Facilitating opportunities for children and young people to play and recreate. For example

development and renewal of playgrounds

Improving

facilities

Renewal of Council-owned infrastructure. Facility planning and design of capital projects that

support integrated service delivery. E.g. North East Hub.

Connecting the

community to

services

Information, advice and referral. Promotion of the various programs and services available to the

community through on-line programs, the 360 Boroondara Youth Resource Centre and resource

guides.

Providing access

to information

Parent information sessions on a range of issues. For example: school readiness, supporting

young people’s mental health, behaviour management.

Monitoring and

responding to

service gaps

Ongoing consultation with children, young people, families and service providers, monitoring the

policy environment of other levels of government and latest research to identify particular needs

and appropriate service responses that may be facilitated and or delivered in partnership with local

agencies and other levels of government.

Supporting the

provision of

services for the

groups

Facilitating service provision by local agencies and community groups through the provision of

leased facilities, information and advice, funding through the community grants program and

facilitating local partnerships.

Providing quality

professional

development

Facilitating the provision of high quality services to children, young people and families by

providing professional development opportunities for local service providers that encourages best

practice.

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Support Examples that reflect Council’s current and future responses

Engaging and

consulting the

community

Support of the Youth Reference group through the facilitation of opportunities to contribute to

Council planning,

Consultation with families to identify particular needs at key events e.g. Children’s Week.

Advocating on

their behalf

Advocating to other levels of government for the provision of resources that address particular

needs of the community. For example: ongoing funding from the Victorian State Government for

the provision of the School Focused Youth Service to support “at risk” young people from

disengaging from education

Facilitating

connections

between service

providers

Strengthening coordinated service provision and referral pathways for families through the

facilitation of service networks and partnerships. For example, accommodating a range of

services external to Council at the 360 Youth Resource Centre to create a one-stop shop for

young people and their families seeking support.

Of the total responses to this question, the greatest percentage of respondents identified

planning and coordinating events as a key role that Council can play to support children,

young people and families. In total 11 items were identified with the lowest function,

‘facilitating connections between service providers’ identified by 17.6% of respondents as

a way that Council can best support the healthy development education and wellbeing of

young children, young people and their families in Boroondara. The suggestions made

by participants of the survey are highly valuable and have been addressed through the

Key Priority areas for this Strategy which is discussed in the next section of this report.

10. Key Themes and Priorities

The key themes that have arisen through consultation and analysis of research data and

literature are:

Mental health - whilst most children and young people are faring well there are

some specific issues such as depression, anxiety and eating disorders which are

a particular challenge to young people and young adults.

Illegal drugs and alcohol: there is a significant proportion of Boroondara’s young

people that use tobacco and drugs.

Safety - parents and children identified a number of concerns; in particular

perceptions of traffic safety and how and where their children play.

Transitions - there are key times that can challenge children and young people

where additional support is required.

Parenting - a need for more information, support and advice to assist parents

understand and manage a range of issues including behaviour, dealing with

mental health issues, setting boundaries and when to intervene.

Impact of social media and technology - parents and young people identified that

social media and technology are impacting on young people’s leisure time and

time spent interacting with family and friends.

Disadvantage and vulnerability - particular groups within the community are

experiencing disadvantage and vulnerability and require specific support that is

accessible and affordable.

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Council plays a key role in planning, and provides a range of services and supports to

young people, children and their families. It is not possible for Council to be “everything

to everyone”; however it can play a key role in identifying the particular needs of the

community and through its influence and advocacy, facilitate appropriate service

responses to meet these needs.

Within the context of Council’s roles and responsibilities the following key priority areas

have been identified to respond to key issues arising from the research and the

consultation data:

Improve access to services and support through the provision of information and

advice for families and young people.

o Strengthening the coordination of targeted information to specific age

cohorts and parents will increase the awareness of children, young people

and their families to the range of arts and cultural, sporting and recreation

and community strengthening events and programs available for them to

participate in.

o The delivery of education and information sessions and forums for parents

of children 0-25 years, young people and young adults, and service

providers, specifically targeted to respond to identified needs.

Ensure planning and service responses are relevant to those they are intended

for, by engaging and consulting with children, young people and families on

matters that are important to them.

o Seeking the views of children, young people and their families on an

ongoing basis. Facilitating opportunities for them to contribute their ideas

and suggestions will ensure service responses are relevant to their

particular needs and address the issues most important to them.

Contribute to a well-coordinated and accessible service system for children, young

people and their families by fostering partnerships and collaborative practise

amongst local providers.

o Facilitating and supporting service networks and partnerships that foster

quality outcomes for children, young people and their families through the

sharing of knowledge, expertise and experience.

Promote healthy and interesting environments where children and young people

feel safe and connected.

o Supporting children, young people and their families who are experiencing

social isolation and vulnerability to participate in community life

o Strengthening children, young persons and their families sense of safety

through ongoing education and support and when relevant improving local

amenity.

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Continue to develop and maintain high quality facilities and explore opportunities

to enhance cross collaborative service initiatives.

o Maintain high quality Council owned facilities that support children, young

people and their families through Council’s building renewal program.

o Identifying particular needs of the community to inform facility design that

supports integrated service delivery responses that address the broad

needs of children, young people and their families.

Ongoing scanning of current local, state and national policy environments to help

determine future directions.

o Implementing robust planning methods that appropriately identify

community need within the context of the broader policy context.

Continue to advocate on behalf of communities and people within the municipality

for increased and better coordinated services.

o Ensuring the needs of the community are clearly identified and understood

and where appropriate informing other levels of government of these

needs and advocating for equitable provision of government funding

allocations for the benefit of the Boroondara community.

In line with the key priorities a series of actions have been developed. These are

contained within the Children and Young People’s Strategy Action Plan and should be

read in conjunction with this Strategy. An overview of key issues, links to the consultation

and research and the connection to the key priorities and relevant actions is provided in

Appendix 6.

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11. Implementing and monitoring

Within Council, the draft Strategy’s implementation will be the primary responsibility of

Family, Youth and Recreation Department in the Community Development Directorate.

The Early Years Advisory Committee and the Young People’s Strategy Advisory Committee

will assist by providing advice regarding the implementation of the Strategy. The committees

comprise of two Councillors (per committee), representatives from across Council, the

community sector and community members.

12. Evaluation

Council will monitor and review the progress of the draft Strategy through an annual

assessment of the action plan. A 12-monthly internal reporting cycle will ensure that the

achievements of the strategy are systematically documented throughout the life of the draft

Strategy.

The implementation of the actions is the responsibility of departments across Council, as

specified in the action plan. The responsibility for the overall management and evaluation of

the draft Strategy lies with the Family, Youth and Recreation Department.

Prior to the draft Strategy’s conclusion, a full evaluation will be undertaken in partnership

with relevant Council departments and the community to inform the next Strategy. The

evaluation will assess the success of the draft Strategy’s implementation according to its

overarching vision and priority themes.

13. Accountabilities

For all queries or feedback regarding this strategy, please use the contact details for the

responsible officer below.

Contact Contact number Contact e-mail

Clara Yip 9278 4439 Clara.yip@boroondara.vic.gov.au

14. Corporate governance

The Early Years Advisory Committee and the Young People’s Strategy Advisory Committee

will assist by providing advice regarding the implementation of the Strategy. The committees

comprise of two Councillors (per committee), representatives from across Council, the

community sector and community members. Representatives from organisations specifically

representing children and young people from birth to 25 years will be invited to participate in

these groups.

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15. Risk management

Risk management will be managed through regular reviews by the responsible Council

Officer. Actions will be reported on annually through Council’s corporate reporting system.

This will provide the opportunity to:

identify and pursue activities that have not started

reduce or conclude activities that may no longer be necessary

introduce activities in response to newly identified need.

16. Financial implications

The financial implications associated with the Children and Young People’s Strategy is noted

against each action in the Action Plan.

All actions specified in the Strategy which require funds not included in Council’s Strategic

Resource Plan will be referred to future budget deliberations and subject to further Council

consideration prior to implementation.

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Appendix 1 - Specific relevant policies, charters and guidelines

Policy Key Information Impact on This Strategy

Global The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) 0 to 18 years

Ratified by Australia in 1990, this commits the Australian Government to ensure every child in Australia enjoys every right under the 54 articles of the Convention. The 12 rights cover a range of topics, including the right to:

Influence decisions about their city

Express their opinion on the city they want

Walk safely in the streets on their own

Meet friends and play

Have green spaces for plants and animals.

Council, the service sector, children, young people, their families and the broader community should continue to find ways to have children and young people actively involved in decision-making and planning of services and environments

Planning in all aspects of development needs to consider safety of children and young people

Open space and parklands remain a critical area of responsibility.

National National Reform Agenda (2007) & National Early Childhood Development Strategy, Investing in the Early Years (2009) 0 to 8 years

These reforms are endorsed by the Commonwealth of Australian Governments (COAG). They focus the case for investing in early childhood development and effective child-care as fundaments to ensure a strong and secure future for all Australians. They recognise the importance of early brain development and set the agenda for optimal child development during the first eight years of life, including before birth.

Continue to provide effective support for the early years’ service provider network

Continued and focused support for parents of young children

Ensure well defined information for parents and soon-to-be parents about childhood development

Support collaboration between service providers across health and education

Advocate on behalf of families and children to ensure adequate provision of funds to respond to policy directions of Australian Government

Education and Care Service National Law Act (2010) & Education and Care Services National Regulations (2011) 0 to 12 years

The National Quality Framework (see below) is underpinned by the Education and Care Services National Law and Education and Care Services National Regulations. Together they set the National Quality Standard (NQS) and the regulatory framework for long day care, preschool/kindergarten, family day care and outside school hours care services in all states and territories. National law and regulations has provided a level playing field for all Australian children, regardless of the jurisdiction in which they reside. Consistent legislation ensures all service providers are accountable to the same regulatory requirements.

Continue to provide effective support for the early years’ service provider network in relation to ongoing changes to educator/staff to child ratios and educator qualifications; and the assessment and rating process

Ensure regulatory requirements are reflected in the design and development of new facilities

Advocate on behalf of service providers and children to ensure appropriate regulatory requirements

Support service providers with applications for registration approvals, particularly volunteer Committees and Boards

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Policy Key Information Impact on This Strategy The National Quality Framework (NQF) for Early Childhood Education (2012) & The National Quality Standards (2012) 0 to 12 years

This is the first Australian national framework for the education of children aged 0 to 5 years. It describes the principles, practices and outcomes that support and enhance children’s learning from birth to five years of age, as well as their transition to school. The NQF applies to long day care, family day care, kindergarten and outside schools hours care services. The NQF aims to raise quality and drive continuous improvement and consistency in education and care services. The NQS sets a national benchmark for the quality of care provided by services. The standards are a key aspect of The Framework and identify seven quality areas that are critical to outcomes for children. A national quality rating and assessment process accompanies the standards which adopts a national approach to the provision of quality education and care for children.

Facilitating support for all services in their movement towards full compliance with the NQF, particularly those who are managed by parent volunteers.

Advocate on behalf of service providers, children and families to ensure maintenance of a quality framework and an ongoing commitment to continuous improvement through reviews and provision of feedback to government

National Partnership Agreement on Early Childhood Education (2008) 0 to 12 years

This is a commitment by the Australian and all state and territory governments to ensure that all 4 year old children have access to 15 hours of kindergarten in the year before they go to school. The Australian government has recently announced (May 2015) that funding will be extended for the 2016 and 2017 calendar years.

Advocating on behalf of kindergarten services to the Australian and State Governments to ensure adequate levels of funding to kindergarten services to ensure continued access by Boroondara children to 15 hours of 4 year old kindergarten post 2017.

State

The Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities (2006) All ages

This Charter sets out the basic rights, freedoms and responsibilities of all people in Victoria. Although this is not an age specific charter, its principles clearly point to the rights of children and young people as valued members of society. The charter includes 20 basic human rights including the right to be part of a family, the right to be safe from abuse and the rights of children in criminal processes.

Ensure policies, planning and delivery considers the rights of children and young people as valued members of the community equally with the adults. For example the Boroondara Kindergarten Central Enrolment Scheme (BKCES) ensures children with additional needs, including children at risk of abuse and neglect, are given high priority.

The Victorian Charter for Child Friendly Cities and Communities (2013) 0 to 18 years

This Charter was developed specifically for local governments and their communities to take steps towards achieving child friendly cities in Victoria. The Charter embraces the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities. The key principles and actions include:

Freedom for children to experience environments that consider their needs

Respect and dignity for children to express their individual opinions, participate in and contribute to decisions about their communities and their wellbeing

Equitable access to supportive environments and services for children regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion or ability

Adopt the Charter’s key principles as part of this Strategy and use as a checklist for assessing progress in Boroondara

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Policy Key Information Impact on This Strategy

Victorian Public Health and Wellbeing Plan (2011-15) All ages

The goal of the plan is to improve the health and wellbeing of all Victorians by engaging communities in prevention, and by strengthening systems for health protection, health promotion and preventive healthcare across all sectors and all levels of government. Early childhood and education was identified as one of the four key priority areas

Continue to monitor health and wellbeing progress for children and young people across the city, especially immunisation rates, breast feeding rates and mental health indicators.

The Early Years Strategic Plan: Improving outcomes for all Victorian Children (2014-20) 0 to 8 years

This plan aims to promote a seamless learning experience for children aged 0 to 8 years. It focuses on supporting parents and communities, providing early and sustained support to those who need it and promoting high quality early learning.

Advocate for ongoing provision and Australian and State Government funding that supports a high quality and accessible universal service system for young children and their families in Boroondara. E.g. The Maternal and Child Health service, kindergarten, childcare

Department of Education and Early Childhood Development Strategic Plan (2013-17) All ages

The purpose of this plan is to continue the support of children and young people from early learning through to school and higher education. The plan covers early childhood development, school education, and higher education and skills development. It sets out priorities including improving opportunities for all learners, improving literacy, math and science, and raising the quality and economic value of vocational and higher education.

Support quality educational outcomes for school children, particularly those who have been identified as vulnerable, through the State Government funded School Focussed Youth Service.

Support planning and transition plans for children entering primary school by strengthening relationships between Council’s Preschool Field Officer Program and Primary Schools.

Strengthen partnerships and relationships between Council’s Youth Service team and primary and secondary schools to target specific programs and resources that can support children in the upper level of primary school and secondary school students.

Engage, Involve, Create (2012) 12 to 25 years

This is Victoria’s key policy relating to young people and young adults. It recognises that young people should have the opportunity to engage in education and/or employment, be involved in their communities and decisions that affect them, and create change, enterprise and culture. It takes a whole-of-government and whole-of-community approach with a strong emphasis on partnerships and young people’s involvement in the economy and community.

Continuation of the partnership approach at the local government level – recognising the City of Boroondara’s role in advocacy, broad planning and facilitation of the service network.

Facilitate and support the Boroondara Youth Reference Group open to young people 12 to 25 years and encourage opportunities for this group to contribute to and provide feedback on issues that are important to them.

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Appendix 2 - The research evidence

Robust planning requires consideration of available literature to ensure strategic

directions and actions are grounded in sound evidence based research.

There is a significant body of international and national research and literature relating

to children and young people’s development and how they can best be supported to

live happy, healthy and productive lives. Key are supportive familial relationships, a

nurturing and positive family network, positive experiences as well as a robust platform

of universal services for all, and targeted approaches and services for children and

young people who need additional support49.

Brain Development

A range of international and national research identifies the importance of the

development of the human brain in early childhood and adolescence to enable positive

health, social and education outcomes for children and young people.

Each stage of a child’s development, from prenatal to early years, to middle years and

through to young adulthood, the human brain is rapidly maturing, with the most rapid

growth early on in life, when the brain is most plastic (the first three years of life).50 In

response, at the Federal and State policy level there is key focus on developing and

providing targeted intervention programs for infants and young children who are the

most vulnerable and susceptible to detrimental influences that will negatively impact on

their development outcomes.

Middle childhood (ages 5 to 12 years), is often known as the ‘forgotten years’ of

development because most research is focused on early childhood development or

adolescent growth. However, middle childhood is rich in potential for cognitive, social,

emotional and physical advancements. Most girls experience a preadolescent growth

spurt around age 9 or 10, while most boys experience the same growth spurt around

age 11 or 12.

During middle childhood, the brain is actively undergoing synaptic pruning and, as

such, is constantly becoming more refined. Neurons responsible for cognition, language

and social skills are being consolidated in the brain.

The move from primary to secondary school, the physical transformations of puberty,

the ongoing development of the brain and the social and emotional changes that

accompany these milestones make the middle years a highly complex period. One

report observed that adolescence appears to be starting earlier and finishing later.51

49

Center on the Developing Child 2007, The Science of Early Childhood Development (In Brief). Available at: www.developingchild.harvard.edu 50

Raising Children Network (2013), ‘Child development: The first five years’. Available at:

http://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/child_development.html/context/740 51

Victorian Council of Social Services and Youth Affairs Council of Victoria (2013), Building the Scaffold:

Strengthening Support for Young People in Victoria, Melbourne

Children and Young People’s Strategy

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Young people’s brains go through a period of remodelling around puberty, which

continues into their early twenties; with development occurring that is responsible for

emotions, impulses, aggression and instinctive behaviour. The development reasoning

and problem solving skills develop last. This helps us think before we act. The

development of the brain during this period helps to explain teenagers’ thinking and

behaviour, which at times seems quite mature; and impulsive or emotional at others.

Teenagers are working with brains that are still under construction. The brain continues

to change and mature will into adulthood.52

Early Intervention

Economic modelling has identified that investment in early intervention and preventative

programs represents an efficient use of public funds and significant long-term savings

for communities in areas such as crime and rehabilitation, housing, health and

employment.53

Reflecting the significance of the early years, brain development and the consequences

of disadvantage and vulnerability; is the importance of early intervention. There is now

a considerable and enduring body of evidence demonstrating the long-term social,

educational and economic dividends that can be delivered by investing in services for

young children and their families. 5455565758. The early years provide a unique

opportunity to influence an individual and their life outcomes. Research shows that

investments in the early years are more cost effective and beneficial than later

investments.

Recent research has emphasised that early intervention is not restricted to the early

years but is beneficial at key in points in the developmental path.59 The middle years,

straddling the period from childhood to adolescence, are therefore a ripe time for early

intervention with children who display risk factors. It has been noted that while the early

years are critical, the middle years should be viewed as an opportunity to overcome any

barriers or harm that could be detrimental to future development60

52

Raising Children Network (2013), ‘Teenage brain development’. Available at:

http://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/brain_development_teenagers.html 53

Shonkoff JP. Investment in early childhood development lays the foundation for a prosperous and sustainable society. In: Tremblay RE, Boivin M, Peters RDeV, eds. Encyclopedia on Early Childhood Development [online]. Montreal, Quebec: Centre of Excellence for Early Childhood Development and Strategic Knowledge Cluster on Early Child Development; 2009:1-5 54

Raising Children Network (2013), ‘Child development: The first five years’ 55

Moore, Tim (2006), Early Childhood and Long Term Development: The importance of the early years, ARACY, West Perth. Available at: www.aracy.org.au/publications-resources/area?command=record&id=62 56

Shonkoff JP. See footnote 6 57

Sylva, K Melhuish, E. C., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I. and Taggart, B (2004), The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education Project: Final Report Institute of Education, University of London. Available at: www.ioe.ac.uk/EPPE_TechnicalPaper_12_2004.pdf 58

Yoshikawa, H., Weiland, C., Brooks-Gunn, J., Burchinal, M., Espinosa, L., Gormley, W., Ludwig, J.O., Magnuson, K.A., Phillips, D.A., & Zaslow, M.J. (2013, August, September). Investing in our future: The evidence base for early childhood education. Briefings of federal agency leadership 59

Tully L (2007), Early intervention strategies for children and young people 8 to 14 years, NSW Department of Community Services, Sydney 60

QCOSS (2006), Investing in Prevention and Early Intervention: A ten-year plan, Brisbane.

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Resilience

Common across the research into various developmental stages is an emphasis on

resilience, supportive home environments, school and community (including friends and

peers). The presence of these factors, particularly in the early and middle years, is seen

as setting children up for positive future outcomes, with benefits to the wider community

and governments.

Increasingly risk adverse attitudes towards children’s safety have extended into

children’s play. Research has found that the risk-taking, decision-making, and

consequences children learn through independent play are crucial to their future

abilities.61

Transitions

Transitions are identified as key periods in a child or young person’s life when they

move from one developmental phase to the next. These are typically understood as:

from birth to preschool, preschool into school, primary school into secondary school

and beyond secondary school into tertiary education, employment or apprenticeships.

Transitions can also be viewed from the perspective of children and young people

moving from dependence to independence; from childhood through puberty and

adolescence to adulthood and from immaturity to maturity.62

Change is a key feature throughout each of these transition periods. It is

important to ensure that these transitions are successful by building on the

commonality between environments and supporting learning and development in

ways that connect with a child and their family. Creating this continuity involves

building on children’s prior and current experiences to help them to feel secure,

confident and connected to people, places, events, routines and

understandings.63

The notion of change is pivotal to transition. Whilst some children and young people

move with ease from one phase of development and from one service to the next (e.g.

playgroup, child care, kindergarten, and school) some children and young people can

struggle. Transition can be most challenging for culturally and linguistically diverse

(CALD) families, families with children who have a disability and financially

disadvantaged families. Further those who are most challenged by transition, are those

that if not adequately supported, can “fall through the gaps” leading to disadvantage

and vulnerability64.

61

Cahill, H et al (n.d), Building Resilience in Children and Young People: a Literature Review for the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, Youth Research Centre, Melbourne University, Parkville. 63

DEECD (2004), Transition: A Positive Start to School Resource Kit, State of Victoria, Melbourne. 64

Rosier K and McDonald M (2011) Promoting positive education and care transitions for children, Communities and Families Clearinghouse Australia, Australian Institute of Family Studies.

Children and Young People’s Strategy

45

Transition requires children and young people to learn about and develop the

skills to manage change, ensuring that those who need particular and additional

support can receive it in a way that is relevant and accessible.65

Transitions are also about key “events” in children and young people’s lives. These may

include family break-up, illness, bereavement, leaving home, or coming out as gay or

lesbian.

Whatever the period of change is, the development of resilience is key to being able to

cope with and manage transitions.

Significant focus and research has been given to the transition to school. “Readiness”

for school is predictive of long term academic and educational achievement and social

outcomes. “A positive start to school, leading to greater and ongoing connection with

school, has been identified as a factor in disrupting cycles of social and economic

disadvantage and in promoting resilience among young people”.66

The transition from education to employment is another area of growing attention. The

Life Patterns research project looked at generational change in transitioning from

education to employment67. It concludes that people in generation Y are experiencing

“difficult transitions” from education to work in an increasingly casualised labour

environment. The report indicated that this generation is likely to be working in a

casualised environment even into their mid-30s. While people with a higher level of

education did fare better, they were not exempt from this phenomenon.

Key to understanding transition is that it is a process and will take many forms at

different stages throughout a child, young person and their family’s life. Recognising

and supporting changes is pivotal to children and young people’s health and wellbeing.

Implications

The key themes arising from the research reinforce the importance of an accessible

and high quality service system and an environment for children, young people and

their families that provides universal access to a range of experiences, programs and

supports. It is important that this environment nurtures community connections that will

enable children, young people and their families to socialise and connect with peers,

and learn and play. More targeted services are needed that are flexible and respond to

particular needs of individuals who are experiencing disadvantage and/ or are

vulnerable. Recognising that at particular times of a child or young person’s life

additional support is required to support them to move successfully through key

development stages is critical.

While Council plays a key role in planning and provides a range of services and

supports to young people, children and their families, it is not possible for it to be

“everything to everyone” however it can play a key role in identifying the particular

65

National Children’s Bureau (2005) Supporting children and young people through transition, 2005 66

Smart, D., Sanson, A., Baxter, J., Edwards, B. & Hayes, A. (2008), Home-to-school transitions for financially

disadvantaged children, The Australian Institute of Family Studies. 67

Wyn J (2004) Becoming adult in the 2000s: new transitions and new careers, Australian Institute of Family

Studies, No. 68, ISSN 1030-2646

Children and Young People’s Strategy

46

needs of the community and through its influence and advocacy facilitate appropriate

service responses to meet these needs. This may include but is not limited to:

facilitating and or partnering with other levels of government or agencies to respond to

particular needs, education and coordination of activities that promote positive

outcomes and facilitating initiatives that serve to build the capacity of individuals and

the social capital of the community.

Children and Young People’s Strategy

47

Appendix 3 - The Boroondara context

Population overview

In 2011, 159,181 people were living in Boroondara, of which 54,685 (34.4%) were

children and young people aged 0 to 25 years. (Figure 5). There are also a significant

number of children and young people travelling into the municipality to attend study or

employment.

In planning and supporting a positive and accessible service system for children and

young people, consideration has been given to the geographical distribution of age

cohorts throughout local areas within the municipality both within the context of current

and future population distribution.

From a whole of population planning perspective, Council identifies five precincts,

Central, North East, North West, South East and South West as indicated in Figure 6.

As at 2011, population statistics for children and young people aged 0 to 25 years in

each of these precincts were68:

Central: 12,353

North East: 12,443

North West: 9,938

South East: 11,569

South West: 8,382

Within these precincts, Council also focuses on localised areas, and plans for shifts and

movements over time in order to ensure services are well planned and available when

required.

68

Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2011

0-4 years, 5.1%

5-12 years, 9.7%

13-17 years, 6.9%

18-25 years, 12.6%

Over 25 years, 65.6%

Figure 5: Proportion of selected age groups, Boroondara - 2011

Children and Young People’s Strategy

48

For planning purposes, a key issue is the distribution of the population and where

children and young people reside currently and in the future. Understanding trends in

populations including age group trends enables good decision-making around

establishment of services, structures and open spaces to meet future needs. Between

2011 and 2030 population forecasts indicate the 0 to 25 year age cohort is expected to

grow by 9.8%, below the state average of 30.2%69.

Compared to the State population forecasts, Boroondara is expected to have limited

growth across the 0 to 25 year age group from 2011 to 2030 (10.0% compared to

30.3%). The most significant difference is expected to be in the 5 to 12 year age group

(7.6% compared to 42.4%). Table 2 (overleaf) provides a snapshot of comparative

population distribution, by each Boroondara precinct, and trends for children and young

people 0 to 25 years over the next 19 years.

69

Population and household forecasts, 2011 to 2031, prepared by .id, the population experts, July 2011.

Figure 6: Boroondara planning precincts

Children and Young People’s Strategy

49

Table 3: Comparative population distribution and trends 2011 to 203070

Age Group 0 – 4 years 5 - 12 years 13 -17 years 18 – 25 years

Current number as at 2011 Census Percentage of total population in Boroondara

8,664 children 5.3%

16,201 children 9.4%

11,563 young people 6.7%

22,470 young adults 13.3%

Highest population by precinct area 2011

Central (1,930 children). Representing 5.0% of the precinct’s total population

Central (3,991 children), Representing 10.3% of the precinct’s total population

North East (3,144 young people) Representing 8.6% of the precinct’s total population

South West (6,295 young adults) Representing 17.5% of the precinct’s total population

Growth area North East, expecting 22.9% growth (357 children)

North East, expecting 15.9% growth (569 children). Population projections indicate that this precinct will also have the greatest number of children for this age group in 2030

South West expecting 33.9% growth (553 young people) However, North East and Central will continue to have higher actual numbers of young people over this period (3,173 with 0.9% growth and 2,979 with a 6.3% growth respectively)

South West Continued growth of 25.1% (1,583 young people) is expected for this area. This is higher than the projected State population growth for this age group. North West 14.9% (596 young adults)

Limited or negative growth area

South East with a reduction of -1.2% or -20 children North West population will be static (growth of 2.4% or 39 children)

North West with a growth of 0.5% or 14 children Limited growth in the Central and South East (3.3% or 133 children and 6.7% or 181 children respectively)

North East with a growth of 0.9% or 29 young people Limited growth in the Central precinct (growth of 6.3% or 176 young people)

North East with a reduction of -0.7% or -30 young adults Central and South East precinct populations will be static (1.6% or 73 young adults and 0.4% or 10 young adults respectively)

Boroondara forecast population growth 2011 to 2030

11.0% 7.6% 12.7% 10.1%

State average population growth 2011 to 2030

71

33.2% 42.4% 33.7% 16.5%

70

Population and household forecasts, 2011 to 2031, prepared by .id, the population experts, July 2011. 71

Department of Transport, Planning and Local Infrastructure (2014) Victoria in Future 2014: Population and household projections to 2051, Melbourne

Children and Young People’s Strategy

50

Families with children

In Boroondara, 43.3% of all households have children or young people aged between (0

and 24 years) (25,779 households) and 25.3% of households in Boroondara have

children younger than 15 years (15,081 households)72.

Across Boroondara households:

35.5% are couples with children or young people aged 0 to 24 (21,156 households)

and 22.7% are couples with children under 15 years (13,503 households)

7.8% are single parents with children or young people (4,623 households) and

2.6% are single parents with children under 15 years (1,578 households).

Figure 7: Proportion of household type, Boroondara, 2011

Cultural diversity

While the City of Boroondara is still a comparatively homogenous population, the

population is slowly becoming more diverse. This clearly has implications for planning

services and supports for children, young people and their families. Between 2001 and

2011 the proportion of people born in another country and living in Boroondara increased

by 4% (24.2% of the total population in 2001). The greatest growth in cultural groups has

been people who have come from India and China (+2,075 and +4,075 persons

respectively)73. (Table 3)

Data indicates that the proportion of the population that identifies as culturally diverse

grows with each age group. The greatest increase in diversity occurs around the age of

late secondary to tertiary aged people, possibly reflective of the influx of young adults,

from culturally diverse backgrounds, participating in tertiary education.

72

ABS, Census of Population and Housing 2011 73

ibid

Couples with children, 35.5%

Couples without children, 22.7%

One parent families, 7.8%

Other families, 1.5%

Group household, 5.3%

Lone person, 23.2%

Other, 4.0%

Children and Young People’s Strategy

51

People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds live in all areas of the

municipality and the greatest concentration of people from diverse backgrounds is in the

North East and South West precincts of the municipality.

Figure 8: Country of birth, proportion of 0 to 25 year olds by Boroondara precinct, selected countries74

At the 2011 Census, there were 226 residents who identified as Aboriginal or Torres

Strait Islander, 50.4% were aged 0 to 25 years (114 residents)75. The greatest proportion

of 0 to 25 year olds who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander in Boroondara

is young people aged 13 to 17 years, followed by 18 to 25 year olds (see Figure 9).

Figure 9: Proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population by age group Boroondara

The greatest growth in cultural groups, in the 0 to 25 age cohort, has been from China

and India. The proportion of children and young people who have come from China is

highest in the North East precinct compared to the other four precincts. In addition, the

South West precinct has the highest proportion of children and young people who have

come from India. It is important for Council to be responsive to the needs of children and

74

ibid 75

ibid

2.5

%

7.4

%

2.8

%

4.5

%

3.7

%

1.1

%

1.1

%

1.1

%

4.1

%

1.3

%

1.5

%

1.3

% 2

.6%

1.9

%

1.4

%

1.1

%

1.4

%

1.6

%

1.2

%

1.0

%

0.5

% 1

.8%

0.6

%

1.5

%

0.7

%

South East North East Central South West North West

China (excludes SARs and Taiwan) India England New Zealand Malaysia

0.04%

0.12%

0.34%

0.28%

0.14%

0-4 years 5-12 years 13-17 years 18-25 years Boroondara

Children and Young People’s Strategy

52

young people from both Chinese and Indian descent and target responses to the

identified precincts - North East and South West - when planning programs and services.

Council facilitates a culturally specific playgroup for the Chinese community in Balwyn.

Opportunity exists to enhance community connections and social networks for people at

risk of isolation by investigating opportunities to facilitate playgroups for CALD

communities and grandparent groups through the Maternal and Child Health Service.

Given the age group 18 to 25 year olds has the highest percentage of people born

outside of Australia, opportunity exists to consider programs and services that

specifically support this group which are culturally appropriate.

Children and Young People’s Strategy

53

Table 4: Comparative cultural diversity data by age group76

Age Group 0 – 4 years 5 - 12 years 13 -17 years 18 – 25 years

% of age group

population born in

Australia

90% 86.4% 82.1% 68.9%

Main countries of birth

other than Australia % or

total cohort population

England - 1.9%

USA - 0.8%

NZ - 0.7%

England - 2.1%

China - 1.5%

USA - 1.1%

China - 3.7%

England -1.6%

NZ – 1.4%

China - 7.9%

India - 3.4%

Malaysia – 1.7%

% of cohort population

with at least 1 parent

born overseas

25%

North East has the highest

with 46.5%

The suburb of Balwyn is the

highest local area with 55%

39.5%

North East has the highest

with 51.5%

The suburb of Balwyn is the

highest local area with 56.2%

44.6%

North East has the highest

with 60.8%

The suburb of Balwyn is the

highest local area with 58.7%

49.3%

North East has the highest with

58.2%

The suburb of Balwyn is the

highest local area with 59.6%

Languages spoken at

home

Mandarin - 3.8% Greek -

2.2%

Cantonese - 1.6%

Mandarin - 4.7% Greek -

3,4%

Cantonese – 1.8%

Mandarin - 6.8%

Cantonese - 3.7%

Greek – 2.3%

Mandarin - 8.3%

Cantonese - 3.2%

Vietnamese – 1.6%

% of cohort with

proficiency in English

and another language

9.7% 17.3% 20.6% 25.1%

% proportion who speak

another language and

have limited or no

English skills

8.1%

This figure may reflect the

number of newly arrived

migrant families with children

below formal education age

0.9% 0.9% 1.4%

Precinct with greatest

language diversity

indicated by language

other than English

spoken at home

North East

Chinese – 11.7%

North East

Chinese -14.7%

Indo-Aryan - 3 %

North East

Chinese - 21.6%

North East

Chinese - 21.6%

76

ibid

Children and Young People’s Strategy

54

Appendix 4 - Service mapping

SERVICE TYPE SERVICES IN

BOROONDARA

ACCESSIBLE

IN REGION COMMENTS

ALL AGE GROUPS

Neighbourhood

houses and

community

centres

The neighbourhood houses and community centres

currently run a range of programs and services for all age

groups in this strategy. Some neighborhood houses have

indicated that they would like to attract a greater number

of young people to their services.

Sporting and

recreation clubs

Provide a range of programs and activities for all age

groups covering a wide range of sports and recreational

pursuits.

Places of worship

Open religious services available to the whole

community. Some religious organisations coordinate

faith-based youth groups.

Libraries

Space for children, young people and parents to read,

learn and study. Libraries also provide a wide range of

programs including school holiday activities for primary

school aged children and story time for young children.

Aids and

equipment For children and young people with a disability.

Respite care

Facilities, funding, programs or activities that provide

children and young people with a disability and their

families respite from care.

Private healthcare

providers

Pediatricians, child and adolescent psychologists and a

range of other specialists.

Multicultural

support services

Education, social groups, information, support and

referrals for migrants or particular social groups.

EARLY YEARS 0-4 years

Maternal and

child health

Provides 10 health surveillance visits at key life stages for

children from birth up to the age of 6 years. Additional

visits for first-time mothers and children with special

needs. State-wide service jointly funded by Council and

Victorian government. Also provides Mandarin Family

Group; Parent-Child Mother Goose; Day Stay program;

pilot Lactation drop-in support.

Long day care Limited Limited

Privately run and community managed centres. Operate

generally between the hours of Mon–Fri, 7am–6pm.

Services in Boroondara report long wait lists for childcare

for children aged 3 years and under. As at November

2014, there were vacancies for children aged 3 years and

above across the municipality.

Occasional care Care for short periods of time for pre-school children,

available on a permanent or casual basis.

Children and Young People’s Strategy

55

SERVICE TYPE SERVICES IN

BOROONDARA

ACCESSIBLE

IN REGION COMMENTS

Kindergarten

Children learn and build skills through play, activities and

socialising with other children. Community-managed

stand-alone kindergartens, preschool programs within

privately operated and community managed child care

centres, and within independent centres.

Boroondara Kindergarten Central Enrolment Scheme

currently supports 24 community managed kindergartens.

Play groups

Informal groups for babies, toddlers, preschoolers and

their parents/carers to socialise and learn. Groups are

usually low-cost, organised by parents/carers and held in

community venues.

Some culturally diverse playgroups exist, however there

are opportunities to support playgroups for newly

emerging CALD communities.

Family day care

Quality childcare for 0-5 year olds and school-aged

children before and after school and during school

holidays. Care is provided in small groups in the home of

an independent care provider. FDC operators in

Boroondara advise that whilst there are few vacancies,

the majority of requests for care can be met - it can

however be difficult to secure full-time places for families

in certain areas.

Inclusion support

for children with

additional needs

Programs to support the early childhood learning and

inclusion of children with additional needs or special

considerations (e.g. disability, CALD, Indigenous).

Requests for support from the Council run Inclusion

Support Facilitator (ISF) and Preschool Field Officer

(PSFO) services are in high demand.

Developmental

concerns Limited

Interventions by primary or allied health professionals,

including community-based such as IECH & medicare

local and private practitioners. There is a wide range of

private providers in the Boroondara area. The major

publicly-funded services are located outside the

municipality.

Early childhood

intervention Limited

Services and programs for children with physical or

intellectual disability, or developmental delay. Families

and service providers advise that there can be waiting

lists; families are not always able to access services in a

timely manner.

Specialist child

and family

services

Limited

Support for families with additional needs or experiencing

significant stress. Families and service providers advise

that there can be waiting lists; families are not always

able to access services in a timely manner.

Audiology Limited Hearing reviews, auditory processing and hearing tests

for infants and children.

Maternity and

post-natal

services

Services that provide routine primary care for parents or

infants including breast feeding, post natal depression

care and sleep settling support.

Children and Young People’s Strategy

56

SERVICE TYPE SERVICES IN

BOROONDARA

ACCESSIBLE

IN REGION COMMENTS

Family and

Parenting

support,

Limited

Services and support groups for families requiring

additional support including personalized programs,

support groups and services to assist with parenting

issues in the early years e.g. Camcare. There is limited

support programs available to families of this nature in

Boroondara.

DHS - Child

Protection

Not based in

municipality

Mandated service that investigate allegations of harm or

abuse against children; is responsible for the case

management of children and young people at high risk

and coordinates a range of interventions including but not

limited to accommodation support; and foster care.

DHS - Child

FIRST (Child and

Family

Information

Referral Support

Teams)

State Government funded service that works with families

experiencing high need, stress or several risk factors that

place children’s wellbeing and safety at high risk.

Specialist interventions such as Integrated Family

Services are funded by the Victorian State Government.

Enhanced

Maternal & Child

Health Service

NA

Victorian State Government funded service that works

with vulnerable families who may be displaying one or

more factors that place an infant or child at risk of harm

(drug and alcohol use, family violence, involvement with

Child Protection etc.) Limited service provided in

Boroondara due to limited funding from Victorian State

Government.

MIDDLE YEARS 5-12 years

Schools

Range of local primary schools including public, catholic

and independent schools; including specialist schools for

students with a disability.

Out of school

hours care &

vacation

programs

Limited* Limited*

Care and activities for school-aged children during school

holidays and before and after school.

*Lack of appropriate services for children with additional

needs and appropriate activities for upper primary and

children was identified by parents through the

consultation process for this Strategy.

Youth Centre N/a

Space for 10 to 12 year olds to socialise in safe and

supervised environment. Opportunities to participate in

groups or projects that bring benefits to the local

community. Unstructured and structured recreation

offered. Generalist youth support available.

Hawthorn is a central location in Boroondara for young

people to congregate. Opportunities to deliver satellite

services and supports across Boroondara exist.

Developmental

concerns Limited Limited

Interventions by primary or allied health professionals,

including community-based organisations such as IECHS

that see children up to school age, and up to 12 years of

age for Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy only, as

Children and Young People’s Strategy

57

SERVICE TYPE SERVICES IN

BOROONDARA

ACCESSIBLE

IN REGION COMMENTS

well as private practitioners. Services aimed at children 5

to 12 years are lacking. There is a lack of publically

funded services. Families and service providers advise

that there can be waiting lists; families are not always

able to access services in a timely manner.

Disability services

Therapy, social groups, respite, inclusion support and

support for families and children. Specialist autism

spectrum disorder services and therapy are all available.

Parents of children with a disability indicated the need for

school holiday activities suitable for their children.

Audiology Limited

Hearing testing, therapy and learning tools for school-

aged children with hearing or learning difficulties. Support

for parents and educators. Local, regional and state-wide

services.

Family and

Parenting

support,

Limited

Services and support groups for families requiring

additional support, including personalised interventions

and programs e.g. Camcare. There are limited support

programs that provide early intervention strategies for

families in Boroondara of this nature.

Mental health

services including

Child and

Adolescent

Mental Health

Service (CaMHS)

Limited

Child psychology and psychiatry in community-based,

private and inpatient settings including The Better Access

initiative which provides better access to mental health

practitioners through Medicare. ATAPS provides patients

with assistance for short-term intervention through mental

health professionals including psychologists, social

workers, and mental health nurses.

Crisis assessments and treatments are provided through

CaMHS for children and adolescents up to the age of 18

years with serious emotional disturbance. Waiting lists

exist for this service;

Services aimed at children 5 to 12 years are lacking and

there is a lack of publicly funded services.

Police and legal

services Limited

Youth Resource Officer (Victoria Police) and youth legal

services, interventions and community engagement with

children from 10 years of age and, where appropriate,

their family. YouthLaw and Victoria Legal Aid can be

accessed in the region and Melbourne CBD.

DHS - Child

Protection

Not based in

municipality

Mandated service that investigates allegations of harm or

abuse against children; is responsible for the case

management of children and young people at high risk

and coordinates a range of interventions including but not

limited to accommodation support; and foster care.

DHS - Child

FIRST (Child and

Family

Information

Referral Support

Teams)

State Government funded service that works with families

experiencing high need, stress or several risk factors that

place children’s wellbeing and safety at high risk.

Specialist interventions such as Integrated Family

Services are funded by the Victorian State Government.

Children and Young People’s Strategy

58

SERVICE TYPE SERVICES IN

BOROONDARA

ACCESSIBLE

IN REGION COMMENTS

DHS - Youth

Justice NA

Mandated service that provides care, supervision, safety

and support for young offenders (10–20 year olds)

YOUNG PEOPLE 13-18 years and YOUNG ADULTS 18-25 years

Education

institutions

Range of local secondary schools and tertiary institutions

including public, catholic and independent. Including

specialist schools for students with disabilities.

There are no secondary education institutions in the

South East precinct of Boroondara.

Youth centre and

youth groups Limited N/a

Spaces for 12–25 year olds to socialise in a safe and

supervised environment. Opportunities to participate in

groups or projects that bring benefits to the local

community. Unstructured and structured recreation

offered. Generalist youth support available.

Hawthorn is centrally located for young people throughout

the municipality. Opportunities to deliver satellite services

and supports across Boroondara.

Housing support

Limited

There are limited accommodation services and no crisis

accommodation services available in Boroondara for

young people. Young people can access the Front Door

Service that supports young people in Boroondara. The

service is located in Hawthorn and can provide support

with a range of options including crisis response,

specialized support, information and advice regarding

transitional and community housing and options regarding

longer term, sustainable housing. In the short term, young

people may be moved out of area.

Youth housing

accommodation Limited

Residential Units, long term supported housing and

transitional housing.

Crisis

accommodation None

Crisis and emergency accommodation includes a range

of specialist services for people who are homeless or at

risk of homelessness or after an emergency. There are no

crisis accommodation services located in Boroondara

Affordable

housing and

housing for young

people

Limited

Affordable housing for students and young adults is

lacking in the Boroondara area. This lack of affordable

rental accommodation for young people (and low income

families) is a growing social issue, which affects many

inner city municipalities.

Disability support Limited

Includes respite, social groups, support and case

management. There is limited support in Boroondara.

Interchange Inner East also provides support to young

people and their families. Individual case management

and social support is provided for some disabilities, for

example through the Personal Helpers and Mentors

program delivered by Jobco in Balwyn.

Drug and alcohol

Drug and alcohol counselling, outreach, treatment,

information and referrals. Residential, community-based

and private services. Relatively well resourced including

services provided by IECHS, headspace, Camcare, BYS,

Children and Young People’s Strategy

59

SERVICE TYPE SERVICES IN

BOROONDARA

ACCESSIBLE

IN REGION COMMENTS

and Youth Support & Advocacy Service (YSAS) which is

located in Box Hill. Inner East Community Health is

responsive and skilled in working with young people living

with drug and alcohol issues. YSAS workers are able to

outreach. headspace also provides support to young

people (and their families) that have substance abuse

issues.

Employment and

training Limited

Services that aim to improve education, training and

employment options and outcomes for young people

including placements, support, training and career and

course information. Jobco, Ostara and the KYM

Springboard Program are based in Boroondara.

While local employment services exist in Boroondara,

young people still expressed issues with finding suitable

employment.

Youth Connections was funded to provide funding to local

youth services to support young people at risk of

disengaging from education and work. This has not been

replaced with another service to support this group.

Family and

Parenting support Limited

Support for families with additional needs or experiencing

personal challenges e.g. Camcare. Families and service

providers advise that there can be waiting lists; families

are not always able to access services in a timely

manner.

Mental health

services including

Child and

Adolescent

Mental Health

Service (CaMHS)

Limited

Child psychology and psychiatry in community-based,

private and inpatient settings including The Better Access

initiative which provides better access to mental health

practitioners through Medicare. ATAPS provides patients

with assistance for short-term intervention through mental

health professionals including psychologists, social

workers, and mental health nurses. Headspace Hawthorn

is located in the Hawthorn Arts Centre (Upper Annex)

Crisis assessments and treatments are provided through

CaMHS for children and adolescents up to the age of 18

years with serious emotional disturbance.

Health Youth-friendly, community-based or low-cost health

services. IECHS and headspace have GP clinics.

Police and legal

services Limited

Youth Resource Officer (Victoria Police) and youth legal

services, interventions and community engagement for

people up to 25 years of age and, where appropriate their

family. Youth Law and Victoria Legal Aid can be accessed

in the region and Melbourne CBD. The Boroondara

Youth Resource Officer at Victoria Police is hands on and

undertakes a variety of work with young people.

Sexual health and

family planning Counselling, information, STD checks and contraception

services provided by headspace’s sexual health clinic

DHS - Child

Protection

Not based in

municipality

Mandated service that investigates allegations of harm or

abuse against children; is responsible for the case

management of children and young people at high risk

Children and Young People’s Strategy

60

SERVICE TYPE SERVICES IN

BOROONDARA

ACCESSIBLE

IN REGION COMMENTS

and coordinates a range of interventions including but not

limited to accommodation support; and foster care.

DHS - Child

FIRST (Child and

Family

Information

Referral Support

Teams)

State Government funded service that works with families

experiencing high need, stress or several risk factors that

place children’s wellbeing and safety at high risk.

Specialist interventions such as Integrated Family

Services are funded by the Victorian State Government.

DHS - Youth

Justice NA

Mandated service that provides care, supervision, safety

and support for young offenders (10–20 year olds)

Children and Young People’s Strategy

61

Appendix 5 - Feedback from Consultation

Methodology

To enhance Council’s understanding of what is important in the lives of children,

young people and their families; community consultation was undertaken using a

variety of methods. This included face to face consultation through focus groups,

workshops, interviews and surveys. A total of 860 people participated in the

consultation process.

The following table provides a detailed breakdown of the consultative methods used

and number of people who participated in each.

Consultation Methodology Number of

Participants/groups

On-line Children and Young People’s Strategy Survey 93

Focus groups young children 0 to 5 years 88

Focus groups with primary school aged children 94

Focus Groups with secondary school aged children 68

Focus Groups with young people and young adults 11

Parent and grandparent focus groups 0 to 5 years 45

Parent and grandparent focus groups with primary school

aged children

11

Parent and grandparent focus groups with secondary school

aged children

12

Parent forums for children aged 0 to10 years 70

Parent forums for children and young people aged 10 to 25

years

115

Vox Pop activity undertaken by Youth Reference Group 18 participants

Instagram competition 45 entries

Interviews at libraries and events 3 interviews comprising 27

participants

Organisation interviews and workshops 9 sessions comprising 25

participants

Network groups and Advisory Committees 11 networks comprising 66

participants

Council staff involved in the delivery of services and or

facilities that support children, young people and their

families.

72

Children and Young People’s Strategy

62

Figure 10: Cohort breakdown for all community consultation methods

* includes Council involved in direct or indirect support to young people, children and the their families

Survey

A survey was developed and made available to the community for the period March

to November 2014. It was distributed to service providers and made available to

children, young people and parents at key locations including, parent forums, youth

events and the Boroondara Youth Resource Centre, 360. Ninety-three people

responded to the survey questions. A breakdown of respondents is provided in

Figure 9.

Figure 11: Cohort breakdown for respondents to the Children and Young People's Strategy

Survey77

Survey respondents were asked a series of questions. These questions were

optional, providing the opportunity for survey respondents to skip questions if they

77

Respondents were able to select multiple answers. For example, a young person 12 to 25 years could also be

a service provider or parent.

89 104 108

71

309

179

Child (0-4 years) Child (5-12 years) Young person (13-17 years)

Young adults (18-25 years)

Parent/carer of 0-25 year old

Professional*

Consultation participation by group

1.1%

11.4%

44.3%

34.1%

12.5%

4.5%

Survey Respondents - Children and Young People's Strategy

Children and Young People’s Strategy

63

did not feel they were relevant to them. Responses to the following survey questions

have been obtained:

What do you value most about Boroondara?

What do you think are the biggest issues and challenges facing young

children aged 0 to 8 and 8 to 12 years and young people (13 to 25 years) and

their families?

How can Council best support the healthy development education and

wellbeing of young children, young people and their families in Boroondara?

Face to Face Consultation

A series of questions were used to guide the face-to-face consultations with children,

young people, families and service providers and adapted to suit individual groups.

Questions included:

What would you like Boroondara to look like in 2020?

What is good about bringing up children/being a child/young person in

Boroondara

What could be improved? How could things be made better?

If you could improve one thing for families, children and young people in

Boroondara what would it be?

How would you like to be involved in improving things for children, young

people and families in Boroondara

How can children/ young people/ families be more involved in decision making

in Boroondara?

Supplementary questions for children:

What do you like about your area

Where do you feel safest

How do you have fun with your family outdoors

How often do you play outdoors after childcare/kindergarten or on the

weekends?

Describe your ideal park

The feedback received through face to face consultation and engagement is

provided at the end of this section. This information has been organised into four age

cohorts: 0 to 4 years, 5 to 12 years, 13 to 17 years and 18 to 25 years and includes

feedback provided from children, young people, their parents and carers and service

providers who support children, young people and their families in Boroondara.

Consultation outcomes

Children and Young People’s Strategy

64

The feedback provided through the consultation and engagement process has

resulted in an enhanced understanding of the issues that are important to children,

young people and their families and particular experiences they find challenging and

hence require additional support.

The feedback obtained through the survey and face to consultation is discussed

below.

What children, young people and their families value in Boroondara

Survey Responses

Participants in the survey were asked to identify what they most valued about

Boroondara. In response to this question, it has been identified that children, young

people and families place a high value on Parks (76.14%), schools (63.64%), shops

(57.95%) and trees (56.82%). While these aspects of Boroondara were identified as

the top four things of most value, a range of other aspects were also identified

including facilities and services such as libraries, sporting facilities and early years’

services and local amenities such as good neighbourhoods, gardens and cafes.

Figure 12: What do you value most about Boroondara?78

Face to Face Consultation

78

Respondents were able to select multiple answers.

76.1

%

63.6

%

58.0

%

56.8

%

52.3

%

52.3

%

51.1

%

50.0

%

47.7

%

39.8

%

38.6

%

36.4

%

28.4

%

27.3

%

26.1

%

22.7

%

11.4

%

What children, young people and families value in Boroondara

Children and Young People’s Strategy

65

Feedback received through the various focus groups and forums with all age

cohorts, parents and organisations was consistent and reinforced the feedback

received through the survey, citing the value placed on the range of facilities,

services and amenity of the local area.

Issues and challenges for children, young people and their families

While a number of aspects about life in Boroondara were identified as highly

positive, experiences and issues that children, young people and their families find

challenging and require additional support were identified through consultation. This

information is provided below.

Survey Findings - Children 0 to 12 years

The survey data provided in Figures 13 and 14 illustrates the responses provided

from parents of children 0 to 8 years and 8-12 years.

Definitions:

Speeding: issues with cars speeding and dangers, need for speed limits Shade sails: parks need to be shaded Safety: not defined Loss of free childhood: not further defined Economy: not further defined Affordability: cost of child care Access: to child care (4 responses) and kindergarten (1 response) Figure 13: Issues and challenges facing children aged 0 to 8 years and their families

79

79

Respondents were able to select multiple answers. Responses collated from the Children and Young People’s

Strategy Survey

4

4

1

1

1

1

1

Access

Affordability

Economy

Loss of childhood

Safety

Shade sails

Speeding

Biggest issues and challenges for children 0 to 8 years and their families

Children and Young People’s Strategy

66

Definitions: Information: where to obtain information regarding services available Inclusivity: Inclusion of children in schools Bike paths: safety for children Peer pressure: the pressure of friends on children Affordability: Before & after school care and vacation care Social media: influence and pressures of, cyber bullying Road safety: volume of traffic, need for speed limits, education for children and drivers to share roads Figure 14: Issues and challenges facing children aged 8 - 12 years and their families

80

The most pressing issue identified as a result of the survey findings for parents of

children 0 to 8 years was access and affordability of childcare. Thirty-three percent of

respondents identified this as a key challenge.

For parents of children of the 8 to 12 year age group (and some children) the

pressing issues identified through the survey (see Figure 14 above) were road safety

and social media. This related to the pressures and influence of electronics and

technology on children and concerns about cyber bullying. Affordability of before

and after school care, the impact of peer pressure, safety of bike paths, inclusive

practices and access to information were all issues identified.

Feedback from focus groups with children 0 to 5 years and their parents.

Access to, and affordability of childcare:

Feedback from parents of children aged 0 to 5 years mirrored the survey results for

this age group, identifying access to and the affordability of childcare as a key issue.

A focus group with parents of a cultural and linguistic diverse background identified

long day childcare as very difficult to find. Utilisation data collected through Council’s

Family Youth and Recreation Department from service providers identifies that

demand exceeds supply for childcare for children under the age of three years,

particularly on specific days of the week that are most popular being Tuesday,

Wednesday and Thursday.

80

Respondents were able to select multiple answers. Responses collated from the Children and Young People’s Strategy Survey

4

3

2

2

1

1

1

Road Safety

Social Media

Affordability

Peer Pressure

Bike Paths

Inclusivity

Information

Biggest issues for children 8 to 12 years and their families

Children and Young People’s Strategy

67

Parenting Support:

Through focus groups parents indicated a strong appetite for opportunities to engage

in parenting education and support opportunities. This is further reinforced by the

large take-up of parents in Council facilitated information sessions with participation

often exceeding 100 participants at any one time. Issues relating to managing

behavior, healthy eating, sleep and settling and kindergarten and school readiness

are extremely popular and highly sought after.

Risk of social isolation was an issue raised by parents, noting that parents from

CALD communities are particularly susceptible. An opportunity to support parents

from CALD communities was suggested. This was also reinforced by service

providers who were consulted.

Parents of this age group acknowledged at times their style of parenting often

referenced as “helicopter parenting” due to the nature of hovering to ensure their

children are kept safe and “out of danger”, had the potential to limit their children’s

play. Some parents advised that they would like to see playgrounds fenced, while

others did not identify this as a particular need. For some who suggested playground

fencing, this reflected concerns regarding safety, whilst for others they felt this would

ensure adequate supervision. This issue was not reported through the survey

results.

Play and Safety:

Children who participated in focus groups identified they enjoyed playing outside and

that bikes, slides and gardening were their most preferred activities. The backyard

and parks were their most preferred places to play. Generally children who

participated in focus groups indicated they felt safe in familiar environments. They

did note that busy traffic was a source of fear, but felt protected by the adults in their

lives. Parents also highlighted traffic as a source of concern, noting the importance

of safe pedestrian and cycling crossings, bike paths and public transport. A focus

group for parents of children with additional needs identified some pedestrian

crossings can be particularly difficult for their children or themselves as carers to

navigate.

Feedback from focus groups with children 5 to 12 years and their parents

Technology and Social Media

Feedback provided through focus groups and forums with parents raised concern

regarding the impact of the increased use of technology and social media on children

of this age group. Parents stated that they want their children to have more face-to-

Children and Young People’s Strategy

68

face interaction with others, rather than spending their leisure time using technology.

Cyber bullying was not a key issue specifically identified for this age group through

focus groups; however children did demonstrate an awareness of the issues related

to bullying and confidence that they would know what to do if bullied. However in

consultation with organisations and through Council’s School Focused Youth Service

needs analysis, cyber bullying was identified as a key issue of concern for upper

primary school children.

Parenting Support

Access to information regarding opportunities to connect with the local community

through cultural events and broaden parents’ awareness of general services and

supports available to them was also highlighted. Further support and assistance to

support their relationships and healthy parenting of this age group was discussed,

noting as children get closer to secondary school age, their desire to be more

independent increases. Appropriate boundary setting and reasonable expectations

becomes increasingly important for parents. Parents also noted limited support in

preparing their children to make the transition from primary to secondary school and

suggested information sessions and advice on practical strategies would be useful.

Out of school hours programs, events and activities

Limited after school activities, holiday programs and services that are age-

appropriate and engaging were noted in many of the consultations with parents of

children aged 10 to 12 years. Whilst there are numerous after school and holiday

programs operating in the community, parents expressed the view that these either

do not adequately cater for children aged 10 to 12 years or children of this age group

do not enjoy such programs. This was explained as being reflective of some children

being bored of programs as they have attended the same programs since they first

commenced school or because the activities were not aimed at their needs and

interests. Parents expressed feeling conflicted as they wrestled with their child’s

“wants” versus the need to ensure adequate supervision of their children as they

entered the latter part of their primary schooling and commencement of secondary

education. Parents of children with additional needs (1.6% of children aged 5 to 12

years in Boroondara) commented on a lack of support as children entered their

adolescent years and the need for accessible school holiday programs for their

children. Members of the Community Disability Advisory Committee (CDAC)

confirmed this challenge and whilst organisations such as Able Australia run holiday

programs for children with disabilities and are investigating an after school program,

the number of such programs is extremely limited.

An opportunity and strong desire to participate in family friendly events and activities

was expressed by parents of this age group.

Traffic Safety

Children and Young People’s Strategy

69

In relation to traffic, focus group participants, both parents of this age group and

children themselves identified safety issues related to speed limits and pedestrian

crossings around built up areas and schools and the shared use of roads by children

and drivers. Some parents identified that while they would like their children to have

more independence; traffic safety was of a key concern and contributed to limiting

opportunities to do so.

Survey findings - young people and young adults 13 to 25 years

The survey question relating to the biggest issues and challenges for young people

and their families (see Figure 15) encapsulates the age cohort 13 to 25 years of age.

Feedback received through focus groups, vox pops and parent forums has been

broken down further to consider the needs and key issues for young people 13 to 17

years and 18 to 25 years.

Other:

Social media Too much focus on academic outcomes rather than well-being outcomes Connectivity Housing affordability School stress Wealth is an issue, all so spoilt and protected, elite reality when it hits is hard for them to deal with Boredom Figure 15: Issues and challenges facing young people and young adults (13-25 year olds)

81

Finding employment (50%), issues with alcohol (38.5%), family relationships (34.6%)

and issues with drugs (30.8%) were the most significant issues identified by young

people, young adults and their parents.

Feedback from focus groups with young people aged 12 to 25 and their parents.

81

Respondents were able to select multiple answers. Responses collated from the Children and Young People’s

Strategy Survey

50.0%

38.5%

34.6%

30.8%

23.1%

19.2%

19.2%

15.4%

11.5%

26.9%

Finding employment

Issues with alcohol

Family relationships

Issues with drugs

Inclusive public spaces

Mental health

Social isolation

Accessing study

Accessing nature

Other (please specify)

Biggest issues and challenges for young people 13 to 25 years

Children and Young People’s Strategy

70

The key issues identified by young people aged 12 to 25 years and their parents are

summarised below :

Mental health and drug and alcohol use:

Consultation with young people of all groups identified that mental health and drug

and alcohol use was of key concern, citing the pressures and impact of high

expectations regarding academic achievement on wellbeing, the dangers and safety

concerns regarding use and abuse of drugs and alcohol and the impact this may

have on an individual’s mental health.

Young adults (18 to 25 years) identified that promotional activities would assist to

raise a greater awareness of mental health services and supports available to them,

while young people 13 to 18 years identified a stigma attached to mental health

issues and how this may have a detrimental impact on them accessing services.

Agencies working with young people and young adults identified mental health as a

key issue, noting a high prevalence of young people presenting with issues related to

self-harm, anxiety, depression and eating disorders. Social isolation was identified,

particularly for young adults from CALD communities who are undertaking study in

Boroondara and experience loneliness and difficulty adapting to Australian culture.

Education Pathways and Employment

Disengagement of young people, particularly in the higher years of secondary school

and their need for alternative education and employment pathways was identified as

a key challenge of which additional support was required. Young people identified

that the transition to university, particularly the cost of a university education, was an

issue (33.3% of vox pop respondents). Service providers identified opportunities to

support young people make the transition from secondary to education and or

employment and greater independence was “absent” from the service system.

Securing appropriate employment and obtaining appropriate income levels to be

able to stay and live in Boroondara was a key issue identified by young adults 18 to

25 years. Given the overwhelming appreciation of the quality of local amenity in

Boroondara and provision of the availability of a range of facilities and services, it is

not at all surprising that this would be an issue for young adults. The majority of

young adults are on low incomes as they work to establish their careers and

undoubtedly find it a challenge to obtain affordable housing that can enable them to

live independently in Boroondara.

Social Media and Technology

Social media and the increased use of technology by young people to communicate

with peers and adults was also concerning to parents of young people 12 to 25

Children and Young People’s Strategy

71

years, who perceived that vital social skills obtained through face to face interaction

were not being gained. Young people themselves identified social media as a key

tool to keep them connected with their community and friends and highly important in

their lives. The Youth Reference Group raised issues of concern for young people

relating to the significant use of “selfies” on social media, and how this creates a

need for self-affirmation and the potential bullying that young people experience as a

consequence.

Parenting Support

Family relationships were of a key concern raised by parents and service

organisations through the consultation. Parents of older young people identified

concerns regarding supporting their young person to transition from school to

employment and keeping them engaged and motivated, while parents of younger

people identified concerns regarding boundary setting and maintaining healthy

relationships. Parents of secondary school aged children highlighted a desire to

participate in parent education forums and sessions, particularly on issues in relation

to peer relationships, bullying and mental health issues.

Family Conflict

Agencies identified from their experience an increased prevalence of children and

young people living in households where family violence occurs, resulting in negative

mental health outcomes. Family conflict and breakdown were also key issues

identified and noted as an area in which families and young people require particular

support to manage. The higher costs of living were noted by some agencies as a

precursor to separated parents choosing to remain in the same household, adding

additional strain on family functioning.

How Council can support children, young people and their families manage the

issues identified?

Survey Findings

Survey participants were asked to identify how the City of Boroondara can best

support the healthy development, education and well-being of children, young people

and their families in the future? Multiple answers to this question were provided by

respondents. Survey outcomes are illustrated in Figure 16.

Children and Young People’s Strategy

72

Figure 16: What would help support the healthy development, education and wellbeing of

children, youth and families?82

Of the total responses to this question, the greatest percentage of respondents

identified planning and coordinating events as a key role that Council can play to

support children, young people and families. In total 11 items were identified with the

lowest function, ‘facilitating connections between service providers’ identified by

17.6% of respondents as a way that Council can best support the healthy

development education and wellbeing of young children, young people and their

families in Boroondara. The suggestions made by participants of the survey are

highly valuable and have been addressed through the Key Priority areas for this

Strategy which is discussed Section 10 of the report.

82

Respondents were able to select multiple answers. Responses collated from the Children and Young People’s

Strategy Survey.

55.9%

50.0%

47.1%

44.1%

44.1%

44.1%

41.2%

32.4%

29.4%

20.6%

17.6%

Planning & coordinating community events

Improving open spaces

Improving facilities

Connecting the community to services

Providing access to information

Monitoring and responding to service gaps

Supporting the provision of services for…

Providing quality professional development

Engaging & consulting the community

Advocating on their behalf

Facilitating connections between service…

How Council can support children, young people and their families

Children and Young People’s Strategy

73

The information provided in the tables below outlines the feedback provided by participants in focus groups and forums.

Co

ns

ult

ati

on

Children

0 to 5 years old

Children

Primary School Aged

5 to 12 years

Parents

Of children 0 to 5 year old

Parents

of children 5 to 12 years

Value playing outside in parks,

backyard and garden with

bikes, slides and gardening

were the most preferred

activities

Children enjoy playing outside at

the beach, in the park, pool and

playground and value shops and

parks

Value the open spaces, parks,

cafes, activities

Value open space and play area

Feeling safe in their

environment

Children feel safe in their

environment

Some concern about the change

in local character

Would like more family friendly activities and

events

Traffic safety knowledge and

concerns identified but felt

protected by adults

Traffic concerns such as road

safety, car crashes, and need to

keep bikes separate to cars

Traffic improvements including

improved pedestrian and cycling

crossing, bike paths and public

transport

Some concerns around traffic and traffic safety,

including the impact of speed limits around built

up areas and road safety for children, impacting

their ability to allow independence

Highly value the library Many children indicated enjoying

inside activities such as writing

and playing on computers

Value Council facilities such as

Maternal and Child Health

(MCH), Immunization, Playgroup

and Libraries

Like the convenience of having facilities and

services close by

Highly value free time Environmental concerns such as

rubbish and removal of trees

Parenting concerns - concerns

around ‘normal’ development,

behavior management

Limited after school activities, holiday programs

and services that are age appropriate

Boroondara parents and

friends are most important

Increased lack of safety with

signage about excessive

security measures

Concerned about the loss of

community connectedness and

looking for more opportunities to

connect with the community

Social media and technology are impacting on

children’s interactions with others and on their

leisure time

Enjoy many places in the

municipality

Some concerns regarding

bullying – more relating to what

they had heard than what they

had experienced.

Would like to know more about available

services

Would like to know more about managing

children’s behaviour and knowing when to

provide them with greater independence

Concerned about the loss of community

connectedness and looking for more

opportunities to connect with the community

Children and Young People’s Strategy

74

Co

nsu

ltati

on

Children secondary school aged 12 to 18 years

Young people 18 to 25 years

Young people vox popping 16 to 25 years

Parents of secondary school aged young people (13 to 17 years) and young adults (18 to 25 years)

Concerns about the future - employment, cost of living in Boroondara

Issues for the future - financial, studying, finding employment

Issues for the future - financial support, studying, finding employment

Concerns over young people after they leave school - engage in study or work

Parents unaware of 360 and the services offered - would like better promotion

Mental health is an issue which has associated stigma concerns, access to services can be difficult

Mental health - knowing and accessing services, social pressures, stigma

Mental health - Knowing and accessing services, social pressures, stigma

Links to community - opportunities for community gatherings, activities, parenting sessions

Parents value the amenities, open space, services and programs for young people in Boroondara

Concerns about drunk and drug effected people

Drugs and alcohol - peer pressure

Parents value the amenities, open space, services and programs for young people in Boroondara

Drugs, alcohol bullying and peer pressure were identified as potential social issues and parents concerned about how to manage this and support their children

Are connected through Facebook, schools and where young people meet

Concern for social issues (immigration, social cohesion) & being socially conscious (volunteering)

Opportunities for activities outside of school for secondary age children

Main concern was the lack of social interaction between youth, especially to do with social media and technology

Valued activities such as sport, walking, cycling and parks

Value the open spaces, parks, facilities in Boroondara

Access to services and facilities is valued

Transport both value and are concerned ie public transport issues and getting license

Value the safety of the area

Safety identified as an issue - safety at night

Parents unaware of 360 and the services offered - would like better promotion

More programs for students - festivals to showcase their talents & places for street art

Would like to be more involved in decision-making

Children and Young People’s Strategy

75

Co

ns

ult

ati

on

Parents of children

with additional needs

Parents of children with diverse

backgrounds (0 to 4 years)

Consultation with organisations including networks and advisory groups

Value good access to a range of services - but would like more flexible respite to be available

Value playgrounds, open space, quality of footpaths, library and toy library

Reports of social isolation in specific groups of young people particularly those from CALD community, gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, transgender, intersex (GLBTI) young people

Cyber bullying issues for upper

primary and secondary school aged

children

Some pedestrian crossings are complicated and could be improved

Public transport could be improved

Parent education sessions - many requests from parents of children of all ages for additional support for parenting issues, for example behavior management, relationship building and boundary setting

Social pressures on young people

who are feeling pressured to ‘do well’

academically

Would like holiday programs

Provision of information could be improved

Young people’s mental health is of concern, there is a high prevalence of anxiety, self-harm, depression, eating disorders

Need for age appropriate activities

for 10 to 12 year olds who feel they

are too old to be in after school care

and too young to be left alone for

extended periods

More accessible public toilets

Safe area to live in Important for young people to be empowered and have a voice

Support is required for young people

making key transitions - disengaged

youth and transitioning from year 12

to tertiary study or work. Limited

alternative pathways for secondary

students; evidence of school refusal

and disengagement

Hard to find long day care

There appears to be an increased prevalence of children and young people experiencing family violence

Alcohol and cannabis use particularly

binge drinking and pre-loading

Agencies view Council as playing a key role in facilitating linkages and relationships between organisations and services

Lots of services, good facilities and a

nice place for people to live

Children and Young People’s Strategy

76

Appendix 6 - Issues, links to consultation and research, and connection to key priorities and actions

ISS

UE

S A

ND

CH

AL

LE

NG

ES

SU

RV

EY

CO

NS

UL

TA

TIO

N

OT

HE

R*

KE

Y P

RIO

RIT

Y

AC

TIO

NS

EARLY YEARS (0-4 YEARS)

Access to and affordability of child care Facilitate affordable service options for families accessing child care and kindergarten through advocacy to Victorian State Government on behalf of families and service providers, to fund the increase costs for services as a result of child/staff ratio changes. Facilitate opportunities for children and young people to access a broad range of services in the northern end of the municipality through the development of the North East Community Hub.

Traffic and road safety concerns Support road safety education by investigating opportunities to provide a learn to ride area for young children within the municipality Support children to learn about road safety by completing the Kew Traffic School renewal and upgrade

Need for additional support, advice and information for parents regarding parenting issues e.g. normal development, behaviour, helicopter parenting

Encourage positive parent/child attachment through play by facilitating a Parent-Child Mother Goose program to Chinese speaking families

Transitions - need for greater support at key times of change

Support positive transitions for children moving from kindergarten to primary school by facilitating joint planning between kindergarten educators and preparatory school teachers.

Play - a tendency for risk aversion, fenced playgrounds, less time playing outdoors due to safety perceptions

Support children’s healthy development, by promoting the importance of play to parents and services through parent and provider information sessions. Support parents to identify suitable play spaces for their children by investigating the development of a guide regarding the provision of playgrounds and ancillary facilities available throughout in the municipality

Family violence and conflict Keep informed of sector reform and review by all levels of government that impact on children, young people and families in Boroondara and where appropriate consult with respective stakeholders to develop submissions that reflect the needs and interest of the Boroondara community

MIDDLE YEARS (5-12 YEARS)

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Limited and age appropriate after school and vacation care programs; particularly for children with disabilities

Investigate opportunities to enhance access to primary school children to attend after school and holiday programs by developing resource material that promotes existing activities available in Boroondara

Effects of social media and technology Facilitate forums for young people and parents regarding the use of social media, providing parents with advice on how they can support their children.

Traffic and safety concerns including safety of bike paths for children, speed limits and pedestrian crossings

Seek to improve community safety by continuing to advocate for the introduction of 40km/h speed limits in identified shopping strips Encourage physical activity and sustainable transport by delivering the Vic Health walk to school program with primary school communities

Need for additional support for parents, advice and information regarding parenting issues e.g. behaviour, expectations, boundaries, transition to secondary school

Provide opportunities for parents and carers of school aged children and young people to network by investigating opportunities to facilitate parenting support groups.

Transitions - need for greater support at key times of change

In collaboration with primary and secondary schools investigate opportunities to support the transition process for children entering primary and secondary school by investigating opportunities to co-facilitate information forums and workshops for parents

Affordability of before, after and vacation care

Facilitate affordable service options for families accessing child care through advocacy to Victorian State Government on behalf of families and service providers.

Play - a tendency for risk aversion, less time playing outdoors due to safety perceptions and a desire for play equipment that is more challenging

Support children’s healthy development, by promoting the importance of play to parents and services through parent and provider information sessions. Support parents to identify suitable play spaces for their children by investigating the development of a guide regarding the provision of playgrounds and ancillary facilities available throughout in the municipality

Family violence and conflict Keep informed of sector reform and review by all levels of government that impact on children, young people and families in Boroondara and where appropriate consult with respective stakeholders to develop submissions that reflect the needs and interest of the Boroondara community

YOUNG PEOPLE (13-17 YEARS) AND YOUNG ADULTS (18-25 YEARS)

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Mental health concerns - anxiety and depression, eating disorders; stigma

In collaboration with headspace, promote the benefits of positive mental health by facilitating partnerships with sporting groups to engage with young people. Develop and conduct a survey of community mental health services in the City to identify demographic trends in mental health, monitor changes in the sector, and support collaboration between providers. Support the health and wellbeing of children and young people by identifying opportunities to deliver a range of forums for young people and families on mental health, drugs and alcohol and healthy development in partnership with key agencies Contribute to a coordinated service system approach for young people through continued membership of the headspace Hawthorn consortium Continue to support young people in Boroondara by maintaining partnerships with other youth providers to deliver their services from the 360 (Boroondara Youth Resource Centre)

Alcohol and drug use - concerns and high levels of use; pre-loading at parties and binge drinking; cannabis use

Support the health and wellbeing of children and young people by identifying opportunities to deliver a range of forums for young people and families on mental health, drugs and alcohol and healthy development in partnership with key agencies Continue to support young people in Boroondara by maintaining partnerships with other youth providers to deliver their services from the 360 (Boroondara Youth Resource Centre)

Pressures related to academic achievement Continue to support young people in Boroondara by maintaining partnerships with other youth providers to deliver their services from the 360 (Boroondara Youth Resource Centre)

Need for additional support for parents, advice and information regarding parenting issues e.g. behaviour, setting boundaries, when to intervene etc

Provide opportunities for parents and carers of school aged children and young people to network by investigating opportunities to facilitate parenting support groups. Increase young people and their families awareness of services and supports available to them in the City of Boroondara through the promotion of resources and activities available to young people and their families at the 360 Youth Resource Centre

Transitions - need for greater support at key times of change

In collaboration with secondary schools, universities and agencies investigate opportunities to support the transition process for young people leaving secondary school by investigating opportunities to co-facilitate information forums and workshops for young people and families

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Disengagement of school leavers; need for alternative pathways

Increase young people and their family’s awareness of the range of services and pathways available to young people in Boroondara by investigating the provision of an annual expo for young people and families To support at risk young people to stay at school, advocate to the Victorian State Government for continued funding of the School Focused Youth Service program beyond 30 June 2015. Support school leavers with independent living by Implementing a Life Skills program covering issues such as housing options and tenancy rights Continue to support young people in Boroondara by maintaining partnerships with other youth providers to deliver their services from the 360 (Boroondara Youth Resource Centre)

Finding employment; high level of youth unemployment

Continue to support young people in Boroondara by maintaining partnerships with other youth providers to deliver their services from the 360 (Boroondara Youth Resource Centre)

Homelessness - couch surfing, accessing affordable housing and crisis accommodation

Research the level of youth homelessness and associated issues to identify effective strategies to support young people’s with their housing needs. Continue to support young people in Boroondara by maintaining partnerships with other youth providers to deliver their services from the 360 (Boroondara Youth Resource Centre) Support school leavers with independent living by Implementing a Life Skills program covering issues such as housing options and tenancy rights

Effects of social media and technology Facilitate forums for young people and parents regarding the use of social media, providing parents with advice on how they can support their children.

Family violence and conflict Keep informed of sector reform and review by all levels of government that impact on children, young people and families in Boroondara and where appropriate consult with respective stakeholders to develop submissions that reflect the needs and interest of the Boroondara community

Community engagement and involvement Support young people to be actively engaged in the Boroondara community by investigating the development of a youth forum that provides an opportunity for young people to represent their views, interests and issues that are important to them. Support young people to have an opportunity to be “heard” by actively encouraging all areas within Council and external services and organizations to consult with the Youth Reference Group on key issues and projects. Seek endorsement from Council of the Victorian Charter for Child Friendly Cities and Communities (2013). Support children and young people’s awareness of the role of Council and how they can participate in the community through civic education opportunities.

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Desire for better public transport and more bike paths

Advocate to all levels of government for improved public transport, service frequency and extension to operating hours and additional new and expanded services. Advocate to VicRoads for improvements and expansion to on road bicycle lanes on declared main roads Improve and expand off road and on road bicycle facilities in line with Council Strategies and funding allocation

* literature & policy review, benchmarking, service mapping

Key

Colour code Key Priority

Improve access to services and support through the provision of information and advice for families and young people

Ensure planning and service responses are relevant to those they are intended for, by engaging and consulting with young people on matters that are

important to them

Contribute to a well-coordinated and accessible service system for children, young people and their families by fostering partnerships and collaborative

practice amongst local providers

Promote healthy and interesting environments where children and young people feel safe and connected

Continue to develop and maintain high quality facilities and explore opportunities to enhance cross collaborative service initiatives.

Ongoing scanning of current, local, state and national policy environments to help determine future directions

Continue to advocate on behalf of communities and people within the municipality for increased and better coordinated services