General News
2 April, 2025
By Five program needs critical funding
Hindmarsh Shire Council will advocate to Victorian Minister for Children Lizzie Blandthorn for funding for phase two of the vital By Five program in 2025–29.
By Five Wimmera Southern Mallee Early Years Initiative builds on the vision that every child in the region succeeds in learning and life, ensuring every child and family has access to consistent, quality early-years services in the required quantity for children.
For more than four years, the paediatric telehealth service has been delivered in partnership with the Royal Children's Hospital, funded jointly through the By Five Initiative and VMST funding, but it is only secured until June 30 this year.
Cr Rosie Barker said council had been given a presentation from By Five about its work.
“I thought it was very interesting and I think it's really important for us to advocate for zero to five-year-olds, and even in utero, the services in our rural area and bring a close focus on the changes required there," Cr Barker said.
“We really need someone like By Five and for us to be advocating for them as a flow-on to make sure we are are putting our eyes on the most vulnerable in our community, which are the children."
An additional $3.5 million in government funding is essential with the program from 2025 to 2029 to:
* improve the lives of a further 1000 children through targeted health and education services
* support 200 rural professionals to deliver localised services
* deliver allied health services directly to five rural and remote public schools
* support eight new antenatal access locations across the Wimmera Southern Mallee region
* integrate eight existing kindergartens and long-day-care centres
* establish eight new long-day-care services in small rural communities
* document and evaluate rural service access models to spread and scale
Cr Chan Uoy said it was important to provide care for young children in the region.
"I've come to know that this area is quite disadvantaged and is second to the Northen Territory," Cr Uoy said.
"They are our future so we need to make sure they are not disadvantaged.”
Mayor Ron Ismay said he would be advocating as best he could to make sure the funding was secured.
By Five is now working to manage children in its care and transition them as effectively as possible since funding is not a guarantee.
Public paediatric wait times are now more than four years.