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City of Greater Shepparton
URL: http://www.greatershepparton.com.au/residents/family/newbeststart/
Greater Shepparton Best Start Municipal Early Years Plan
Welcome to the Greater Shepparton Best Start Municipal Early Years Plan website. We are extremely pleased to be able to bring you this website and hope you find the information helpful and valuable. The Greater Shepparton Best Start Municipal Early Years Plan 2008-2010 (BSMEYP) aims to improve the health and wellbeing of children aged 0 to 8 years and is a document Council, the Partnership and related workgroups are all extremely proud of. Many people have contributed to the development of the BSMEYP, from directors to service providers, parents and the wider community. This website provides an overview of the most current activity of the BSMEYP and includes information for service providers, parents and community members.
The Victorian Government’s Best Start initiative is a response to the persuasive body of research that highlights the long term individual, community and economic benefits that come from investment in services to promote optimal child development and wellbeing in the early years of life – pre birth to 8 years.
Using a community development approach, the key objective of Best Start is to improve access to and usage of early childhood universal services through the enhancement and reshaping of such services.
In 2002, Greater Shepparton was selected as one of eleven Demonstration Projects across the state. An action plan was developed (2003-2007) and the project focused on the reshaping and enhancement of early years and family support services in five major action areas:
- Working Together
- Community Literacy
- Early Childhood Health
- Getting Connected
- Parenting Education
A local evaluation of the project was conducted by Department of Rural Health Melbourne University while a statewide evaluation for the whole Best Start initiative was undertaken by Melbourne University researchers.
Outcomes and learnings from the evaluation and the project itself have proved valuable when developing the Best Start Municipal Early Years Plan 2008-2010. Best Start has also been instrumental in bringing key stakeholders to the table in order to improve outcomes for children and families in the municipality and provided a solid foundation for future service development and enhancement.
Greater Shepparton is now a Best Start extension site, sharing learnings with other new sites and building on what has been achieved during the demonstration project phase.
More In This Section
Best Start is a three year project that aims to improve the health, development, learning and wellbeing of all children from before birth through to early school age (eight years of age).
Here in Greater Shepparton we are extremely fortunate to have strong agency partnerships promoting and supporting breastfeeding in our local community.
Improving language skills and literacy outcomes for children is a long term goal and one the Greater Shepparton Best Start Municipal Early Years Plan is committed to achieving.
Integrated Practice is a training program developed by the Greater Shepparton Best Start Project.
A Municipal Early Years Plan (MEYP) is a local area strategic plan for development and coordination of early education, care and health services, activities and other local developments for young children.