Have your say on Draft Children and Families Strategy

The community is encouraged to have their say on Council’s Draft Children and Families Strategy, which is Council’s commitment to creating a connected community where all children and their families thrive. 

The community is now invited to comment on the draft strategy, which is on public exhibition until 21 July 2020.

The development of the Draft Children and Families Strategy was informed by extensive community consultation, service reviews, service infrastructure needs analysis and research from 2018 to 2020.

Deputy Mayor Councillor Marijke Graham said ensuring the views of children and their families and caregivers were heard was fundamental to the development of the draft strategy document.

“In developing a new Children and Families Strategy, Council sought the views of more than 3000 children, parents and carers, and the broader Maroondah community, including education and service providers, using a range of consultation methods to find out how we can better meet the needs of Maroondah’s children and their families,” Cr Graham said.

“Part of this involved Council working together with the Department of Education and Training, The University of Melbourne and schools in Maroondah to undertake wellbeing surveys with students, staff, parents and carers,” Graham said.

Once endorsed, the Children and Families Strategy will be supplemented by a sequence of separate two-year Action Plans, which will outline what Council will do to help achieve the strategy’s objectives.

“Given the changing landscape due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a key element of the Strategy’s first Action Plan will be the adaptation of Council services to meet the emerging and future needs of children and their families resulting from the impacts of the virus,” Cr Graham said.

The Strategy outlines a number of key directions, including to:

Ensure that Council’s infrastructure and open spaces are well planned and placed to meet the changing needs of Maroondah’s children, their families and service providers. Enhance opportunities for children in Maroondah to access high-quality local education and care services. Provide accessible local services and opportunities that foster health, wellbeing and development of children and their families. Effectively promote and provide information about the range of services and opportunities available to children and their families in Maroondah. Actively and effectively engage and consult with children and their families on matters that affect them and their communities.

To have your say on the Draft Children and Families Strategy, visit our online engagement hub. 

Further information

 For further information, please call us on 1300 88 22 33.