Bendigo Community Health Services
PO Box 1121, Bendigo Central Victoria 3552
Submission to the House Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Disability\
Inquiry into the Thriving Kids Initiative
From: Bendigo Community Health Services
Introduction
Bendigo Community Health Services (BCHS) welcomes the opportunity to provide a submission to the Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Disability regarding the Thriving Kids initiative. BCHS has been a leading provider of integrated community health in the Loddon-Mallee region for 50 years, with a focus on delivering multidisciplinary, place-based and person-centred care.
Since March 2024, BCHS, through the Alliance of Rural and Regional Community Health (ARRCH), has been developing a proposal and budget bid for a model of care aligned with the Thriving Kids initiative. We have made submissions to the Hon Bill Shorten MP and, following the government’s announcement of Thriving Kids, have worked with Registered Community Health Services across Victoria through Community Health First (CHF) to co-design a statewide model.
We strongly believe Registered Community Health in Victoria is the ideal vehicle to deliver Thriving Kids. Community Health organisations work within a social model of health and are already deeply integrated into mainstream health, education, and family service systems.
Response to Terms of Reference
1. Mechanisms for a Seamless Transition through Mainstream Systems
Community Health Services are uniquely positioned to deliver seamless transitions for children with mild to moderate support needs due to:
- Integrated care pathways: BCHS delivers family services, targeted early intervention programs, paediatric services, out-of-home care supports, general practice, allied health, and the Loddon Children’s Health and Wellbeing Local. We routinely coordinate care across education, health, child protection, and disability systems.
- Connector role: As shown in attached case studies, Community Health acts as a trusted connector and navigator for families. We bring services to where children are—whether through outreach, home visits, telehealth, or schools—and support families to remain engaged in mainstream systems without unnecessary escalation.
- Flexibility and scalability: Registered Community Health has the capacity to deliver Thriving Kids through phased implementation, regional delivery aligned with Primary Health Networks, or a statewide rollout. This flexibility ensures coverage in metropolitan, regional, and rural contexts.
This model directly supports the government’s Information, Linkages and Capacity Building (ILC) priorities by:
- Minimising the need for escalation through early intervention.
- Building individual and family capacity, including opportunities for carers and people with disability to share lived experience with peers.
PO Box 1121, Bendigo Central Victoria 3552
2. Drawing on Domestic and International Policy Experience and Best Practice
The BCHS/ARRCH/CHF model has been informed by both domestic and international best practice, combining the strengths of integrated service systems with the evidence base for early intervention.
Key features include:
- Family Capacity Building Program (place-based, co-designed): Builds peer networks, family leadership, and sustained support—echoing international best practice in family-led early intervention.
- Intensive Early Supports Program: Provides flexible early intervention for children outside the NDIS, meeting the needs of rural and regional families who are often under-served by mainstream systems.
- Learning and Development Strategy: Ensures practice quality and fidelity by embedding the best available research evidence and existing community health practice knowledge.
- Research and Evaluation: In partnership with the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, the pilot will contribute to the national evidence base and allow continuous adaptation during implementation.
This aligns closely with international models of foundational support, including Canada’s Family Resource Networks and the UK’s Sure Start approach, while also building on Australia’s own history of community health innovation.
Conclusion
BCHS, through ARRCH and CHF, has the capability, partnerships, and evidence base to deliver Thriving Kids successfully across Victoria. Registered Community Health Services are trusted local organisations already embedded in communities, with the expertise to connect families, prevent escalation, and deliver integrated, evidence-informed care.
We strongly recommend that Registered Community Health Services in Victoria be considered as the delivery platform for Thriving Kids, with capacity for phased, regional, or statewide rollout.
Contact:
Mandy Hutchinson
Chief Executive Officer
Bendigo Community Health Services
Appendices:
- Case Studies Bendigo Community Health Services
- Community Health First Submission to the Inquiry