1800 007 224
Postal Address
P.O. Box 26
Point Lonsdale 3225
www.bch.org.au
ACN 137 374 924
ABN 96 536 879 169
Submission - Thriving Kids initiative to the House Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Disability
Submitted by: Bellarine Community Health (BCH) in collaboration with Community Health First (CHF) and the Alliance of Rural and Regional Community Health (ARRCH)
Date: 3 October 2025
Introduction
Bellarine Community Health welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the Parliamentary Inquiry into the Thriving Kids initiative. As a provider of multidisciplinary, community-based child and family services in Victoria, we strongly support the intent to build a national system of foundational supports for children aged 0–9 with mild to moderate developmental delay and autism. However, we urge the Committee to ensure that the design and implementation of Thriving Kids reflects the operational realities of community health providers and leverages existing models of care that are already delivering strong outcomes.
Commonwealth and Philanthropic Investment - Community Impact
Our Ocean Grove Child Youth and Family Hub was built with $4m Commonwealth funding and enhanced by a generous $2m donation of land from the Corless Family and $150k donation from the Anthony Costa Foundation.
This funding enabled the creation of a state-of-the-art sensory modulation, therapy and assessment space, transforming care for children with sensory processing disorders, developmental delays, disabilities, or who are neurodivergent and their families.
Features include space with one way glass and recording equipment for observation assessment and training purposes, sound-damping ceilings, adjustable lighting, a suspension frame, movement swings, light boxes, bubble tubes, interactive projectors, neurodiverse-affirming toys and tools and outdoor therapy space in an engaging child and family friendly environment.
Since opening in January 2025, the facility has delivered over 1,500 appointments, including individual therapy, group programs and comprehensive autism and cognitive assessments.
Families have gained access to free or low-cost assessments, often avoiding long waits or high private costs, leading to timely access and support.
Recent visit with the Hon Jenny McAllister, Minister for NDIS and Libby Coker MP, Member for Corangamite
On Thursday 12th September 2025, we were fortunate to host a visit with the Minister for NDIS and the Member for Corangamite. The purpose of the visit was to showcase the Commonwealth-funded Child, Youth and Family Hub in Ocean Grove and to engage directly with BCH leadership, staff, and NDIS participants. The visit highlighted BCH’s multidisciplinary model and the implications of the proposed Thriving Kids reform were discussed. BCH’s governance model was explained, and it was acknowledged by the Minister that the health sector in Victoria is more sophisticated than other states.
POINT LONSDALE QUEENSCLIFF 2 Nelson Rd Point Lonsdale 3225 Fax (03) 5258 0864 | OCEAN GROVE KINGSTON 5-7 Goodwell Dr Ocean Grove 3226 | OCEAN GROVE 78 Presidents Ave Ocean Grove 3226 | YOUTH Peninsula Dr Drysdale 3222 Fax (03) 5251 5099 | DRYSDALE 23-25 Palmerston St Drysdale 3222 | PORTARLINGTON 39 Fenwick St Portarlington 3223
It was explained that hospitals in Victoria are incorporated under the Health Services Act, while community health is simply registered under this same Act. Community health is instead incorporated under the Corporations Act, which means community health organisations are public companies and its directors are personally liable for all debts incurred, as opposed to directors of public hospitals in Victoria who are not personally liable.
Community health, first stood up by the Whitlam government, has been around for over 50 years. Bellarine Community Health is the oldest at 53 years. Financial viability and quality clinical care is critical to ensure the continuation of this significant history within the communities each community health organisation supports and serves. A case study which showcases the experience of one family the Minister met this day in included in Appendix 1.
redacted
Response to the Terms of Reference:
1. Evidence-Based Resources for Parents
Community health services are uniquely placed to support parents in identifying developmental concerns early. Our integrated model, combining maternal and child health (MCH), early childhood education and care (ECEC), GP’s, allied health, and family support, enables trusted relationships and timely referrals. Our purpose-built facility also includes clinical areas that support the co-location of GP and Paediatric support, both critical resources for parents, aiding health literacy for informed decision making in a multidisciplinary approach. The Hub’s one way mirror and recording technology for observational practice can be beneficial to teaching and professional development opportunities for students and staff as well as for parents in being able to explain behaviours and/or receive feedback on supportive practices in differing situations.
Page | 2
In addition to the above, we also recommend investment in digital and face-to-face tools co-designed with parents, including culturally appropriate resources and peer-led education, to support early recognition and response.
2. Effectiveness of Current Programs
Victoria’s community health sector has decades of experience delivering early intervention through MCH, playgroups, ECEC, primary care, and schools. It delivers service both in centre as well as these external settings and homes. BCH’s purpose-built Child, Youth and Family Hub in Ocean Grove, supported by Commonwealth and philanthropic funding, has delivered over 1,500 appointments since January 2025. Our sensory modulation and assessment space has transformed engagement for neurodivergent children, demonstrating the value of multidisciplinary, co-located care. The level of resources available within community health provides an improved experience for children and their families.
The proposed Thriving Kids model raises questions: how would a 7-year-old re-enter an early childhood setting that is no longer age-appropriate?
3. Equity and Intersectionality
We strongly support targeted strategies for First Nations and culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) families. Community health centres are embedded in local communities and trusted by diverse populations of all ages. Thriving Kids must continue to fund and support current practices that ensure culturally safe workforce development and flexible service models that meet families where they are.
A crucial value-add for supporting children in Victoria, particularly rural and regional, is that community health already works within communities that are known to experience significant inequity. It is a trusted brand with ability to reach in and wrap around where needed.
4. Workforce Support and Training
The success of Thriving Kids depends on a skilled, multidisciplinary workforce. Combined ARRCH members employ more than 3,000 skilled professionals and volunteers addressing health inequity in local rural and regional communities. As a major employer in rural and regional Victoria ARRCH are acutely aware of the impact of workforce shortages and how these impact on community members and availability of health and community services. It has worked hard to create a value proposition to attract staff to regional and remote Victoria. Combined Community Health First members employ over 10,000 skilled professionals across 22 independent community health organisations including rural, regional and metro.
The scale of CHF is a ready-made network and model for delivery of “Thriving Kids” throughout all of Victoria, with direct line of sight established for supervision, value propositions in place to attract and retain staff, and suitable facilities and resources in place to adapt quickly to be scheme ready.
Page | 3
5. Best Practice and Policy Alignment
The CHF/ARRCH model draws on international best practice in early childhood intervention. The efficacy of early intervention is severely undercut if families cannot access it safely and willingly. Policy, therefore, cannot succeed by simply increasing funding; it must mandate structural changes in training and service delivery, requiring deep partnerships and networks with local authorities, service providers and community groups and prioritise streamlined diagnostics and mandate culturally responsive care coordination to mitigate systemic discrimination.
BCH runs a social prescribing network whereby collaborating with each other creates better networks, like a no door is wrong approach. If someone comes to BCH that we can’t support, we will know where that support can be found. The group meets monthly and with pooled resources can provide more for our community. Known as “Bellarine Wellbeing Connect”, details of our members and TOR follow at Appendix 2.
The importance of preserving local capability has never been stronger. Maintaining the ability for communities to provide for themselves has never been more critical. No one organisation can be everything to everyone. We must use our local networks and long-standing relationships to provide services and support to ensure no one falls through the cracks.
ARRCH CEOs recently met with the regional Victorian PHN CEO’s and discovered there is no consistency for contract deployment across regions and more importantly no weighting for local providers in their tender evaluation process. The PHN CEOs were unaware of the consequence of this. Erosion of local capability by awarding future service provision contracts to national or interstate organisations threatens the existence of community health and networks such as Bellarine Wellbeing Connect. The significant policy alignment of social prescribing at a community level will also be threatened as long-term community leadership disappears.
Recommend an emphasis on the importance of retaining and leveraging trusted local providers in the delivery of Thriving Kids.
6. Seamless Transitions Through Mainstream Systems
The CHF/ARRCH model proposes a single statewide entry point, virtual and local delivery options, and phased rollout across Victoria. This model aligns with the Thriving Kids policy settings and offers scalable, equitable access to foundational supports.
BCH’s co-located multidisciplinary teams (speech therapy, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, psychology, play therapy, dietitian, podiatry, continence nurse) work collaboratively internally and externally to support children and families.
This model reduces fragmentation, improves outcomes, and builds trust with families.
The case study at Appendix 1 provides a clear example of the benefits the registered stand-alone community health model provides, more specifically the seamless way this mother transitioned to the supports her child required, in comparison to the experience she had in mainstream systems (hospital, integrated allied health model).
Page | 4
Conclusion
We urge the Committee to recognise the value of Victoria’s standalone community health infrastructure and the CHF/ARRCH delivery model. Excluding community health providers from early design risks delays and missed opportunities. We stand ready to partner in pilot programs and contribute to a national system that helps all children thrive.
redacted
Appendices:
- Case Study Bellarine Community Health
- Membership and TOR for social prescribing network “Bellarine Wellbeing Connect”
- Community Health First Submission to the Inquiry
Page | 5
APPENDIX 1 - Case Study Bellarine Community Health
Early Intervention and a multidisciplinary approach - Sam and Gable’s Story
When Sam noticed her 2-year-old son Gable struggling to hold his head up and sit properly, she initially sought help through hospital physiotherapy. While this addressed some concerns, Sam had additional worries about Gable’s head tilt and other developmental signs that needed attention.
Everything changed when their maternal health nurse referred them to Bellarine Community Health (BCH). “I felt listened to and got immediate answers,” Sam recalls. The BCH physiotherapist began working intensively on Gable’s neck muscles through targeted stretching exercises.
As the physiotherapist worked with Gable on his delayed physical milestones, they began observing other developmental areas. When language delays became apparent, other specialists would
APPENDIX 2 - Membership and TOR for social prescribing network “Bellarine Wellbeing Connect”
TERMS OF REFERENCE – BELLARINE WELLBEING CONNECT
Bellarine Wellbeing Connect arose from discussion at a community forum held by Bellarine Community Health on 17 May 2023. It became clear that the numerous community service organisations operating on the Bellarine were disconnected, and whilst having similar values and objectives relating to the delivery of community services, a need to collaborate and cooperate was identified.
| PURPOSE: | - To work collaboratively with community service providers to improve the health and wellbeing of the people of the Bellarine. - To provide informed advice and associated information to assist decision makers in local, State and Federal Governments to enhance the health and wellbeing of the people of the Bellarine. - To represent and take into account the views of the community and the numerous agencies and providers who work with people on the Bellarine. |
|---|---|
| OBJECTIVES: | - Raise awareness of services available and identify gaps - Understand diversity within the community and the needs, existing supports and gaps in services, for different cohorts of people on the Bellarine - Strengthen current services and support the development of new sustainable services on the Bellarine - Identify emerging issues and actions to resolve - Advocate on health and wellbeing matters as needs are identified - Build the capacity and connections of member groups and organisations to benefit the health and wellbeing of the Bellarine community |
| REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS: | Internal only to each of the members’ governing bodies. BWC Working Groups to report at BWC meetings on a monthly basis. |
| MEMBERSHIP: | Interested community groups and organisations who are committed to the objectives Determination regarding proposed membership of new organisations / individuals of Bellarine Wellbeing Connect to be discussed as an agenda item at the next available meeting. A database of members will be maintained. |
| GENERAL: | - BCH will be responsible for chairing the meeting - BCH will be responsible for the taking of minutes - Agenda will be prepared and distributed by BCH a minimum of 3 days prior to the meeting. - Meet monthly for1.5 hours or as required - No quorum is required - Decisions on actions to be undertaken by Bellarine Wellbeing Connect are by consensus, but no decision of the group takes away the rights of individual members to act |
| Confidentiality and Disclosure | - Group members must respect that some discussions may be confidential and every effort must be made to maintain confidentiality - Intellectual property, material and content which is discussed, produced or shared via members should be considered confidential - All known conflicts of interest should be disclosed and managed appropriately. |
|---|
ENDORSED BY BELLARINE WELLBEING CONNECT: 23 June 2025
REVIEW DATE: June 2027
MEMBERSHIP as at October 2025:
Libby Coker MP, Member for Corangamite
Alison Marchant MP, Member for Bellarine
Bellarine Community Health
Department of Families, Fairness & Housing (Community Partnerships)
Barwon Community Legal Service
Food Assist 3223
Feed Me Bellarine
Victoria Police - Bellarine
Staying in Portarlington
Ambulance Victoria
Bellarine Community Support Register
Borough of Queenscliff
Barwon Health – Community Health Program
Mental Health & Wellbeing Local (Borough of Queenscliffe & City of Greater Geelong)
CatholicCare Victoria
City of Greater Geelong
Meli
Compassionate Hearts on the Bellarine
Bellarine Secondary College
Destination Accessible
Department of Justice and Community Safety, Barwon Southwest Region
RIAC (Rights Information and Advocacy Centre)
Springdale Neighbourhood Centre Inc
St Vincent de Paul Society (Drysdale)
Portarlington Neighbourhood House
Wellways Australia
Bellarine Peninsula Basketball
Sexual Assault & Family Violence Centre
Stride (headspace)
Cottage by the Sea