Lady Gowrie to open Long Day Care program at Park Ridge

Lady Gowrie is to open Long Day Care program under innovative ‘one roof’ model with health and community services at Corymbia State School, Park Ridge.

Acting CEO of Lady Gowrie Qld Julian Smart, today announced that Lady Gowrie Qld, one of the state’s oldest early education providers, is set to open long day care within Corymbia State School in Park Ridge alongside health and community services.

“The early years are the most important and we are looking forward to being part of an integrated approach – everything under the one roof – for the Park Ridge community, so every child has the best start in life”

The Lady Gowrie Park Ridge Child Centre, on the grounds of the Corymbia State School, will be operated by Lady Gowrie and will provide early education services for up to 100 children, aged from
birth to school age at the new centre providing much needed universal access service for all young children in the local community.

“We know the demand for spots is high, and we are keen to open as soon as we are able. Bookings and expressions of interest are open now via our website.”

At the same site, Family LinQ, Queensland’s first integrated school-based hubs initiative, aims to improve the health, education and life outcomes for children and their families within school
communities will also be providing services for the community from the site. Family LinQ is part of a leading initiative of the Queensland Government in partnership of The Bryan Foundation, Department of Education and has been successfully operating at Kingston State School.

The Bryan Foundation’s Executive Director Matthew Cox is excited to see the second integrated school hub roll out to this emerging community.

“We know this model will play a key role in school community life and will be co-designed with a community first approach, to enable families to be the centre of school community life. Services in each FamilyLinQ hub will include quality education and learning; early childhood support services; onsite health services; family support programs; adult education and training, and community activities and programs.

Lady Gowrie Queensland will work closely with the FamilyLinQ Hub and the programs delivered could include parent education and workshops, play-based parent-child activities, Get Set for Kindy
programs, nutrition and healthy eating programs, playgroups for specific communities and physical activity and wellbeing programs for parents and children. Lady Gowrie’s General Manager of Child and Family Support Programs, Madeline Slater knows the Park Ridge community will benefit from Lady Gowrie’s approach to Early Childhood education innovation and its contemporary practice.

“We have learnt so much through our work in both Kindy Uplift and our Early Years Places which sees an integrated and multidisciplinary approach to support staff, children and families, and we look forward to sharing this in our Park Ridge service and community.”

“We are excited to be part of new site and given the high birth rate of 19.2 per cent for the Boronia Heights, Park Ridge area compared to a Queensland average of 10.7 per cent, we will be helping families who are in urgent need of early childhood education options.”