Caring for kids

A NEW children’s centre with early childhood intervention services will be open in Pakenham before the end of the year.
Cardinia Shire Councillors approved the tender to build the Henry Road East Children’s Centre at Monday night meeting agreeing the facility was badly needed.
Councillor Collin Ross said the project was necessary for Cardinia Shire and particularly families with children with special needs, who currently have to drive to Dandenong, Monash Medical Centre or the city.
“We have five to six families moving into the Shire every day and 30 babies a week being born,” he said.
“This is an extremely important facility to be built in Cardinia Shire.
“The facility will have two 33-place kindergarten rooms, an occasional care/community room, two early childhood intervention services (ECIS) rooms and three consulting rooms for ECIS or Maternal and Child Health.
A ‘bush play space’ will also be included in the garden.
The facilities will help support local children with a disability or developmental delay from birth to school entry.
Cr Jodie Owen said it would be a great assistance to local families to have these services in their backyard.
“I personally know families whose children have missed early intervention,” she said.
“Some parents can’t afford to travel to the city or wait for hours at the Monash.”
Cr George Blenkhorn said the community was in need of such a facility.
“There is a small section of the community of families with children with disabilities but often these parents do not expect their child to have a disability,” he said.
“These families will get help. It will be the first in the region, not just in the shire.
Councillors unanimously voted for the facility to be constructed by local contractor JR Pryor at a cost of $3.07 million, to be subsidised by State Government grants and developer contributions,” Cr Blenkhorn said.
The contractor also built the Bunyip Auditorium, Hollins Children’s centre and MyPlace youth centre.
Construction will start before the end of March and is expected to be completed by 30 December.
Cr Graeme Moore said the project was a great outcome and a ‘bargain’ for the community.