Andrews backs up budget with visit

PREMIER Daniel Andrews was in town last Friday at the Ballarat Early Parenting Centre in Lucas which is set to become the first facility of its kind in the region.

The centre, which will be operated by Grampians Health, is designed to give parents better access to support with 10 residential family units and four day stay places.

These facilities will seek to provide both long and short-term solutions to help increase child and parent health and wellbeing, and is set to open at the end of this year.

“It will mean 5000 families every year can get access to the support they need, tailored to their individual needs,” said Mr Andrews.

“Very much a focus on individual children and families and providing a broad range of supports so we can make sure that every family thrives.”

Mr Andrews also said new facilities, like this clinic, will also create jobs in the region.

“I think they’ve got about 30 workers on site at the moment but when the fit out happens it will build up to 50, 60 workers,” he said.

“When you make investments like this it’s great for its primary purpose obviously for children and families but it’s really important for the construction sector as well.”

As part of last week’s State budget, the Government announced a further $86 million spend on parental and childhood support.

As part of that there’s plans to increase maternal and child health services, free lactation consultations, and fathers’ groups across the state.