Bourke’s youngest students gain from new approach

Christan Howarth, Adison Kings, Jackson Knight, Grace Clanfield, Estden Edwards, Flynn Jackson and Maisie Coyne with Preschool Aboriginal Liaison Officer, Denise Dixon. PHOTO TWH

Enrolments at Bourke’s pre-school services are at an all-time high thanks to some innovative thinking, teamwork, and much-needed funding.

Consultant General Manager of the Bourke and District Children’s Services, Prue Ritchie, said the appointment of two key personnel and the support of other agencies in the community had seen a dramatic increase in the number of children now attending pre-school.

“Earlier this year Bourke and District Children’s Services (BDCS) was successful in gaining the Connected Beginnings funding, and that’s enabled us to collaborate with other agencies in town, led by the Maranguka early childhood working group, to really look at the way we deliver services for kids and families,” Prue said.

“With COVID and the downturn everything turned a bit chaotic, so the BDCS committee really looked at the preschool service and one of the big changes they decided to make was the way pre-school was being offered to allow all children access to the two day a week program”.

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