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Closing the Gap: National Partnership Agreement on Indigenous Early Childhood Development

Date: 3 July 2008
Date To: 30 June 2014
Sub Category:COAG Agreement
Place:
State/Country:Australia
Subject Matter:Health and Community Services
URL: http://www.federalfinancialrelations.gov.au/content/npa/education/national-partnership/past/ctg-early-childhood-NP.pdf
Summary Information:
The National Partnership Agreement on Indigenous Early Childhood Development ('the Agreement') is one of the agreements developed to contribute to the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Closing the Gap targets contained in the National Indigenous Reform Agreement (NIRA). The aim of the Agreement is to concentrate on closing the gap in developmental outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous children, with a focus on Indigenous children aged 0-3 years.
Detailed Information:
Objectives, outcomes and outputs

The objectives of the Agreement are to improve developmental outcomes for Indigenous children and achieve key targets as agreed by COAG; Achieve sustained improvements in pregnancy and birth outcomes for Indigenous women and infants; to increase Indigenous families' use of the early childhood development services in order to optimise the development of their children; and
In order to improve outcomes for Indigenous children this National Partnership aims to contribute to COAG's social inclusion, early childhood development, education, health, housing, and safety agendas.

The Agreement contains broad overarching outcomes, such as that 'Indigenous children are born and remain healthy' (Cl 22(a)), with more specific outcomes such as 'an increased proportion of Indigenous children who are fully vaccinated each year' (Cl 23(d)). Exact targets will be agreed in bilateral Implementation Plans for each state or territory jurisdiction.

The outputs of the Agreement are organized around three elements; Element One focuses the integration of early childhood services through children and family centres'; Element Two will focuses on increased access to antenatal care, pre-pregnancy and teenage sexual and reproductive health; and Element Three focuses on increased access to, and use of, maternal and child health services by Indigenous families.

Roles and Responsibilities

The roles of the Commonwealth include to providing funding and participate in consultations and the development of bilateral Implementation Plans. The States and Territories main roles are in the actual implementation of the Agreement. Reviewing Implementation Plans, providing information and data on progress, and evaluating outcomes will be the shared by all parties.

Performance indicators, reporting and oversight

Performance indicators are set out in Clause 42, and include measures such as the proportion of children in early childhood education and the proportion of pregnant Indigenous women with an antenatal contact in their first trimester. These indicators will be reviewed against baseline data agreed by the Parties.

Related Entries

  • Overarching Bilateral Indigenous Plan between the Commonwealth of Australia and the State of Victoria to Close the Gap in Indigenous Disadvantage 2010-2015
  • Overarching Bilateral Plan between the Commonwealth of Australia and the State of South Australia to Close the Gap in Indigenous Disadvantage 2010-2015
  • Overarching Bilateral Indigenous Plan between the Commonwealth of Australia and the State of Queensland towards Closing the Gap in Indigenous Disadvantage 2010-2015
  • Overarching Bilateral Indigenous Plan between the Commonwealth of Australia and Western Australia 2012-2015
  • National Partnership Agreement on Closing the Gap in Indigenous Health Outcomes
  • Closing the Gap in the Northern Territory National Partnership Agreement
  • National Partnership Agreement on Remote Service Delivery
  • National Partnership Agreement on Remote Indigenous Public Internet Access (2009)
  • National Partnership Agreement on an Indigenous Clearinghouse
  • National Indigenous Reform Agreement - Closing the Gap
  • Organisation
  • Council of Australian Governments
  • Commonwealth of Australia - Signatory
  • State of New South Wales - Signatory
  • State of Victoria - Signatory
  • State of Queensland - Signatory
  • State of Western Australia - Signatory
  • State of South Australia - Signatory
  • State of Tasmania - Signatory
  • Australian Capital Territory - Signatory
  • Northern Territory of Australia - Signatory

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