Doveton
bookmarksSite priorities
- Health and developmental vulnerabilities are identified before the age of 5 and are addressed.
- Assist newly arrived parents with settlement and build the capacity of all parents to self-navigate the service system and support their children’s development.
- Optimise the benefits of all services available to children and families, both on-site and off-site, in the Doveton community.
groups Site Partnership Group
Doveton College, City of Casey, 54 Reasons, Chisholm Institute, Doveton Neighbourhood Learning Centre, Department of Education, Department of Families Fairness and Housing and Colman Education Foundation (Our Place).
attach_money Funding Partner
Brian M. Davis Charitable Foundation.Analysis
Doveton continued to experience stable attendance and engagement in 2025, reflecting strong wrap-around support for families navigating settlement, early learning and other needs. Ongoing high use of English language and health services highlighted both continued need and the importance of having these supports easily available on site. Long term partnerships supported a shift toward deeper impact, reflecting the site’s scope and maturity. Having completed a strategic review, partners agreed to place greater focus on Autumn Place Kindergarten as a key feeder into Doveton College, and on building parents’ confidence to seek out and access services both on and beyond the school site.
keyboard_return Looking Back
Moving Forward keyboard_return
- Improving access to adult English: An on-site English registration day run with Chisholm Institute enabled 90% of attendees to enrol and complete assessments, reducing 12-month waitlists and boosting confidence.
- Boosting early health engagement: Embedding MCH nurses in playgroups doubled MCH appointments among playgroup families, increased Key Ages & Stages screenings, and supported some families to attend MCH for the first time.
- Strengthening home learning: Parent-initiated engagement with MCH increased by 25%, and 100% of focus group parents reported making at least one positive change at home.
- Increasing essential supports: Foodbank demand reached its highest point in 2025, with 187 families accessing the service, up from an average of 130.
- Multicultural playgroup participation: Universal Community Playgroup is now a diverse, welcoming space with strong participation from Tamil, Asian, Indian, Sri Lankan and non-CALD families.
- Continuity of learning: Introduce the Our Place Approach, and continuity of learning practices to Doveton College’s largest feeder kinder, Autumn Place Kindergarten.
- Increasing participation in Key Ages and Stages (KAS): Improve participation and completion of KAS appointments by developing a culturally sensitive, shared script for partners to understand family engagement with MCH, alongside increased on-site MCH presence to support parents with bookings.
- Settlement support: Establish a Community Action Group to strengthen collaboration with settlement services and explore opportunities to deliver relevant supports on-site.
- Adult education and employment: Explore opportunities to deliver online and after-hours English language classes for Level 2–3 learners, and identify high-demand English language services that families can access locally.