Our Community Our Children Project
Reconceptualising local community health planning and delivery for young children
The “Our Community Our Children” project is an innovative, multidisciplinary model of care. It is designed to enhance access to allied health support for young children in the Murrindindi Shire.
Currently, there is a lack of paediatric health professionals in Murrindindi Shire, and data shows that more children are at risk of developmental delays compared to other regions in the state.
To address this, the Our Community Our Children project will trial supervised student led health clinics in six early learning centres across the Shire. We aim to improve access to allied health support to identify and address health and developmental issues early on, improving access and supporting early detection and intervention in developmental delay.
Our Community Our Children
Project Overview
The “Our Community Our Children” project is an innovative trial project designed to enhance access to allied health support for young children in the Murrindindi Shire. The Project is currently focusing on improved access to speech therapy and occupational therapy.
There is a lack of paediatric health professionals in Murrindindi Shire, and data shows more children are at risk of developmental delays compared to other regions in the state. To address this, the Our Community, Our Children Project will trial allied health student placements projects in six kindergartens across the shire under clinical supervision of qualified and experienced supervisors. The aim is to improve early access to allied health support and provide early detection and intervention where possible in our kindergarten communities.
The project works closely with:
- parents and carers
- Kindergartens in Murrindindi Shire
- community groups
- universities across Victoria
- and qualified clinical supervisors in speech and occupational therapy.
The project is being evaluated for its effectiveness and ongoing benefits to the community by the Rural Health Academic Network at Melbourne University.
The Model
Speech Pathology and Occupational Therapy students are invited to carry out their clinical student placements at kindergartens around Murrindindi Shire.
The project will focus on delivering intervention projects directly to children inside the Kindergartens under clinical supervision. The initiative began in July 2024 and will continue until December 2027 and aims to:
- Create and trial a community allied health model that is co-designed by communities and tailored to local needs, improving access to primary health services for young children.
- Provide allied health services through multidisciplinary student-led teams in early years settings.
- Enhance developmental health outcomes for children in Murrindindi Shire.
- Train and build a rural workforce of allied health professionals, encouraging more qualified health professionals to our Shire.
- Offer further education and professional development for early years educators working with children who need developmental support.
- Empower parents with knowledge and advice to support their child’s development
Project Stories
Publications / Resources
Co-Design Workshop
On 7th May 2025 The Our Community, Our Children Project hosted a Co-design Workshop in Yea. We invited families from all our participating kindergartens to share their experiences with raising children, interactions with kindergartens and allied health. The workshop covered views on how the project could be managed and rolled out and discussed any concerns parents might have regarding the project.
The project report written by portable can be found here.
Media Coverage
The Our Community, Our Children Project has enjoyed some local media coverage. Maggie Palmer, the Project Manager discussed the project on local radio. It was an insightful and frank discussion about the project which was well received around Murrindindi Shire.
The project also featured in the Yea Chronical on August 6, 2026. Celebrating the work of Jade and Tully our Occupational therapy students from the Australian Catholic University.
Published Books
Several student projects have led to the creation of illustrated storybooks aimed at entertaining children. Calm Cove, written and illustrated by Jade and Tully, stands as an independent training resource. It introduces children to self-regulation techniques, such as breathing exercises and the use of sensory toys. Moreover, it can be effectively paired with the calming space they established in the kinder room.
Why We Love Reading! was crafted by kindergarten children from one of our participating centers. The intent behind this project was to enable children to visually see themselves represented in a book, fostering a sense of community and identity. This initiative creates a powerful and meaningful snapshot of the children, their lives, and serves as a piece of work they can take pride in and cherish for years to come
Published Posters
Speech Pathology students at Marysville Kindergarten developed a poster illustrating the use of visual aids, such as visual schedules, for daily planning. This poster guides kindergarten teachers to relevant research, demonstrating the evidence-based effectiveness of visual schedules. The project’s goal was to enhance communication regarding the daily routine in kindergarten and to empower educators to convey these routines effectively.
For learners, visual schedules can:
- Enhance engagement, minimize challenging behaviors, and support language development.
- Encourage greater independence in activities, especially for learners who can perform a skill but often depend on adult prompts.
- Smooth transitions between tasks, benefiting both staff and students by clarifying the sequence of daily activities.
- Alleviate anxiety by providing a clear outline of upcoming activities.
Flowerdale Student
Poster
Marysville Kindergarten Community Project
Project Video Stories
Our Community Our Children Project Introduction Video featuring Jade and Tully from Australian Catholic University
Introduction to Remote Supervision featuring Master Students Rachael and Lea from Federation University.
Discussing the impact of student placements on families Murrindindi.
Participating Kindergartens
Yea & District Hospital is proud to have partnered with seven kindergartens across Murrindindi Shire to roll out this innovative project. We are thankful for their cooperation and enthusiasm in creating welcoming safe spaces for our Allied Health students to learn and thrive.
- Yea Uniting Kindergarten
- Yea Uniting Early Learning Centre
- Flowerdale Uniting Kindergarten
- Alexandra & District Kindergarten
- Kinglake Ranges Children’s Centre
- Eildon & District Kindergarten
- Marysville & District Kindergarten
Participating Universities
Occupational Therapy Students
In 2025, Yea Uniting Kindergarten welcomed four students from ACU, while Yea Uniting Early Learning Centre hosted two Occupational Therapy students from Monash. Kinglake Ranges Children’s Centre also had the pleasure of accommodating two Monash students, and Alexandra & District Kindergarten enjoyed the experience of two ACU students. All feedback received from both the students and kindergartens was overwhelmingly positive.
Many of these students were fortunate to access complimentary accommodation at Alexandra District Health and Yea & District Memorial Hospital. This opportunity not only enhanced their regional health experience but also fostered a renewed appreciation for working in regional Victoria, potentially inspiring them to continue their careers in this area.
Speech Pathology Students
Our collaboration with Federation University has led to Flowerdale Uniting Kindergarten and Marysville & District Kindergartens welcoming their first speech pathology students. The initial placement was such a success that they have already submitted requests for 36 student positions for 2026.
We now need to explore innovative strategies to enhance our supervision capacity.
Additionally, our partnership with LaTrobe University for 2026 has resulted in a request for 8 student placements.
Project Evaluation
This trial project is currently under evaluation by Dr. Jennifer Keast from Department Rural Health at Melbourne University.
Contact Details
Project Manager
Maggie Palmer
Maggie.Palmer@ydmh.org.au
Project Officer
Amber Smith
Amber.Smith@ydmh.org.au