al… tenti ull po their f to reach Because every child deserves every chance Every Child Central Queensland Inaugural Progress Report Contents l… a ti Message from the Chair .................7 Children’s development ..................24 n Disadvantage and social exclusion .........26 te o About Every Child Central Queensland ....8 Household characteristics ................27 p ll Vision .................................10 Domestic and family violence .............27 u Scope ................................10 Child Protection Orders ..................28 f ir We Value ..............................11 School readiness and e Governance ...........................12 educational attainment ...................29 h t · Community Leadership Board .........12 Teenage pregnancy .....................30 h · Governance Structure ................13 Youth unemployment ....................31 ac e · Leadership Alliance Group ............14 Social and emotional wellbeing ............31 r · Core Organisation ...................14 to e · Program Coordination Team ...........14 Our Communities. 33 nc · Outcome Action Groups. 15 a · Project Teams ......................15 Areas of focus .........................36 ch y · General participation .................15 The Big 5 ..............................37 er v What is Social Innovation? ..............16 Next phase ...........................38 e s Actions for the year .....................39 ve er Why a Collective Impact Approach? ......18 Time-line ..............................39 es Benefits and challenges ..................40 d About Central Queensland ..............20 ild Conclusion ............................41 ch y Issues for children in er Central Queensland ....................23 References ............................42 ev Low birth weight babies .................23 e us Obesity and overweight children. 24 About this Report .....................43 ca Be 5 Every Child Central Queensland Inaugural Progress Report About Every Child CQ Every Child CQ plans to be a part of the worldwide movement to improve the lives of children, through social innovation activities executed in a way that provides measurable results, builds upon existing projects and lays the foundations for long-term and sustainable social change. We aim to create social innovation, particularly in the way our social system responds to the needs of children, by adding value as social benefit rather than as increased profits for organisations or financial, or other, benefits to individuals. In 2008, in its submission to the The Australian Government’s the collective will of our many 2020 Summit, the Australian Research ‘Responding to the Australia 2020 stakeholders, including people in our Alliance for Children & Youth (ARACY) Summit’ included the following communities to ensure that children highlighted ‘…an alarming increase statement: in this region are able to access in rates of child abuse and neglect, the required supports and services 2020 is now just a few years away yet youth homelessness, substance and Australia ranks in the bottom third of to support their healthy and happy alcohol abuse, aggressive crimes, OECD5 countries in around one-quarter development. childhood obesity and mental health of wellbeing indicators6, including At the beginning of 2015, we issued issues, and an expanding gap between infant mortality, unemployment and a Call to Action to prominent Central wealth and marginalized children preschool attendance. The levels of Queenslanders from business, industry, and young people.’3 income inequality and jobless families government and the community, to are increasing and our indicators on focus their collective will to improve teenage pregnancy and child safety are life outcomes for children. Almost 150 poor, when compared to other OECD people answered the call and attended countries. This is despite the fact that the launch of Every Child Deserves all levels of government and many Every Chance. Our name later changed non-government organisations expend to Every Child Central Queensland to By 2020 vast amounts of money on services for reflect the communities where our children and families. Clearly, there is initial efforts will be focused. every Australian an imperative to act to address these concerning statistics. The Central Following the launch, a foundational Queensland region has poorer statistics Community Leadership Board formed. should be in a than national averages on several These Central Queensland leaders OECD indicators. possess a broad range of experience, position to believe expertise and networks and have The United Nations Declaration of stepped up to the challenge of working that every child has the Rights of the Child (1989) calls on some multi-layered and complex upon parents, individuals, voluntary issues. They have progressed the the same capacity organisations, local authorities and establishment of Every Child CQ and national governments to strive to started engaging others with this work. and talent to lead a ensure that every child receives special protection, so they may ‘develop Every Child CQ plans to be a part of 4 physically, mentally, morally, spiritually the worldwide movement to improve fulfilling life. and socially in a healthy and normal the lives of children, through social manner and in conditions of freedom innovation activities executed in a 7 and dignity.’ way that provides measurable results, builds upon existing projects and lays Every Child CQ intends to galvanise the foundations for long-term and 3 ARACY. www.aracy.org.au 4 Commonwealth of Australia (2009). Responding to the Australia 2020 Summit document. www.apo.org.au/node/13763 5, 6 Compendium of OECD Well-Being Indicators. Society at a Glance (2016) at www.oecd.org 8 7 www.un.org/en Every Child Central Queensland Inaugural Progress Report Vision Every Child CQ is creating social innovation by using the principles of collective impact to bring about systemic and long lasting change to health, wellbeing and life outcomes for Central Queensland children, to ensure that every child has every chance to reach their full potential. Scope Every Child CQ will seek to deliver improved health, social and wellbeing outcomes for children – aged from birth to 18 years – residing in the Central Queensland area, but this initiative is not necessarily exclusive of communities adjacent to, or adjoining the target area, where impact overlap would be practical and beneficial to children in those communities. 10 Every Child Central Queensland Inaugural Progress Report Governance Creating the conditions necessary to defining purpose and determining Ms Maxine Brushe has extensive change complex, complicated and objectives. The Board guides delivery experience in board governance and entrenched social systems that influence through oversight of the Coordinator, community leadership, gained from her children’s life outcomes will require facilitating strategic planning, driving service as a Councillor with the Calliope considerable innovation, and substantial operational performance, ensuring Shire Council for 13 years, with five evolution of existing paradigms. Good probity and confirming priorities. years as Deputy Mayor. She served for governance empowers people, guides To ensure the viability of the initiative eight years with the Gladstone Regional operations and supports efficiency the Board develops and maintains Council and as Chair of the Gladstone and in a collective impact initiative, external partnerships, engages Region Community Development it is paramount that governance investors, liaises with the Core Committee, and completed 25 years’ structures enshrine the ‘neutrality’ of the Organisation and the Leadership service with Gladstone Area Promotion organisation and confirm an authentic Alliance Group (LAG), and promotes and Development Limited. connection to the service system. the initiative to cultivate community Governance arrangements need to be confidence and participation. Ms Helen Newell has been an robust enough to ensure operational Enterprise Facilitator, delivering an coherence yet flexible enough to The Board is responsible for the innovative economic development adjust rapidly to emerging issues, agile progress of the initiative and is model in western CQ. This has given enough to develop and implement novel accountable for deliverables and her first-hand knowledge of the impact responses and open enough to take outcomes. Board members are of the mining downturn and prolonged advantage of unique opportunities that community leaders with a strong drought on businesses and families living unexpectedly present. belief in, and commitment to, creating in affected communities. As Director prosperous futures for all children. of Invisible Network Advantage, Helen The governance arrangements of Mr Mick Shearer, Chair of the Board, leverages her Australian and international Every Child CQ ensure transparency, is also the Regional Executive networks to connect her clients to enable adaptive leadership, promote Director (Central Queensland) for business networks, to accelerate engagement and encourage innovation. the Queensland’s Government’s results. She focuses on forging strong We will appropriately manage Department of Communities, Child partnerships, joint ventures and strategic bureaucratic encumbrances, funding Safety and Disability Services. He has alliances for greater impact in business worked in the social services sector obligations, political alliances, misaligned and community ventures. for