The City of Greater Dandenong (CGD) is developing its first Integrated Children, Youth and Family Strategy to guide future planning, delivery, and coordination of Council’s services for children, young people and their families.
The City of Greater Dandenong is a key provider of services for children and young people (aged 0 –25 years), as well as their families across the municipality. Council plays a key role in the planning and coordination of services in the community sector. This includes facilitating capacity building and information sharing between services; identifying service gaps; advocacy to state and federal governments; and mobilising key stakeholders to respond to emerging issues for children, young people, and their families. As a key contributor to the work and services provided to children, young people, and their families, as well as community, we would like to invite you to share this survey via QR Code with your families, parents and carers.
Each year, the Report on Government Services provides a national snapshot of how governments are supporting children, young people and families. Read together, the 2024–25 data reveals consistent patterns across child protection, disability and youth justice, patterns that have remained remarkably stable over time.
These are not abstract trends or technical performance issues; they describe how children and young people experience support, intervention and risk across multiple systems, often over many years.
The Victorian government will invest $750,000 to deliver accredited training for an initial 150 GPs by September this year to diagnose and treat ADHD in adults and children. The state government says the move will cut lengthy wait times and thousands of dollars for those seeking a diagnosis or care.
you can read more here
Public transport is now free for children under 18. Children under 5 are already free and now Transport Victoria has introduced a Youth Myki card.
It costs just $5 to obtain the card and then no need to pay anything after this.
You can get your card at staffed train stations or by registering online Manage Myki
Greater Dandenong Kindness Community Weekly meal service every Tuesday through school holidays. Christmas day lunch 12pm-2pm BBQ Shelter John Hemming Park.
Cardinia Shire Bless Collective Christmas dinner Thursday 18th December from 6:00pm at the Pakenham library. Also partnered with Salvation Army, ADRA, Cardinia Foundation and the Cardinia Shire Council to provide food, toys and financial assistance between December 11th and December 22nd register here Christmas – Follow Bless Collective or call 1300 787 624
AfriAus Multicultural Communities & Families Dinner, Saturday 20th December 4:30pm-7:30pm at Pakenham Library Community Hall
We All Eat Collections from Pakenham available on Wednesday 17th December, register via website. Contact the team for emergency parcels during holiday period.
Moy-Yan Neighborhood House Christmas Day lunch 12pm-2pm. To book a seat please call Meg 0466 496 107 or Jen 0428 372 686
Gather Church Free Christmas dinner for families and individuals in need December 21st at 4:30pm 18 Golden Street Pakenham, email [email protected] to register.
City of Casey Transit Offering Christmas lunch Register here TryBooking Australia
Casey North CISS Christmas program runs two weeks leading into Christmas, you can collect a food hamper form the office during this time. Families with primary school or pre-school children can be assess for eligibility for free toys. (must live Narre Warren, Doveton, Harkaway, Berwick, Eumemmerring, Hallam and parts of Beaconsfield)
Community Information Support Cranbourne As above covering Casey south suburbs of Cranbourne, Hampton Park, Clyde, :Lynbrook and Tooradin.
Please see below details of upcoming Christmas events for children and families.
Every child has the right to feel safe, loved, and free to dream big. Yet for many children in Australia, trauma related to abuse or neglect takes away that sense of safety and belonging. In 2023–2024, more than 42,000 cases of abuse or neglect were confirmed across the country. With the right support, children can begin to heal from trauma, rebuild their confidence, and go onto thrive as they grow.
Over the past decade, Mental Health Academy and Act for Kids have proudly partnered to raise nearly $1.3 million to prevent and treat child abuse and neglect across Australia. This year, we’re honoured to welcome Emerging Minds—a national leader in promoting the mental health and emotional wellbeing of Australian infants, children, adolescents, and their families—as a key partner in this important initiative.
When you register for the 2025 Mental Health Super Summit, you’ll unlock 20 hours of high-quality professional learning led by 20 global experts—from as little as $25. And with all funds being donated to charity, your participation will help transform the lives of Australian children and families, supporting them to live safer, more fulfilling lives—free from trauma
Around 65,000 prep students across Victoria will receive a bag of five free books as part of a student literacy initiative under Jacinta Allan’s Labor Government.
This program aims to foster a love of reading and support the development of children’s literacy skills from their very first year at school. A panel of experts have carefully selected the books for their engaging stories, and appeal to young students.
The book packs will include:
- Chooks in Dinner Suits – written by Diane Jackson Hill and illustrated by Craig Smith
- The Concrete Garden – written and illustrated by Bob Graham
- Frank’s Red Hat – written and illustrated by Sean E Avery
- The Bin Monster – written by Annabelle Hale
- Sharing – written by Aunty Fay Muir and Sue Lawson and illustrated by Leanne Mulgo Watson
To ensure accessibility, the books will also come in a braille format with tactile illustrations.
The Centre welcomes this program, with CEO Deb Tsorbaris saying: “This is a great initiative, effectively democratising reading, by giving every child coming into prep next year an opportunity to learn the fun and learning that can come from reading, including access to a First Nations book”.
This builds on the 2019 Books in Bags scheme, which has gifted more than 2.2 million books to young children across Victoria.
By providing high-quality and accessible resources for literacy development, this program is helping to create an equal platform for all young children to support their education.
The Victorian Government has released the third rolling action plan to end family and sexual violence.
Until every Victorian is safe builds on the first and second rolling action plans under Ending Family Violence: Victoria’s Plan for Change.
It also extends on Strong Foundations: Building on Victoria’s work to end family violence, which was published in 2023 to explain our progress so far and what is needed next.
The Victorian Government will overhaul child safety and the regulation of early childhood education and care that will put child safety at the centre of every decision and rebuild trust in the sector.
On 2 July 2025, the Premier commissioned an independent Rapid Child Safety Review (the Review) in response to distressing allegations of abuse in childcare centres.
The Review, led by Mr Jay Weatherill AO and Ms Pam White PSM, has identified key actions for government to take to improve child safety – including actions Victoria can take to accelerate the child-safety reforms being considered nationally.
The Victorian Government accepts and will act urgently to implement all 22 recommendations of the Review to strengthen safety standards in early childhood education and care, to keep Victorian children safe. Read here