Opening of Waranwarin Child and Family Centre and Close the Gap Day

Posted 25 March 2014

On 20th March, members of the Gudaga Research Team attended the Tharawal celebrations for Closing the Gap Day. This year they were held at the Waranwarin Child and Family Centre and were combined with the official opening of the Waranwarin Centre. This day is an opportunity for the Aboriginal community to come together and celebrate their work towards building a strong, healthy Aboriginal community on Tharawal Lands.

The opening of the Waranwarin Child and Family Centre is part of a journey to strengthen services for Aboriginal families in the Tharawal region. Seeing the building ready for occupation is the culmination of a building program that has involved many people since the decision to seek competitive funding in June 2010. Funding included a purpose built building, management of the centre, and the establishment of a 50 place Children’s Learning Centre for Aboriginal infants and children. A temporary centre opened in 2012 at Sarah Redfern Primary School. The Waranwarin Centre is purpose built and will provide integrated services for Aboriginal families with young children up to eight years, parenting programs such as play group, a homework support centre, and holiday programs as well as the child care program.

The Gudaga Research Team are strong supporters of programs and activities at Tharawal Aboriginal Corporation. Today we hosted a stall that showcased the Gudaga and Bulundidi Gudaga Research with information about the work for families as well as balloons and other activities for the children. Members of the research team are members of the Waranwarin advisory committee and work with the Waranwarin Centre and with Tharawal to ensure that the Gudaga Research findings are taken up and inform the development of programs for Aboriginal families living on Tharawal land.