As we eagerly await the outcome of the State budget, our commitment remains unwavering. We are determined to finish what we’ve started — to make the Wimmera the best place to raise a child.

Royal Far West services have literally changed lives according to the wonderful principals, staff & parents we met with this week when we had the pleasure of welcoming CEO Jacquie Emery to the Wimmera.

A recent study found that the WWHS Maternity and Early Years Service is underpinned by, and seamlessly combines, key components of a Rural Health Care Model, and Relational Model of Care and a Feminist Model of Care.

By Five recently had the opportunity to provide a submission to the Victorian Maternity Taskforce, highlighting challenges and opportunities related to the provision of maternity services in our region.

Hear from our passionate Paediatricians from 2021 - 2025 as they share their reflections of their time working and collaborating with the professionals, families and children of the Wimmera Southern Mallee.

By Five is proud to release the Wimmera Southern Mallee Local Stories of Pregnancy and Birth – a group of stories we have collected from women across the region.

Once again, we enjoyed a whirlwind visit from our amazing Paediatricians, Dr Nadia and Dr Kate, who joined us from RCH Melbourne to immerse themselves in the people and places that are the Wimmera.

The data has been crunched and the dashboard is complete, we’re proud to share all that’s been achieved through our Paediatric Project in 2024!

In 2024, we have revisited our baseline data, and also explored and consolidated new avenues of information and relevant local barriers and enablers to equitable access to quality childcare, providing a better understanding of the evolving story across the Wimmera Southern Mallee (WSM).

Over the past few months, the Wimmera has once again felt the devastating impact of bushfires. For some of our children, this was their first experience of such an event.

Catch up on the October, November & December 2024 By Five Newsletter as we wrap up the year!

The By Five project, a four-year initiative funded by the Andrew’s Labor Government, has been working tirelessly to narrow the vulnerability divide between rural and urban children. With funding set to conclude in 2025, this groundbreaking effort has already achieved significant milestones, demonstrating the power of collaboration and innovative approaches to service delivery across the Wimmera Southern Mallee.

It may not have been an actual round table but our square table was just perfect!

For the second year running, By Five have facilitated an additional opportunity for education professionals in the Horsham area to collaborate and support children who are transitioning from Kindergarten to Primary School in early 2025.

Our Friends of By Five group met for the final time this year to chat about childcare and early childhood education.

Helen Creed, the inaugural leader of the Rural Early Education & Development (REED) initiative, recently visited Horsham to share her team's innovative approach to addressing Early Childhood Education in rural communities like ours.

What an honour it was to be an invited guest of Rainbow P-12 at the Early Years Awards on November 7th in Melbourne!

Antenatal care – the foundational piece of the child development journey, but how accessible is this care in the Wimmera Southern Mallee?

The Hon. Angie Bell, Federal shadow minister for Early Childhood Education, accompanied Hon Dr. Anne Webster on a visit to Hopetoun and Beulah where the dire childcare situation was once again highlighted as an issue for rural children, families and these vitally important towns.

By Five recently used their 2023 Victorian Early Years Awards funding to host “Network, Learn, Celebrate, Inspire,” a dynamic event bringing together dedicated professionals supporting children in the Wimmera region.