{"id":1385,"date":"2026-08-30T22:53:58","date_gmt":"2026-08-30T12:53:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/childrensvoicesconference.csu.domains\/2026\/?p=1385"},"modified":"2026-08-30T22:53:58","modified_gmt":"2026-08-30T12:53:58","slug":"cvc2026-681","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/childrensvoicesconference.csu.domains\/2026\/cvc2026-681\/","title":{"rendered":"CVC2026-681 \u2013 From silos to shared pathways: Designing a cross-sector early childhood interagency network in a reforming system"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"cvc-hero alignfull\">\n  <span class=\"cvc-chip\">Presentation \u2013 CVC2026-681<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left\">From silos to shared pathways: Designing a cross-sector early childhood interagency network in a reforming system<\/h1>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n<div class=\"cvc-authors\">\n<p><strong>La<\/strong><strong>uren Haskins,<\/strong> A Growing Understanding, Australia<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n<div class=\"ast-oembed-container \" style=\"height: 100%;\"><iframe title=\"CVC2026-681 From silos to shared pathways: Designing a cross-sector early childhood interagency netw\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/04ipYewKyu0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n<p><strong>Background: <\/strong>Australia\u2019s early childhood support system is undergoing major reform, with Thriving Kids and Foundational Supports reshaping how universal, targeted and National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) supports interact. The NDIS funds individualised disability supports in Australia. For families in regional areas, the system remains fragmented. Referral pathways are unclear, services duplicate, and children with mild to moderate needs or complex circumstances often fall between gaps. Coordination structures that once existed have largely disappeared.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Aim: <\/strong>To describe and analyse the design of the Newcastle Hunter Early Childhood Interagency Network (NHECIN) as a replicable, locally led model for cross-sector coordination during reform, and to identify what enables it to translate frontline intelligence into useful information for families, practitioners, and policymakers.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Method\/approach:<\/strong> We document NHECIN\u2019s governance, cross-sector membership (health, education, NDIS, community and Aboriginal-led services), and four workstreams: service mapping, referral quality, navigation supports, and shared opportunities. Services were mapped across six founding member organisations using a geographic mapping tool, collecting data on eligibility, referral processes, and waitlist times. Mapping will expand to additional providers prior to the conference. No human participant data were collected; ethical approval was not required.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Results\/findings: <\/strong>We present NHECIN\u2019s design, governance, and early implementation experience. Service mapping has produced a consolidated view across public, private, and community providers, capturing eligibility, funding, language access, and outreach. Process measures including referral completeness, acknowledgment speed, and time to first appointment are being collected. Cross-sector observations point to reduced duplication, clearer immediate actions for families and referrers, and a usable feedback channel between frontline services and reform consultations.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Conclusion: <\/strong>NHECIN shows that a low cost, locally led interagency model can strengthen coordination and navigation during sector reform, particularly in regional settings. By making services visible, lifting referral quality, and creating space for cross-sector dialogue, the network offers a transferable approach for other regions and a practical feedback channel between frontline practice and policy.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Implications for children and families: <\/strong>You shouldn\u2019t have to repeat your story or chase services that don\u2019t fit. NHECIN exists to make it easier to find the right support at the right time, with clearer pathways and resources written in plain language for you.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Implications for practitioners:<\/strong> You can use NHECIN\u2019s service map and standardised referral approach to make stronger, more accurate referrals, avoid duplicating effort across sectors, and contribute frontline intelligence that shapes how reform plays out locally.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Funding<\/strong>: NHECIN is an unfunded initiative coordinated through Let&#x27;s Grow Together as Secretariat.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Keywords<\/strong><strong>:<\/strong> interagency collaboration, cross-sector coordination, service mapping, early childhood intervention, family navigation, regional health systems<\/p>\n<p><strong>This presentation relates to the following <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/sdgs.un.org\/goals\"><strong>United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<ul class=\"cvc-sdgs\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/sdgs.un.org\/goals\/goal3\">SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/sdgs.un.org\/goals\/goal10\">SDG\u00a010: Reduced Inequality<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/sdgs.un.org\/goals\/goal17\">SDG 17: Partnerships to Achieve the Goals<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Lauren Haskins, A Growing Understanding, Australia<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center 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