These interconnected stories trace the evolution and impact of Australian Mobile Children’s Services in Australia, highlighting their contributions, challenges, and the collaborative efforts to address the needs of children and families in remote areas of Australia.

 

The narrative weaves through the foundation, legacy of innovation, community support, and the eventual NSW, then national network and advocacy efforts that shaped the landscape of Mobile Children's services in Australia.

 

“A Mobile Children’s Service provides an itinerant educational and support service for isolated children and families living in isolated communities or disadvantaged localities, or where a stand-alone service is not viable. A vehicle (car, bus, plane, or train) is used to transport staff, equipment, and appropriate materials to these localities as an integral part of the educational programs being provided”. Contact Inc. 1993

 

Isolation is evidenced in the rural, urban and city areas as well as in the vast Australian Outback .

Isolation can be caused by so many factors and social circumstances, such as, cultural differences, the inability to speak and read English, distances, not knowing what is available, not having family or friends nearby, a disability or il health, the unavailability of or inability to access transport as examples.

 

Over the years there have been many innovative ways developed to combat isolation, provide support for women and their children, and to help them alleviate the concerns associated with child rearing particularly child rearing in isolation.

 

For Australian women of the outback, the establishment of the Royal Flying Doctor Service in 1928 and the advent of the pedal radio in 1929 provided access not only to health services and information but also to a social network. The galah sessions offered on the Flying Doctor Service radio network each day enabled women in the outback airtime and as such time to talk with each other.

 

The development of communication networks and modern transport in Australia, also allowed the evolution of a range of new approaches to reach people living in isolated circumstances through mobile programs including health and dental services, preschools, childcare, family, and children support programs, libraries, toy libraries and information vans.

 

Focusing on the needs of families with children, Mobile Children’s Services have a long history in Australia. Mobile Libraries have a long history, then came ....

1949 Canberra Mobile Kindergarten

1958 New South Wales Kindergarten Union

1969 Tasmania Preschool

1970 Queensland and Western Australia

1971 Victoria

1975 South Australia (Remote &Isolated Children’s' Exercise- R.I.C.E)

1975 Western Australia

1980 Queensland

1987 Northern Territory 

The dates signify the establishment of the first Mobile in each Australian State or Territory.

 

The Mobile model of Children’s Service delivery is now evidenced in many countries in the developed world.

Contact has been privileged to visit Mobile Children’s Service programs in locations such as Britain, China, Portugal, The Netherlands, and Scotland as examples and has ongoing links with German Mobile colleagues. These experiences have further reinforced the importance of this service delivery model as an effective approach to reach isolated children and their families.

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To learn more about Mobile Children’s Services in Australia Click here

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