Manayingkarirra CFC
Manayingkarirra Child and Family Centre (CFC Maningrida)
A child’s development during pregnancy and the early years—including experiences within their environment, family, and community—is critically linked to lifelong outcomes in health, wellbeing, development, and learning.
The Australian Government has provided financial assistance to the Northern Territory Government to establish five Aboriginal Child and Family Centres across the Territory, with Maningrida being one of them.
About the Centre
The Child and Family Centre (CFC) focuses on integrating early childhood education and care, health services, adult education, parental capacity building, and family support. It enables children and their families to feel comfortable with the school, staff, and community, ensuring smooth transition to preschool and school. Through integrated multi-disciplinary teams—including allied health, education and care, and Families as First Teachers (FaFT)—the CFC provides culturally appropriate, evidence-based programs that support children and families.
Manayingkarirra CFC is open 50 weeks a year, closing for two weeks during late December and early January. The Centre builds local capacity in the Early Years by employing Indigenous community members and supporting their professional development through study with Batchelor Institute.
Our Goals
- Improve health and educational outcomes for children from birth to five years
- Provide integrated early years services in the local community
- Build on existing family and community strengths and support educational needs
- Increase participation in early years programs such as Families as First Teachers and Preschool
- Build community capacity through partnerships with parents, carers, and the community
- Respond to child and family needs in a seamless and holistic manner
Our Programs
Manayingkarirra Crèche
Our crèche provides childcare for babies, toddlers, and young children in a safe and stimulating environment. We accommodate up to 24 children with qualified staff and are developing our Quality Improvement Plan (QIP) under the guidelines of Quality Education and Care NT.
Our crèche features:
- Qualified and trained professional staff, managers, and supervisors
- Appropriate child-to-caregiver ratios
- Clear policies covering holidays, operating hours, and emergency procedures
- Staff trained in first aid
- A warm, stimulating environment with play equipment, toys, and learning areas designed to support child development
Families as First Teachers (FaFT)
The early years are the most important for learning and development. The Families as First Teachers Program builds family knowledge of early learning through active engagement in quality early childhood education. Play-based programs support families through modeling, side-by-side engagement, and discussion.
School readiness is addressed through early learning groups focused on literacy and numeracy foundations, orientation to school programs, and parent engagement initiatives. A dual-generational approach provides adult activities during early learning sessions.
Healthy Under 5's Program - Department of Health
The Healthy Under 5 Kids Education Program is a partnership between the Department of Health and Charles Darwin University. It supports practitioners working in remote areas to deliver preventative child health care. The program increases knowledge and skills about young children’s needs and the Child Health program, helping remote-based staff become more effective in Child and Family Health.