Boosting children’s development in rural Victoria
December 2025
Strengthening paediatric care and building locally responsive systems.
By Five is a place-based initiative transforming early childhood systems in the Wimmera Southern Mallee. With a systems focus, By Five is strengthening and connecting early years services to enable children to receive local access to timely developmental support.
By Five and the Centre have worked together since 2017. As a learning partner, the Centre has supported By Five to engage professionals and families, design and evaluate initiatives, and use evidence to better meet children’s needs. This has included the development of innovative local solutions, such as the Paediatric Project, which has improved access to care and child development support through health literacy, stronger professional networks, and telehealth co‑consultations with paediatricians.
Our impact
Stronger collaboration
By Five has hosted 60+ forums, connected 1000+ stakeholders, and heard 500 children’s voices, building shared purpose and shifting regional understanding of early childhood and the care economy.
Improved service access and coordination
In 2024 over 230 co-consultations supported 135 children (84% experiencing high vulnerability) and strengthened collaboration across paediatric, allied health and community services.
Better outcomes for children
Improvements in AEDC results for children in the Wimmera Southern Mallee – counter to national trends – have been observed in 2025; By Five’s efforts are likely to have contributed to these positive shifts.
Next steps
By Five has proven what’s possible in rural systems change. Embedding innovative solutions is a next step, with the Paediatric Project transitioning to a locally-led model through Grampians Health and Uniting Vic.Tas. By Five is now looking to secure long-term funding to continue strengthening care services, creating and sharing data, and influencing policy and system design. The Centre looks forward to exploring future possibilities for continued collaboration and shared learning.
By Five is improving developmental outcomes for children in the Wimmera Southern Mallee by expanding paediatric service access and strengthening local professional capacity. By Five was supported by the Victorian Government and The Royal Children's Hospital Foundation.
This case study originally appeared in the Centre's 2025 Impact Report.