A WALLAN initiative has been named as a finalist in the 2026 Victorian Protecting Children Awards.
Kids First Australia’s Early Help program has been named as one of 149 nominations across 12 categories, with the awards ceremony held on September 3.
The Pregnancy Outreach Team, as part of the Early Help program, is a finalist for the Engaging Kids in School award.
The prestigious annual awards have celebrated the hard work of the Victorian child and family services sector and community members for over two decades.
Nominations were received for individuals and teams from the child protection workforce, foster and kinship carers, the child and family services sector, the community, as well as government and academic organisations.
Department of Families, Fairness and Housing, Community Operations Practice Leadership Deputy Secretary Danny O’Kelly congratulated the finalists and thanked everyone who nominated individuals and groups who are dedicated to making positive change in the lives of children, young people and families.
The outstanding finalists were named from 149 quality nominations across 12 categories, including the Minster’s Award for Excellence in Protecting Children, the Robin Clark Leadership Award, the Keeping At Risk Young People Safe Award, and the Engaging Kids in School Award.
Kids First Australia’s Early Help program supports children and families experiencing vulnerability by addressing the underlying barriers to school attendance and engagement.
Through a place-based, integrated model, Early Help works alongside schools, families and community partners to improve attendance, support transitions into education, and re-engage children experiencing school refusal.
By strengthening parenting capacity and connecting families to the right supports early, the program enables children to remain engaged in education and improves long-term outcomes.
This collaborative approach ensures challenges are addressed before they escalate, preventing disengagement and strengthening outcomes for children and their families.
Examples of the program’s success include children experiencing school refusal moving from zero days attendance to full-time attendance within one school term, as well as children increasing from partial attendance to consistent full-time attendance.
