We acknowledge all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as traditional owners of the lands on which we walk, live and raise our children.
We pay our respects to traditional owners past, present, future and any Aboriginal people present here today. We acknowledge the importance of children being raised with connections to culture, community and family.
View our Acknowledgement of Country
Inclusion statement
At QEC, we work together with families and communities to create a respectful, inclusive, and welcoming environment. We celebrate the different strengths and experiences that everyone brings.
We embrace diversity and want to make sure our places, processes, and services are fair, more accessible, and open to all.
It is important to us that people can express their beliefs, values and needs and that these are heard and understood so that everyone feels safe, respected, and a sense of belonging.
The first 1,000 days of a child’s life are critical for their lifelong health and wellbeing. This early year’s period is the most active time for children’s brain and physical growth and is impacted most by:
The parent’s role to provide supportive positive interactions and experiences is fundamental for children’s overall development and future wellbeing. Providing nurturing care and experiences is impacted by parents:
When families are supported and have opportunities to build core parenting capabilities and skills, they are much better placed to provide nurturing care and experiences to their child, setting the foundation for lifelong child health and wellbeing.
Many families seek support from QEC, with a majority (96%) needing assistance with sleep and settling. At QEC, we understand the complexity of parenting and our programs are designed to support families with knowledge, skills and strategies to improve parenting confidence and capacity,sacross a range of parenting areas including sleep and settling, feeding, parent-child relationships, communication, play and child behaviour.
Last year’s (2024–25) parent reported data shows the reasons why families sought support from QEC and the impact of being involved in a QEC program. Many parents reported improvements across multiple areas that they had not initially reported seeking help with:
Other things families told us:
And the overall impact?
89% of families said they met the goals they set for themselves.
QEC walks alongside families to support their needs and goals ensures families receive tailored and appropriate parenting support.
QEC meets families where they are at and supports them with the reason they have initially sought help and across areas of parenting they may have not considered. . Because sometimes, families come for help with sleep and leave with confidence, connection, and a new understanding of their child.
The majority of QEC families report feeling confident after being involved in a program, enabling them to respond better to their child’s needs, especially in those first 1,000 days when early interactions and experiences are vital for children’s growth, development and lifelong health and wellbeing.
Victoria's two largest Early Parenting Centres, QEC and Tweddle, will explore a voluntary merger to understand whether working as one organisation could strengthen care for babies, children and families in the early years.
We're excited to announce our new Rainbow PlaySteps, our evidence-informed, facilitated play group for LGBTIQA+ parents and caregivers with children aged from newborn until their 4th birthday.
Our 2026 learning dates are now available, offering a comprehensive range of professional development opportunities to support learning, reflection and best practice across the Early Years sector.
