A cross-sector partnership between the City of Ballarat, Grampians Health, and Uniting Victoria (Ballarat) demonstrated the power of collaboration in strengthening services for children and families. Established in response to sector-identified gaps in the local early years ecosystem, the partnership was built on shared principles of fidelity to action, joint decision-making, equal contribution of resources, flexibility and responsiveness, and ongoing evaluation. Together, the partners co-designed Ballarat’s Children: Collaborating for Systems Improvement Sessions—a program of monthly professional development and networking forums. These sessions brought together practitioners from health, education, early childhood, and community services to improve local system and service knowledge, streamline referral pathways, and build stronger professional networks. While the partnership has morphed, the sessions have continued and evolved to include more opportunities for informal discussion and connection, alongside structured activities such as speed networking, reflecting the value practitioners placed on peer relationships. The partnership’s responsive planning approach illustrates the principle of emergence, with new and coherent patterns of practice developing through self-organisation in a complex system, further strengthening local service delivery. The initiative demonstrated how well-structured partnerships can achieve systems-level impact and was recognised with the 2024 Victorian Early Years Award for Collaborative Partnerships.
Dr Carmel Goulding
Project and engagment lead, The Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare
Carmel has over 25 years’ experience as a project manager and social scientist working across all levels of government, consulting and the education sector. Her professional focus is on community wellbeing and understanding the connection between human agency, biography and structure.
Pip McGregor
Team Leader Homelessness Support, Uniting Ballarat
Pip has over 20 years experience as a regional case worker and Grampian’s regional children’s resource co-ordinator with Uniting. She currently leads Uniting Ballarat’s homelessness support team. Her experience provided a broader regional perspective to the place based partnership.
Amy Treyvaud
Partnership engagement, City of Ballarat
Amy Treyvaud has over 25 years experience in early years education and partnership development including Co-Chair of Victorian Child Friendly Cities and Communities. Amy’s expertise in the early years sector and her natural ability as a collaborator drove the partnership. As per the nature of the partnership, Amy will present with Pip McGregor and Carmel Goulding.
