The Minister for Children, Michelle O’Byrne, today released figures showing promising improvements in the health and wellbeing of children and young people in Tasmania.

Ms O’Byrne said the Kids Come First Update, funded by the Tasmanian Early Years Foundation, shows Tasmanian children and young people doing as well or better than those in other states and territories in infant mortality, immunisation, breastfeeding and social and emotional development.

“The safety and wellbeing of children and young people is everybody’s business and it’s great to see the wide range of community support services helping parents give their kids the best start in life,” Ms O’Byrne said.

“I congratulate community, government and private sector service delivery organisations for their work in improving a range of health and wellbeing outcomes for Tasmanian children.”

Ms O’Byrne said data collated through the Kids Come First Outcomes Framework was a valuable tool to inform policy development and service delivery.

“The information Kids Come First provides helps us to ensure every Tasmanian child has the best possible start in life.”

Ms O’Byrne said the report also showed a number of areas with room for improvement.

“For example, we need to do much more on issues like teenage pregnancy and people smoking while pregnant,” Ms O’Byrne said.

“But while we can’t be complacent, we can be confident we’re increasingly putting our efforts into what will make a real difference over the long term.”

Ms O’Byrne said the Tasmanian Government’s public health approach to the safety and wellbeing of children and young people provided universal services for all children and their families.

These services include the Child Health and Parenting Service (CHAPS), which provides child health assessments for all families and extra help to those families and young people who need it.

“It is important all parents take advantage of services such as CHAPS by attending every available appointment so their youngsters receive all the help they need to develop their full potential.

“I look forward to reading of further improvements to the health and wellbeing of children and young people in future Kids Come First updates, especially in areas where we need to do more,” Ms O’Byrne said.

The Kids Come First Update is available at

http://www.dhhs.tas.gov.au/children/programs_and_strategies/kids_come_first