IMPACT welcomes Early Childhood Coordinator

IMPACT Community Services’ new Early Childhood Coordinator, Amber Davies, is wasting no time getting stuck into her position supporting the development of children aged 0 to 5 across Bundaberg.  

Amber’s role is to help children ease into their schooling journey, ensuring families have resources and support at their fingertips so no young person falls through the cracks.  

Data from the 2024 Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) paints a startling picture of the reality for Bundaberg children, making Amber’s work a vital avenue for positive change in the region.  

“Children in Bundaberg are increasingly going to school developmentally vulnerable. They're not as prepared for school,” Amber said. “I’m trying to bridge that gap between the early childhood space and the school space.”  

According to the AEDC, 36.6% of Bundaberg children are developmentally vulnerable on one or more domains. This represents a 5.9% increase for Bundaberg since the last census in 2021 and is 11.2% higher than the Queensland result. 

To get a well-rounded perspective on the challenges facing families, Amber is engaging with stakeholders within Bundaberg’s education community, in addition to working with clients directly. 

“I’m talking to the individual services, getting context about their little community and finding out what's really going to help them and their families,” she said. 

With an early childhood background spanning many years, Amber said she joined IMPACT to grow her career and find new ways to develop the community. 

“I have a real drive to work with families, particularly vulnerable families, and to see them progress” she said. “I have my own children. One is about to go into school, so it's a very real thing for me at the moment.”   

Amber’s advice for families is to connect with others and prepare for school early, organising necessities like birth certificates and health checks well before day one of Prep. 

“Even if you've already got three or four children, this is still your first time around with this child, so don't be afraid to ask questions. It’s not too late and not too early to start thinking about school.” 

Every Thursday, Amber welcomes families to visit her at The Nest, Bundaberg’s child and family hub at 57 Bourbong Street, to discuss how she can support them. Families can also email her at ecc@impact.org.au. 

For more information on The Nest and IMPACT’s services, visit impact.org.au.