The 2025 Our Place Evaluation Report examined integrated school and early learning hubs across nine Victorian communities, including the Seymour Family and Children’s Centre.
The report shows measurable gains when supports are co-ordinated around schools as trusted one-stop hubs.
Key findings include a 98 per cent increase in wrap-around health and wellbeing supports and 80 per cent of families reporting positive transitions into school.
Additionally, 90 per cent of caregivers felt confident supporting their child’s learning at home, while 83 per cent of service partners reported improved service delivery.
The evaluation also found emerging improvements in education outcomes and school attendance rates.
The findings suggest that embedding services within schools reduces access barriers when supported by dedicated facilitation that aligns education, health and community partners around shared goals.
“This evaluation shows that effective integration changes how families experience support and how systems work together,” Our Place chief executive Sean Cory said.
“If we want to close equity gaps and improve outcomes, we need approaches that connect education, health and family services around children and communities.”
The evaluation includes findings from local hubs such as Seymour Family and Children’s Centre, where integrated support services are improving access for regional families
This comes as policymakers consider recommendations for full-service schools outlined in the Federal Government Independent Expert Panel review, coinciding with implementation of the Better and Fairer Schools Agreement and broader school funding reforms.
The report suggested how and where services were delivered, not just what services existed, was critical for improving outcomes.
The full report can be accessed by visiting 2026roadmap.ourplace.org.au/evaluation/
