History
In 1996 the Minister for Community Services gave a development grant of $60,000 to the Lions Club of Greater Sydney to develop a national approach to parenting education build around the creation of a network of Good Beginnings Volunteer Home Visiting Programs.
Good Beginnings subsequently established volunteer home visiting programs in four sites in 1997 with the aim of testing the effectiveness of volunteer home visiting in enhancing the parenting skills of parents with babies and small children. The four sites were Katherine (Northern Territory); inner western Sydney (New South Wales); Hobart (Tasmania) and Moe (Victoria).
Successive Commonwealth Ministers for Family Services have funded the program, which until November 28, 1999 was managed by NAPCAN under licence from the Lions Club of Sydney. Good Beginnings Australia, an incorporated company established as a Public Benevolent Institution now manages Good Beginnings under licence.
Funding support has also been provided by the South Australian, Northern Territory and Tasmanian State/Territory Governments.
Funding for Good Beginnings programs has also been provided by Philanthropic Trusts - Sabemo Trust; Sylvia & Charles Viertel Charitable Foundation; Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation; Alfred Felton Bequest; WC Thomas Trust; The R.E. Ross Trust.
Probono support is also provided by many generous corporates, small business and community service agencies.
Good Beginnings now has programs in all states and territories.
