The cause

Established in 1990 by the Reserve Bank and a group of leading banks, the Financial Markets Foundation for Children (FMFC) has allocated $32 million to 262 pioneering research projects designed specifically to improve the health, welfare and wellbeing of Australia’s future – our children.

The Enchanted Ball is the largest annual fundraiser for the FMFC.

EXCITING UPDATES ON THE FMFC’S WORK

In an exciting update on the FMFC’s work, $2.3 million of funding has been committed to ‘’Healthy Beginnings’’, a collaborative project between the University of Melbourne, Monash University, University of Sydney and University of NSW, which will investigate the feasibility of an early intervention system to identify children with physical and mental health issues and developmental difficulties in their childcare years.

1 in 2 children aged 0-5 attend childcare centres and this high population affords an opportunity to reach over 1.3 million children across all ethnic and socio-economic groups.

As part of the intervention, child health and developmental support will be offered in person and via online multidisciplinary teams. Without long waiting times, key outcomes of early child development, social and emotional wellbeing and thinking skills will be optimised at this crucial time in the lives of Australian children.

As well as addressing gaps in the current system, the staged programme of work will:

1. Develop a screening tool
2. Develop the intervention program
3. Pilot a feasibility study within the identified population

BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE FOUNDING SPONSORS

The Enchanted Ball is coordinated by volunteers from each of the big four banks and other institutions, including Macquarie Bank, all of whom donate their time to plan the event.

PRINCIPAL PARTNERS

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