Children and families

Children and families

The City of Stirling supports a range of activities and programs for children and their families.

The City works collaboratively with external agencies and service providers to encourage and promote social and emotional development, language and connection to culture and community.

Activities for children

Activities for children

The City of Stirling offers a large range of activities for children, including events, sport and recreation activities, library programs and much more

Toddler gym  Swimming lessons

Kids sports, programs and competitions

Library programs and activities Events calendar   

School holiday activities

Jackadder playground

Playgrounds and parks

The City of Stirling has 502 parks and 276 playgrounds for the public to enjoy, with something for every age group and ability. There are also several skate and BMX facilities as well as Play Trails to enjoy.

Visit the parks, beaches and playgrounds page

Playgroups and toy libraries

Playgroups and toy libraries

Playgroups are for children aged 0 – 5 with their parents, caregivers or extended family members. They offer a space for socialisation through play. Playgroup WA supports and advocates for playgroups in Western Australia. Their aim is for playgroups to be inclusive and accessible to everyone.

Toy libraries

Toy libraries allow you to borrow from a vast range of toys that have been designed to support your child’s skill development and imagination. They have a range of benefits, including:

  • Provide quality educational items for loan
  • Are inexpensive (usually an annual subscription is charged)
  • Principally cater for younger children
  • Have a range of items covering all stages of growth and development
  • Provide an opportunity to meet other caregivers to share concerns, interact with others and make new friends
  • Help parents and carers learn about the ages and stages of child development
  • Usually open on set days and hours.

Visit a toy library near you   Visit the Playgroup WA website

Child health centres

Child health centres

Community Child Health provides free healthcare services from birth to school age for your child and family. They provide a schedule of child health and developmental assessments to every child at key developmental ages. These include:

  • Five child health appointments
  • Support for you and your family about parenting, healthy lifestyles and general health
  • Immunisation information including where and when to get your child’s free immunisations
  • A school entry health assessment
  • A variety of parenting groups
  • Referrals to other child health services if needed
  • All services are free, a free telephone interpreter is available.

Find contact information for child health centres in the City of Stirling, offering specialist health care for newborns, infants, toddlers and children.

Book a child health appointment

Child and Adolescent Health Service locations

Childcare

Childcare

Australia's free government website for families and communities to find and compare services by quality ratings, fees, vacancies and inclusions. 

Find quality children’s education and care services to give your child the best start. Compare services and build a shortlist. Most children's education and care services will have a National Quality Standard (NQS) rating. These are one way of helping families choose the best service for their children.

Schools and education

Schools and education

The Australian Schools Directory is a comprehensive list of primary and high schools within Australia. These include all Government (state) and private schools. This directory can identify schools based on location, religion, gender and boarding. Many schools have chosen to post further information about their schools with photos, a description of their facilities, academic programs and scholarships.

If you are looking for information on alternative schooling options, the Department of Education website will provide information on home schooling as well as community-based courses and exemptions.

Full-time schooling alternatives

Australian Schools Directory

National principles for child safe organisations

As part of the Child Safe Organisations project, the Australian Government commissioned the National Children’s Commissioner to lead the development of National Principles for Child Safe Organisations. The National Principles aim to provide a nationally consistent approach to creating organisational cultures that foster child safety and wellbeing across all sectors.

The National Principles reflect ten child safe standards recommended by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and are the vehicle for giving effect to recommendations relating to the standards. The National Principles have a broader scope that goes beyond child sexual abuse to cover other forms of potential harm to children and young people.

The National Principles are:

Child Safety Wheel

Image © Australian Human Rights Commission 2018


Child Safe - Australian Human Rights Commission


A mum and her toddler child in a swimming pool

WA Child Safe Project

The Western Australian Council of Social Service (WACOSS), in partnership with the Council of Aboriginal Services Western Australia (CASWA), is working to strengthen organisational capacity for child safety across the state. Together, they are supporting the development of Aboriginal-led, culturally safe approaches that reflect the values and strengths of local communities. 

The Child Safe Project has been helping small and medium-sized service providers implement the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations. Through this initiative, WACOSS and CASWA are equipping community service organisations with the tools and knowledge to become child-safe environments. 

Community groups and organisations can access a range of free support, including workshops, webinars and one-on-one advisory services. 

Support organisations for families

Ngala

Ngala provides support to parents and carers with parenting challenges from pregnancy through to teenage years. Their services include the Parenting Line, residential parenting programs, early learning centres, and community-based initiatives that promote child development, mental health, and family wellbeing.

Visit the Ngala website

Raising Children Network

An online parenting resource which provides free, reliable, up-to-date information to help your family grow and thrive together.

The site is full of tips and tricks for you to try and answers hundreds of parenting questions.

The articles, videos and interactive resources are tailored to different ages and stages, taking you from nurturing a newborn to raising a confident, resilient teen as well as helping you to look after yourself as a parent.

Visit the Raising Children Network website

Child and Parent Centres

Child and Parent Centres are easily accessible hubs – located at or near schools – that support families with children from birth to eight years old. These centres provide free programs and services such as playgroups, parenting workshops, child health services, speech therapy, and early learning activities. Families can also connect with other parents and access referrals to additional support services in the community. There are 22 centres located in WA with two located within the City of Stirling at Warriapendi and Westminster primary schools.

Visit the Child and Parent Centres website

Wanslea

Wanslea provides a wide range of support services that help children thrive and assist families in navigating challenges such as parenting, housing, and mental health. They offer programs tailored for parents, carers, and grandparents – including in-home support, early learning, foster care, and financial assistance – to ensure families feel supported and empowered in their caregiving roles.

Visit the Wanslea website

Communities Inclusion Connection Team

The Communities Inclusion Connection Team assists individuals and families to connect with mainstream supports and specialised disability services.

This service operates a No Wrong Door approach. If they cannot help you, they will try to connect you with an agency that can.

Learn more about the Communities Inclusion Connection Team

Stay informed

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