Reports & Publications
By Five Reports & Key Documents
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The By Five Strategic Plan 2026-2030 outlines the plan to improve the Australian Early Development Census outcomes of children in the Wimmera Southern Mallee.
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By Five is proud to release the Wimmera Southern Mallee Local Stories of Pregnancy and Birth – a group of stories we have collected from women across the region.
The full collection can be downloaded here.
Each woman has provided a snapshot into their experiences of having children while living rurally, focusing on antenatal care, plus birthing, postnatal and Maternal and Child Health care. Each story is unique and every story is important to continue deepening our understanding of the challenges women can face in accessing care in the current system. These stories go beyond the financial strain of travelling for antenatal appointments, to the broader impact on the wider family unit, workplaces, careers and overall pregnancy experience.
We thank the women who have shared their stories and respect those who have preferred not to have theirs published. By Five intend to produce a second collection of stories as we continue to gather these important lived experiences to support our work towards ensuring women can access quality antenatal and postnatal care close to home.
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The By Five Paediatric Project has been fortunate to have several passionate, dedicated Paediatricians from the RCH Melbourne as part of the team throughout the journey so far.
Hear from them as they share their reflections of their time working and collaborating with the professionals, families and children of the Wimmera Southern Mallee.
Read their stories here.
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By Five was commissioned by Wimmera Southern Mallee, Mallee and Loddon Campaspe Regional Partnerships to write ‘The Sustainable Childcare for Rural Children – Summary Report’ and partnered with the North Central LLEN on this project.
The Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) system is precarious in small rural towns, specifically Long Day Care (LDC). Rural communities require a systematic redesign that shifts from ‘financial viability’ to ‘equity’. High-quality ECEC is critical for the future of children, families and communities. Developed with key stakeholders across the WSM, Loddon, Buloke and Gannawarra regions this report includes short term recommendations for small rural communities along with advocacy recommendations to attain sustainable ECEC.
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In 2022, By Five sought understand the local landscape in relation to childcare; the funding and operating environment to enable us to identify opportunities to ensure our children can access what they need, when and where they need it.
In 2024, we revisited this data, and also explored and consolidated new avenues of information and relevant local barriers and enablers to equitable access to quality childcare, providing a better understanding of the evolving story across the Wimmera Southern Mallee (WSM).
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This dashboard is a summation of data collected on the Paediatric Project in the Wimmera Southern Mallee in 2024.
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West Wimmera Health Service (WWHS) deliver a unique rural model of care.
The Centre for Community Child Health (CCCH) worked with WWHS to identify and study the various components of the model and better understand the enablers that support the delivery of care. They found that the Maternity and Early Years Service is underpinned by, and seamlessly combines, key components of a Rural Health Care Model, and Relational Model of Care and a Feminist Model of Care.
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This report demonstrates the lived experience of women and professionals and what changes or improvements they would like to see.
Information was collected in the context of antenatal, domiciliary, post-natal care, and maternal and child health care.
This report will inform future work in the antenatal space to improve outcomes for women, children and families.
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Born from community demand, the purpose of this report was to demonstrate an understanding of the complex service system; what is working well, and to identify barriers. Then, using this information and evidence, develop considerations for trial and advocacy.
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In 2022, By Five sought to improve our understanding of the ECEC funding and operating environment to enable us to identify opportunities to ensure our children can access what they need, when and where they need it. Download full report here.
In 2024, we revisited this data, and also explored and consolidated new avenues of information and relevant local barriers and enablers to equitable access to quality childcare, providing a better understanding of the evolving story across the Wimmera Southern Mallee (WSM).
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The Centre for Community Child Health (CCCH) at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) and The Royal Children’s Hospital were commissioned to evaluate the By Five Paediatric Project over a two-year period.
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This report was developed by the Centre for Community Child Health, the learning partner of By Five.
Guiding Evidence
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Restacking the Odds is working to ensure that children and families can and do access a combination of high-quality, evidence-informed services where and when they need them.
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The Kids in Communities Study (KiCS) aimed to understand how different factors in our communities—physical environment, social environment, socio-economic factors, access to services, and governance—influence the way that children develop.
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The Invisible Children Report was commissioned in response to concerns about the growing vulnerability of country children. RFW commissioned a review of the state of children’s developmental health in rural and remote Australia from the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute’s Centre for Community Child Health.
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The Nest is ARACY’s wellbeing framework for children and young people aged 0 to 24 years. It’s a way of thinking about the whole child in the context of their daily lives, viewing wellbeing in a way that brings together the different elements a child or young person needs in order to thrive.
By Five in Film.
Access our videos, webinars and informative clips here.