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Families with young children are encouraged to join a free fun day at Westfield Warrawong next week.
To celebrate National Child Protection Week, the Illawarra Children Protection Family Fun Day will be held on September 17 from 10am-noon and is aimed at families with children aged 0-5 years, featuring reading, craft and play activities.
It will allow families to communicate with the local non-profit groups and government agencies that make up the South Coast Child Wellbeing Network and find out what services are available.
Family Services Illawarra CEO June Williams said their organisation was a keen participant in the network, working with other agencies to improve the lives of children and their families.
"When agencies work together, their collective impact can really make a difference," she said.
Wollongong Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery said play was the primary way children learnt; it encouraged emotional, cognitive, social and language skills.
"This contributes to a sense of accomplishment and self-confidence, providing opportunities which put them in good stead," he said.
A development day will also be held at the Kiama Pavilion from 8.30am-4pm.
The training and networking event will help community services workers in their early intervention work with families of young children living with parental mental illness and drug and alcohol use.