A project that leads to real change, real impact, in the lives of vulnerable children.
The Big Tent Project commenced in 1991 in response to a growing awareness of the support needs of vulnerable families in Australia.
The need
Australia records high levels of notifications of concern to government officials regarding vulnerable children. There were 501,000 reports (51 per 1,000 children) in 2022-2023. Over the same period, 60,400 cases of child abuse, harm or neglect were substantiated (AIHW, Child protection Australia 2022-23).
Why early intervention matters
Early childhood experiences have lasting effects. Children facing developmental disadvantage are more likely to become parents at risk of disadvantage, perpetuating cycles of trauma and vulnerability.
Key contributing factors:
- Family violence
- Trauma
- Substance abuse
- Chronic health and mental health issues.
In Australia, around 1 in 5 children (22%) are identified as developmentally vulnerable in at least one area at school entry (AEDC National Report 2021). Early childhood developmental vulnerabilities affect:
- Attachment and relationships
- Cognitive and learning development
- Behaviour and emotional regulation
- Physical health and wellbeing.
Purpose of The Big Tent
The Big Tent Project strengthens the early childhood sector by supporting professionals who work with complex and vulnerable families. Our goal is to build their capacity, reduce burnout, and enhance career sustainability—ultimately reducing staff turnover and preserving valuable experience in the field.
Who we support
We work directly with frontline professionals who regularly engage with hard-to-reach families, including:
Maternal and Child Health Nurses (MCHNs): Employed by local councils in Victoria, MCHNs provide early postnatal care through home visits. Their role includes:
- Monitoring infant growth and development
- Supporting maternal health
- Conducting safety checks and screenings for family violence and postnatal depression.
MCHNs are often the only health professionals to enter the family home, making them vital in identifying and supporting vulnerable families.
Preschool Field Officers (PSFOs): These Government-funded specialists assist kindergarten teachers and families where developmental concerns have been identified by the kindergarten, such as:
- Challenging behaviours
- Social, emotional and/or communication difficulties
- Developmental delays
- Diagnosed disabilities.
PSFOs provide education, referrals, liaison and planning around programs and targeted initiatives.
Our Impact
By equipping early childhood professionals with the tools and knowledge to support all families—especially those at risk—we help create a more resilient, experienced, and sustainable early childhood workforce.
Evaluation Insights
An evaluation of the Big Tent Project in 2018 revealed key insights into the emotional wellbeing of early childhood professionals.
Compared with their younger counterparts, older professionals reported higher Compassion Satisfaction – indicating greater fulfillment from their work. However, they also reported higher Secondary Traumatic Stress – reflecting the emotional toll of prolonged exposure to others' trauma.
After participating in six sessions of the Big Tent Project, professionals reported:
- Reduced perceived stress
- Lower levels of secondary traumatic stress.
These findings highlight both the emotional resilience and vulnerability of long-term workers, and the effectiveness of the Big Tent Project in supporting their wellbeing.
Feedback from Big Tent participants
Participants value learning practical skills to help them care for families and look after their own wellbeing.
Here are some quotes from recent Big Tent participants:
“Working Rural, in a team on my own, having the chance to have reflective conversation with my peers, and experts has been so beneficial to my practice and also to my own personal Wellbeing. I think there is scope to have this kind of work and reflective practice embedded into our work as PSFO’s as sometimes we don’t realise the vicarious trauma, burn out that we may be experiencing. Being able to network, collaborate and be supported during the big tent sessions has really added tools to my tool box to better support Children, teacher and families that we work with.”
“It’s the best thing that I have attended in a long time – its giving me learning to deep dive into the context of child – reflect of teacher reactions and why they may occur and also my own reactions. I really like the way [the group facilitator] delivers information and allows us to discuss and share.”
Supporters and Donations
The Big Tent Project is made possible through the generosity of many individual benefactors, supporters, and organisations.
We extend our sincere thanks to the Windermere Foundation for their invaluable support in the development of this program, and to the Research Branch of the Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (now the Victorian Department of Education) for providing ethics approval for the implementation of research into the project.
Recent supporters include the Gailey Lazarus Foundation and the Darren Graham Lock Scholarship. We are deeply grateful to them, and to all who contribute to making The Big Tent a success.
Next Steps
We are excited to be able to expand The Big Tent program in 2025 and 2026. With the continuation of our grants and funding we will be focusing on:
- ensuring our regional and rural early childcare workers are able to access the program
- adapting The Big Tent program for primary school children and First Nations children, working directly with primary school teachers, children, and their families.