Early childhood services will get a funding boost to support children in kinder during Term 4 and help them get ready for school. Minister for Early Childhood Ingrid Stitt has announced more than 1,700 kinders will share in more than $3.7 million for early childhood services in Term 4.
“Early childhood staff across Victoria have done an outstanding job at supporting children and families during this challenging year – and we’re extending the support we’re providing these services.” Minister Stitt commented “We’re making sure Victorian children get the most out of their last term at kinder and have a great start to school.”
Minister Stitt explained that grants of up to $5,000 will be available for kindergarten services to support children who have returned to on-site learning by getting the most out of kinder and on making positive transitions to school. The Minister pointed out that this will allow services to fund more kindergarten program hours, additional educator hours so existing staff can undertake transition activities or provide more one-on-one time with children, and to access allied health support such as speech pathologist and occupational therapists.

Minister Stitt said that this funding will be available to services that are not yet receiving funding through the Victorian Government’s $160 million School Readiness Funding initiative who are already able to access these supports. In an Australian-first, the final stage of the roll-out of School Readiness Funding will be completed in 2021 and all kindergarten services in Victoria will be provided with needs-based funding to support their children. The Minister went on to explain that early childhood education and care services across Victoria have reopened with a COVIDSafe Plan and appropriate health and safety measures in place. The Government announced $26.7 million in extra funding in Term 4 to support early childhood services through the coronavirus pandemic, ensuring sessional kindergarten remained free in eligible services and supporting children in their transition to school.