More Support For Eltham Kinder Kids This Term
Early childhood services in Eltham will get a funding boost to support children participate in kinder during Term 4 and get ready for school.
Member for Eltham Vicki Ward today announced 32 kinders in Eltham are part of the more than 1700 state-wide that will share in more than $3.7 million for early childhood services in Term 4.
Early childhood services included Briar Hill Preschool, Apollo Parkways Preschool, Greenhills Preschool, Yandell Kindergarten, Eltham North Preschool, Wahroonga Preschool Inc, Diamond Hills Preschool, Plenty Valley International Montessori School, St Helena Preschool, Eltham Preschool, Lower Plenty Kindergarten, Panorama Heights Preschool, Research Preschool, Eltham College Early Learning Centre, Woodridge Preschool, Sherbourne Preschool, Eltham Woods Preschool, Goodstart Early Learning Eltham, Eltham Child Care Co-op Ltd, Eltham North Child Care, Goodstart Early Learning Lower Plenty, Eltham Woods Child Care Centre Co-op, Little Scooters, St Faith's Child Care and Early Learning Centre, Guardian Childcare & Education Montmorency, Meruka Child Care Centre, Wallaby Early Learning Centre Greensborough, Community Kids Haven Greensborough Pty Ltd, Leap Ahead Learning, St Helena Early Learning, Launchpad Early Learning Centre and Bridge Kids Early Learning Centre.
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.
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.
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.
Early childhood education and care services across Victoria have reopened with a COVIDSafe Plan and appropriate health and safety measures in place.
The Victorian 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.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Early Childhood Ingrid Stitt
“Early childhood staff across Victoria have done an outstanding job at supporting children and families during this challenging year.”
“We’re making sure Victorian children get the most out of their last term at kinder and have a great start to school.”
Quote attributable to Member for Eltham
“This support will mean all children in Eltham will be able to make a smooth transition to school after what has been a challenging year.”