Victorian families will benefit from a $19.4 million Brumby Labor Government boost to build and expand more than 50 kindergartens and children’s services, announced as latest figures reveal a record number of children are attending kinder in Victoria.
Visiting East Brunswick Child Care Centre and Kindergarten, which will receive $200,000 to expand its facilities, Premier John Brumby said today’s announcement would help meet the growing demand for early childhood services across Victoria.
“Victoria is in the grip of a baby boom. The number of babies being born is 22 per cent higher – or about 13,000 more babies – than 10 years ago, with almost 72,000 Victorian babies born in 2009,” Mr Brumby said.
“We are responding to the baby boom by investing in facilities and services in growth suburbs and regional towns where more families are settling.
“Victorian families need access to a range of services close to home when it comes to the education and care of their children.
“That is why through these grants, we are supporting centres to deliver more places, expand their facilities, deliver extended hours and offer high-quality kindergarten programs.
“Brunswick is a great example of what is happening across the State, where we’re seeing high kinder attendance rates coupled with a baby boom.
“The $200,000 for the East Brunswick Childcare Centre and Kindergarten, combined with a local council contribution of $170,000, will provide more space including a new kinder room that will enable the centre to expand the number of places from 45 to 70.
“Our Government has significantly increased funding for early childhood services across Victoria and today’s announcement builds on our already strong record of investment in early childhood services.”
The $19.4 million in grants announced today includes:
- $9.2 million for 10 capital grants to establish integrated children’s centres including kinder, childcare, maternal and child health, family and early intervention services;
- $8.1 million for 42 not-for-profit kinders to undertake renovations to meet the increasing demand for kinder and maintain other early education and care programs; and
- $2.1 million in infrastructure redevelopment grants to improve services within the municipalities of Wodonga, Latrobe, Yarra and Hume.
Children and Early Childhood Development Minister Maxine Morand said today’s announcement came as the 2010 Victorian kinder audit figures revealed 95.1 per cent of eligible children were enrolled in a kinder program in the year before school for at least 10 hours a week.
“This is up from 92.7 per cent last year and is a fantastic result with an extra 4286 children attending kinder this year compared to 2009,” she said.
“There are currently 66,651 four-year-olds enrolled in kindergarten programs – the highest ever number of four-year-olds attending kindergarten.
“This high attendance rates reflects parents’ confidence in the quality of Victoria’s kinder services.
“We know that participating in a quality kinder program can help set children up for success at school and that is why we’ve been working with local government and local communities to deliver high quality kindergarten programs.”
Ms Morand said a significant boost in the number of Long Day Care services offering a kindergarten program had helped improve participation rates with 547 centres this year offering a kinder program compared to 442 last year.
“With more children attending long day care, ensuring these children can access a kinder program within the service has been an important part of our strategy to increase participation rates,” she said.
“We have been steadily working to improve kinder participation and also ensure there are sufficient places for the increasing number of children attending kinder.
“Our investment in providing quality kinder programs in the year before school will help ensure a better future for young Victorians.”
The Brumby Labor Government has already opened 63 new integrated children’s centres that incorporate kinders since 2003. More than 40 additional centres are currently in the planning or building stages with a total Government investment of over $55 million.
Integrated Children’s Centre Grant Recipients
|
Centre Name
|
Location
|
Grant Amount Received
|
|
Ocean Grove Children and Family Centre
|
Ocean Grove
|
$1,000,000
|
|
Healesville Reconciliation Centre for Children and Families
|
Healesville
|
$1,000,000
|
|
Phillip Island Children's Hub
|
Cowes
|
$1,000,000
|
|
Mansfield Family and Children's Centre
|
Mansfield
|
$1,000,000
|
|
Marong Early Learning Centre
|
Marong
|
$810,500
|
|
Oakhill Family Services Centre
|
Reservoir
|
$1,000,000
|
|
Featherbrook Community Centre
|
Featherbrook
|
$1,000,000
|
|
Newport Gardens Early Years Centre
|
Newport Gardens
|
$1,000,000
|
|
Central Dandenong Integrated Family Services Hub
|
Dandenong
|
$900,000
|
|
Lourdes Family and Children's Community Hub
|
Abbotsford
|
$500,000
|
Renovation and Refurbishment Grant Recipients
|
Centre Name
|
Location
|
Grant Amount Received
|
|
Allansford & District Preschool
|
Allansford
|
$200,000
|
|
Allanvale Preschool
|
Leopold
|
$200,000
|
|
Ocean Grove & District Preschool
|
Ocean Grove
|
$200,000
|
|
Bellevue Kindergarten
|
Balwyn North
|
$200,000
|
|
Benwerrin Preschool
|
Burwood East
|
$200,000
|
|
Brentwood Park Kindergarten
|
Croydon
|
$200,000
|
|
St Pauls Anglican Kindergarten
|
Canterbury
|
$198,670
|
|
Upper Yarra Community House
|
Yarra Junction
|
$200,000
|
|
San Remo Kindergarten
|
San Remo
|
$200,000
|
|
Alfredton Preschool
|
Ballarat
|
$200,000
|
|
Green Park Casuarina Kindergarten
|
Horsham
|
$189,957
|
|
Rowan View Preschool
|
Wendouree
|
$78,793
|
|
Euroa Kindergarten
|
Euroa
|
$200,000
|
|
Isabel Pearce Kindergarten
|
Shepparton East
|
$200,000
|
|
Koori First Steps Preschool
|
Wodonga
|
$188,340
|
|
Nagambie Kindergarten & Early Childhood Services
|
Nagambie
|
$200,000
|
|
Wangaratta Child Care Centre
|
Wangaratta
|
$200,000
|
|
De Garis Preschool
|
Mildura
|
$200,000
|
|
Irymple Kindergarten
|
Irymple
|
$200,000
|
|
Kennington Preschool
|
Bendigo
|
$200,000
|
|
Batman Park Kindergarten
|
Northcote
|
$200,000
|
|
Denzil Don Free Kindergarten
|
West Brunswick
|
$200,000
|
|
East Brunswick Kindergarten
|
East Brunswick
|
$200,000
|
|
Fairy Hills Kindergarten
|
Ivanhoe
|
$200,000
|
|
Heidelberg Preschool
|
Heidelberg
|
$198,606
|
|
Ivanhoe Children's Community Co-op
|
Ivanhoe
|
$200,000
|
|
Macleod Preschool Play Centre
|
Macleod
|
$200,000
|
|
Moreland Community Child Care Co-op, Dunstan Res. Campus
|
West Brunswick
|
$200,000
|
|
Thornbury Kindergarten
|
Thornbury
|
$200,000
|
|
Yappera Children’s Centre
|
Thornbury
|
$161,000
|
|
Dandenong North East Kindergarten
|
Dandenong
|
$190,000
|
|
Grange Road Kindergarten
|
Sandringham
|
$200,000
|
|
Langwarrin Park Preschool
|
Langwarrin
|
$200,000
|
|
Lynbrook Kindergarten
|
Lynbrook
|
$200,000
|
|
Marcus Road Kindergarten
|
Dingley
|
$177,500
|
|
Olympic Avenue Kindergarten
|
Cheltenham
|
$200,000
|
|
Shalimar Park Preschool
|
Dandenong
|
$200,000
|
|
Wilson Street Kindergarten
|
Brighton
|
$200,000
|
|
Avondale Heights Kindergarten
|
Avondale Heights
|
$200,000
|
|
Russell Court Kindergarten and Children’s' Centre Inc
|
Altona Meadows
|
$165,000
|
|
Seabrook Kindergarten
|
Seabrook
|
$200,000
|
|
St Brendan's Kindergarten
|
Flemington
|
$177,997
|
Municipal Wide Infrastructure Redevelopment Grant Recipients
|
Churchill Hub
|
Latrobe City Council
|
$400,000
|
|
Murray Road Preschool
|
|
Morwell
|
|
Southern Rise (Formerly Whitebox Rise) - Early years first integrated service hub
|
City of Wodonga
|
$100,000
|
|
Gold St Children's Centre
|
Yarra City Council
|
$250,000
|
|
North Carlton Children’s Centre
|
$150,000
|
|
Coolaroo South Primary School Kindergarten
|
Hume City Council
|
$200,000
|
|
Broadmeadows Early Learning and Care Centre
|
$300,000
(MWIR grant plus an additional $250,000)
|
|
Craigieburn Early Childhood Services
|
$400,000
|