The Victorian Government has introduced a number of reforms which support kindergarten access and quality in all settings, including Long Day Care (LDC).
ACA Victoria applauds the Victorian Goverment for recognising that high quality early childhood education can have long-lasting positive effects on the heath and success of Australia's young children.

Susan McDonald, from the Department of Education and Training, provided an update on these reforms at our recent Annual General Meeting on Wednesday 16 October 2019. 

The following funding and support is currently available to early learning service providers:

• Funded Kindergarten for 3 Year Old Children (progressively rolled out over the next decade. The roll-out schedule is available here.)
• Funded Kindergarten for 4 Year Old Children (This includes per capita funding provided by the State and Federal Governments)
• Kindergarten Fee Subsidy – to support health care card holders reduce out of pocket costs for families.
• School Readiness Funding - a new, permanent part of Victorian kindergarten funding allocated to services on the basis of need, so children who need extra support get it.
• Kindergarten Quality Improvement Program - focuses on Quality Area 7 of the National Quality Standard - Governance and Leadership to support ongoing quality improvement work.
• Early Start Kindergarten - this program gives eligible children 15 hours of free or low-cost kindergarten a week 
• Financial support to study and work in early learning - in the form of scholarships and employment incentives
• Contribution to writing transition learning and development statements
• Early Childhood Language Program - actively encourages children at kindergarten to learn in another language

Susan pointed out that areas for collaborative work include:

• Supporting more LDC services to become funded kindergarten providers (at any time, over 200 LDC services do not deliver a funded program)
• Continuing to grow Early Start Kindergarten provision in LDC, noting that this is often the most practical option for carers of children in out of home care
• Developing and trialling program models for the delivery of kindergarten in LDC that maximise access and affordability, including for disadvantaged families
• Maximising the use of quality supports, particularly School Readiness Funding
• Bringing more LDC services into council central enrolment schemes, not to replace but to complement existing enrolment processes

Susan's presentation on the suite of Victorian Government funding and support to the early learning sector can be read in full here.