Additional funding for four year old kindergarten in the shire

Published on 13 July 2020

The Victorian Government has announced that it will continue to reduce the cost of the funded kindergarten program for families during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Minister for Education James Merlino announced funding of $230 per enrolled child for four year old kindergarten in Term 3. This is in addition to the free kindergarten families received in Term 2 to give sessional kinder services funding certainty and to assist in declining enrolment numbers.

The four year old program will remain free for those who have a Commonwealth Health Care Card or Pension Card, identify as Aboriginal, or hold a refugee or asylum seeker visa under the existing Kindergarten Fee Subsidy program.

Council continues to take its lead from Victoria’s Chief Health Officer and the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) which has advised that Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) services can continue to operate with appropriate risk-mitigation measures in place.

Council’s four-year-old kindergarten program has remained in full operation since the pandemic began. Additional measures have been in place for several weeks to operate the service safely for staff, children and their families. Guidance on measures to maintain the health and safety of children and staff in early years settings is available from the Department of Health and Human Services Everyone in the Victorian community has a role to play in protecting themselves and slowing the spread of COVID-19.

Registrations for Council’s three and four year old 2021 kindergarten are filling fast.