Mum hits out at kinder selection- Jennine Dodd hopes to enrol her son Macallam in a nearby kindergarten. 70212

By Lia Bichel and Bridget Cook
A CASEY mother has said she thinks the council’s kindergarten selection process discriminates against new residents and migrants.
Jennine Dodd grew up in Cranbourne but recently moved to Berwick after living briefly overseas.
Ms Dodd had hoped to get her four-year-old son, Macallum, into kindergarten near her home but said she was told the chances were slim since she had only recently joined the waiting list.
Ms Dodd said the council’s selection process was discriminatory as it did not follow the Department of Education’s zoning process and was based on whose name was on the list the longest.
She said people who were on the list the longest had the opportunity to change preferences and still maintain their position on the list.
“It is my belief that the system should be based on proximity first and a wait list second,” Ms Dodd said.
“This would eliminate the unfair advantage that provides long-term residents with the pick of the crop when it comes to Casey kindergartens regardless of where in the city they actually live.
“It’s just one more obstacle immigrant’s face when assimilating within a new city and country.”
The City of Casey said there was an order of priority for families to access kindergartens in the municipality.
First priority goes to families who deferred their child’s enrolment, next to children who reside in Casey and lastly to children who are cared for in the City of Casey but whose parents live outside the municipality.
Families who reside outside the City of Casey who do not fit the priorities can submit applications for kindergartens within Casey but will be given low priority and advised to enroll at a kindergarten within their own municipality in the mean time.
A council spokesperson said following completion of first preference placements, second and third preferences will be used to offer remaining vacancies, utilising the same allocation criteria.
The spokesperson said families not wishing to take up second or third preferences can opt to remain on the waiting list, should vacancies occur at their first preference kindergarten.