Narre Warren South MP Gary Maas has announced that Narre Warren South will benefit from over $830,000 in School Readiness Funding for new programs, supports and extra staffing across 28 kindergartens ─ helping them provide world-class early education and give children the best start in life.
This funding is among the $53.9 million available in 2022 for more than 2500 Victorian funded kindergarten services from the State Government’s $160 million School Readiness Funding initiative.
The Australian first initiative addresses gaps in educational disadvantage by building the capacity of services, educators and families to support children’s learning and development.
The program focuses on growing communication, social and emotional wellbeing skills, as well as improving access and inclusion.
Services will receive a funding allocation based on the level of need from children in their programs, with support available to all three- and four-year-old children in funded kinder programs including sessional and long day care.
The support allows kindergarten services to select the package of resources and programs that best reflects the needs of their children and staff – which can include programs targeting speech, language and literacy, support for culturally and linguistically diverse children and families and tools for parents to support their child’s development.
Services can also use funding to tap into the expertise of speech and occupational therapists, language and literacy professionals and child psychologists – who can boost the capability of both parents and teachers.
“As we continue to build the education state we will keep delivering support and options for students to ensure they all have the best possible education,” Mr Maas said.
“Helping our kindergartens through therapists, language professionals, skills development and extra staff is a boost for our early childhood sector and all the families that access these services.
“These local investments will help so many young families in Narre Warren South and I’m proud to be a part of a government which looks after the needs of all kids.”
