The Victorian Government is helping kindergarten services across Eastern Victoria reduce the risk of coronavirus transmission, with support for better ventilation measures to help keep children and staff COVIDSafe.

Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing announced that more than $7.5 million worth of grants will be available for about 1,700 Victorian not-for-profit kindergarten services to support additional ventilation and air purification measures.

Eligible services will be sent an email where they simply opt-in for the grant ─ which can be spent on ventilation and air purification enhancements as well as small-scale building works like adding or replacing windows and installing outdoor shade structures to increase learning outside.

Funding will be available from Monday 18 October and is open to all Victorian not-for-profit funded sessional and long day care providers offering a funded three- or four-year-old kindergarten program.

Many Victorian early childhood education and care services can already create environments with good ventilation through opening windows and doors, and using existing outdoor learning spaces to reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection.

Air purification is also an important measure for spaces where there may be limited ability to increase ventilation, such as kitchens or staff areas.

This follows the Victorian Chief Health Officer’s directions that vaccination is a requirement of work in an early childhood setting – protecting children, staff and the broader community.

All workers in early childhood settings must have a first dose by 25 October, with full vaccination required by 29 November unless a medical exemption applies. To find out more, visit schoolbuildings.vic.gov.au/Pages/Kinder-Ventilation-Support.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Early Childhood Ingrid Stitt

“We know how important it is to keep our kindergarten children, their families and the dedicated staff safe ─ that’s why we are supporting ventilation and air purification measures to reduce the risk of transmission.”

“These grants are easy to access and will allow kindergarten services to improve their ventilation and air purification for the health of staff, kids and local families.”

Quote attributable to Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing

“Eligible kinder services will be able opt-in for the funding to improve the ventilation or air purification measures to facilitate the continuity of early years learning under COVIDSafe measures.”