Wednesday, 10 October 2018

The Andrews Labor Government is improving early childhood services in Warragul, with work soon to start on the exciting Warragul Primary School Early Learning Centre.

Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing today unveiled the first design for the $2.4 million centre, which will offer a range of services including three- and four- year old kinder, playgroups, Maternal and Child Health and allied health supports.

School based support services and immunisations will also be available at the centre, which will create an additional 66 places for four-year-old kinder and allow for future growth in the Warragul area.

Construction is expected to finish in the first half of next year.

The Labor Government provided $650,000 for the project, with Baw Baw Shire Council providing $958,000 and the Commonwealth providing $800,000.

We’re delivering a record $123.6 million to build, expand and improve early years infrastructure across Victoria to ensure local families can continue to access great local kindergartens.

In an Australian-first, every Victorian child born under a re-elected Andrews Labor Government will start kindergarten a year earlier, giving them the skills and experience they need to be ready for school.

Labor will invest almost $5 billion over the next decade to deliver a full 15 hours of three-year-old kinder, with the rollout beginning in 2020.

Under the plan, every Victorian aged three will have access to at least five kinder hours a week by 2022, progressively scaled up to 15 hours over the next decade.

About a quarter of families will pay nothing at all, while families with a higher income will have 65 per cent of costs covered, saving them at least $3500 annually.

Local families are further benefiting from the Labor Government’s $202.1 million Education State Early Childhood Reform Plan, which provides families with strong support in early childhood, so kids are ready for kinder, ready for school and ready for life.

It will mean local parents can access improved parenting support and Maternal and Child Health Services, as well as higher quality and more inclusive kindergartens.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Early Childhood Education Jenny Mikakos

“There will be even more kinder construction activity to come under a re-elected Andrews Labor Government as we implement our revolutionary plan to provide three-year-old kinder to all Victorian children.”

Quote attributable to Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing

“We’re improving early childhood facilities in Warragul because having great local facilities in our growing communities makes a big difference to children’s lives.”