Over 800k for Cardinia kinders

Cardinia has 47 kinders which will share in $851,435 for 2019 – a 14 per cent increase in base funding for the area. 178383_01

By Kyra Gillespie

 Minister for Early Childhood Education Jenny Mikakos and Member for Eastern Victoria Region, Daniel Mulino MP have announced the 580 Victorian kinders that will share in $58.1 million to engage with experts and access evidence-based programs to help kids stay on par with their peers.

Cardinia has 47 kinders which will share in $851,435 for 2019 – a 14 per cent increase in base funding for the area.

Census data shows that one in five Victorian children start school developmentally vulnerable and once behind, they tend to stay behind.

School readiness funding will allow Victorian kinders to tap into the expertise of speech and occupational therapists, language and literacy professionals and child psychologists, who can then boost the capability of both parents and teachers.

It’s the first time in Australia such funding has been made available to kindergartens and will become a permanent part of Victoria’s early childhood education funding.

School readiness funding will be rolled out to all kinders statewide by 2021, with the 580 kinders part of the first tranche of 25 local government areas, which includes suburbs in Melbourne’s west and south, and regional areas such as Horsham, Mildura, Swan Hill, and Gippsland.

“We’re investing in our littlest Victorians in Cardinia so they get the best possible start in life and make the

most of these valuable kinder years,” Member for Eastern Victoria Region, Daniel Mulino MP said.

All kindergartens operated by an Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations in Victoria will also receive the funding next year.

The funding aims to reduce the impact of educational disadvantage on children’s learning and development and improve outcomes in communication, wellbeing and access and participation.

“We know that one in five kids starts prep not ready for school and if they start behind, they tend to stay

behind,” Early Childhood Education Minister Jenny Mikakos said.

“School readiness funding means investing in the things that will truly make a difference to a child’s life.”

“We’re helping them very early in their education journey, so they can start their first day at school ready, on

track and on par with their peers.”

It is part of the Government’s landmark $202.1 million Education State Early Childhood Reform Plan.