Ready, set, go for kinders

Wimmera municipalities will be among the first to benefit from the rollout of a $58.1-million State Government kindergarten package.

Labor Member for Western Victoria Jaala Pulford said the first 25 areas to benefit would include Hindmarsh, West Wimmera, Buloke, Northern Grampians and Yarriambiack shires and Horsham Rural City.

“We want all kids in western Victoria starting school on an even keel, and if they need extra help through a speech therapist, or a literacy expert, this funding will be able to provide that,” she said.

The program involves the government providing kindergartens with the finances needed to engage experts and access programs.

Early Childhood Education Minister Jenny Mikakos said the Australian-first initiative was about ensuring no child was left behind.

“Not every child has an equal chance to thrive at kindergarten and school-readiness funding will mean more kids will be ready for school and ready for life,” she said.

All kindergartens operated by Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations in Victoria will also be able to access the funding.

A 2015 Australian Dearly Development Census revealed that one in five Victorian children started school developmentally vulnerable and those who started behind tended to stay behind. The funding will allow kindergartens to tap into the expertise of language and literacy professionals, speech therapists and child psychologists, who will work directly with children at kindergartens and build the capability of both parents and educators.

It will become a permanent part of the Victorian kindergarten system and when fully rolled out boost kindergarten funding by 10 percent.