The plan outlined by the State Government is designed to save families money and support women to return to the workforce.
NSW will mirror the plan in what Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews described as a joint commitment to “embark on the greatest transformation of early education in a generation”.
Three-Year-Old Kinder is already rolling out across the state, expanding universal access to 15 hours of government-funded kinder every week, which will be free from next year.
Four-Year-Old Kinder will also be free, liberating families from the costs of childcare and making it easier for parents to return to the workforce.
Mr Andrews said the childcare system had been set up to work against working families because subsidies went down as household income went up.
Lack of access to childcare is estimated to keep more than 26,600 women entirely out of the workforce in Victoria, costing the economy $1.5 billion per year in lost earnings alone.
“These massive reforms are about setting our kids up for the future and investing in women, who for far too long have had to do far too much,” Mr Andrews said.
“These are big changes, but they just make sense — giving our kids the very best start in life and delivering early education and care that actually works for families.”
The Goulburn Region Preschool Association (GRPSA), who operates from Moira Shire to Campaspe Shire and Greater Shepparton, welcomed the news.
CEO Ronni Druitt said the organisation is thankful the state government has made early childhood a priority.
“Free Kinder will benefit our regional and rural families more now so than ever with the cost of living rising so quickly. Extra hours will allow our parents to get to work without the extra burden of costs,” she said.
However the organisation has raised concerns over staffing in light of recent shortages and how funding will affect rural areas.
“Our pressing concern is the early childhood educator and teacher staff shortage which has become dire within our sector during and post-COVID,” she said.
“We eagerly await the consultation process which we intend to participate in. Investment in the workforce is integral for this to work.”
“We are especially interested to see how this funding will affect our small standalone services in rural areas, as there seems to be a move away from the standalone model to a more integrated model.“
“This may work in metro areas but not in regional and rural areas where there are significant travel constraints for families.“
“We need to ensure that the voice of small communities are heard.”
The announcement was welcomed by the opposition, educators, the Victorian Education Union Victorian Branch and the Victorian Council of Social Service.
Fifty Victorian Government-owned and affordable integrated childcare centres will be established to deliver childcare, kinder and Pre-Prep, located in areas with the greatest unmet demand and informed by the ‘childcare deserts’ research from the Mitchell Institute
The research has identified some areas near Cobram and across Moira Shire as so called “deserts”, where distance to a childcare facility and place availability has limited families’ access.
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