Victorian Department funds 22 local councils to bring CALD outreach workers to ECEC

The Victorian Department of Education and Training has provided funding to support 22 local councils across Victoria to engage culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) outreach workers for early childhood education settings. 

CALD outreach workers help address barriers to kindergarten access and participation for children and families from CALD backgrounds.

The outreach workers in these communities will also support families and children transition to school and support ongoing participation in education. 

The initiative includes direct support to families and services in the following local government areas:

• Banyule
• Brimbank
• Casey
• Darebin
• Greater Bendigo
• Greater Dandenong
• Greater Geelong
• Hobsons Bay
• Hume
• Maribyrnong
• Maroondah
• Melbourne
• Melton
• Merri-bek
• Mildura
• Monash
• Moonee Valley
• Moorabool Shire
• Wyndham
• Whittlesea
• Yarra
• Yarra Ranges Shire.

If a family requires additional support, CALD outreach workers may actively engage their service either by attending with the family or supporting the service to make its program more culturally inclusive.

CALD outreach workers also work alongside services to support successful registration and enrolment of CALD children starting in three- and four-year-old kindergarten, as well as helping to strengthen partnerships between early childhood services, schools and community service organisations to promote kinder participation.

Victorian services who would like more information should contact their participating local council directly or the department by email at [email protected]