2025 VEYA finalists announced: Celebrating the outstanding work of the early years sector

The Victorian Government has announced the finalists for the 2025 Victorian Early Years Awards (VEYA), recognising early childhood services, teachers and educators, and community organisations for their exceptional contributions across nine key areas. From increasing access and participation to embedding cultural responsiveness, the awards highlight innovation, leadership and impact across Victoria’s diverse communities.

This year’s finalists reflect excellence in the following categories:

• Improving Access and Participation in Early Learning
• Supporting Parents to Build their Capacity and Confidence
• Creating Collaborative Community Partnerships
• Promoting Children’s Health and Wellbeing
• Continuity of Early Learning
• Early Childhood Teacher of the Year
• The Emeritus Professor Collette Tayler Excellence in Educational Leadership Award
• The Aunty Rose Bamblett Koorie Early Years Legacy Award
• Educator of the Year

The full list of finalists demonstrates how the early years sector is addressing significant challenges faced by children, families and communities, through inclusive, locally driven and partnership-based solutions.

Improving Access and Participation in Early Learning

• Toy Well Program – Toy Libraries Australia in partnership with the Trawalla Foundation, Besen Family Foundation, Community Hubs Australia, 54 Reasons, Our Place, Hume City Council, host schools and the Department of Education
• Victorian Aboriginal Community Services Association Ltd (VACSAL) in partnership with Goolum Goolum Aboriginal Cooperative, Gippsland and East Gippsland Aboriginal Cooperative, Wathaurong Aboriginal Cooperative, Njernda Aboriginal Corporation and Dandenong and Districts Aborigines Cooperative Ltd 
• Wingate Avenue Community Centre Occasional Childcare

Supporting Parents to Build their Capacity and Confidence

• Supporting Expecting and Parenting Teens Program – Brave Foundation
• Family Haven – Greater Shepparton Lighthouse Project
• Hume Community Hub Playgroups – Hume City Council in partnership with Communities for Children

Creating Collaborative Community Partnerships

• Supporting Families Through Collaborative Early Intervention – Gowrie Victoria Broadmeadows Valley in partnership with MacKillop Family Services
• Fraser Rise Kindergarten in partnership with Melton City Council and Springside West Secondary College
• From Little Things Big Things Grow – Wyndham Park Kindergarten in partnership with Wyndham Park Community Centre

Promoting Children’s Health and Wellbeing

• From ‘Working Towards’ to ‘Exceeding’ – Connie Benn Early Learning Centre in partnership with Heidelberg Psychological Services
• Latrobe Family Services: Initiatives for Early Years Outcomes – Latrobe City Council
• Road Safety and Bike Riding Program – Nathalia and District Preschool in partnership with Victoria Police, Early Learning Association Australia, Nathalia Secondary College and Cann’s Bus lines

Continuity of Early Learning

• The Darebin Early Years to Primary School Transition Network – Darebin City Council in partnership with Department of Education – North Eastern Melbourne Area           
• The Mooroopna Oral Language Initiative – Mooroopna Primary School and partners
• Little Steps, Big Futures – South West Healthcare in partnership with Mitchell Park and Elsa MacLeod Kindergartens

Early Childhood Teacher of the Year finalists

• Megan Hancock – Southern Rise Children’s Centre
• Larissa Hayes – Monash Vale Early Learning Centre
• Hannah Stephen – The Honeypot Early Learning Centre

The Emeritus Professor Collette Tayler Excellence in Educational Leadership Award finalists

• Home Road Kindergarten
• Hema Srekrishnan – Elonera Preschool
• Yarra Children’s Services – Yarra City Council

The Aunty Rose Bamblett Koorie Early Years Legacy Award

• Harrietville Bush Kinder
• Little Assets Melbourne City Early Learning Centre

Educator of the Year

• Sandra Houlahan – Shine Bright Elmore Kindergarten
• Jinali Amaya Sooriyaarachchi –  Charming Cherubs Early Learning Centre
• Akiko Yamazaki-Edwards –  Dobson Kindergarten

The 2025 VEYA finalists highlight how early childhood services and organisations are responding to complex, interconnected challenges, such as access, inclusion, health, transitions and leadership, through thoughtful, place-based approaches. Shared strengths across the finalists include:

• trauma-informed and culturally responsive practice
• strong partnerships with families and communities
• early identification and support for developmental needs
• continuity of learning from home to early years to school
• leadership that empowers educators, services and communities.

To read the full list of winners and learn more about each award and why finalists were selected, visit: www.vic.gov.au/finalists-veya.