Best Start, Best Life reforms continue with families now able to enrol in first 4 state-owned early learning and childcare centres

Victoria’s Best Start, Best Life reforms continue to have an impact on the Education State, and will establish 50 new government owned and operated early learning and childcare centres by 2032.

“We’re helping busy families access the services they need and saving them thousands with Free Kinder,” Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said. 

“Childcare (sic.) is a Commonwealth responsibility. But busy parents need more support. That’s why we’re stepping in.”

Early Learning Victoria is establishing all of these centres  and is committed to providing high-quality early childhood education and care, fostering inclusive environments where children thrive.

Families can now enrol their children into the first 4 early learning and childcare centres, opening in 2025:

• Sunshine Primary School Early Learning and Childcare Centre (interim name)
• Eaglehawk North Early Learning and Childcare Centre (interim name)
• Moomba Park Primary School Early Learning and Childcare Centre (interim name)
• Murtoa College Early Learning and Childcare Centre (interim name)

The centres will provide long day care, Three-Year-Old Kindergarten and Four-Year-Old Kindergarten, transitioning to Pre-Prep.

Up to 130 licensed places will be available for children up to the age of five at the Sunshine and Moomba Park Primary School centres, with 102 places at the Eaglehawk North Primary School and 57 places at Murtoa College.

The Victorian Government has committed $14 billion to expand kindergarten programs across the state and to give Victorian children the best start to life, and the 50 new services will be built in communities where they are needed most, offering childcare, Three and Four-Year-Old Kindergarten, and then eventually a smooth transition into Pre-Prep. 

Where possible, these services will be co-located with other services like maternal and child health services and playgroups, and where possible they will be located at, or alongside, schools, hospitals, TAFEs and other major employers to make childcare more accessible and convenient to parents and carers. 

These services will be built on principles of community and inclusion, right from the start, and have been introduced to Country in consultation with the traditional owners of the land they share. 

For more information, visit www.vic.gov.au/early-learning-victoria