Celebrating the winners of the 2024 Victorian Early Years Awards

The winners of the 2024 Victorian Early Years Awards were announced on 7 November 2024, by the Victorian Minister for Children, Lizzie Blandthorn, at an awards ceremony hosted by radio broadcaster and author Jacinta Parsons.

 

Seven organisations, two early childhood teachers and an educator were recognised for their achievements and contributions to leadership, outstanding achievement and innovation in improving outcomes for Victorian children and their families.

 

Winners of each category will receive a grant of $15,000 for professional development or to support their initiative.

 

Category 1: Improving Access and Participation in Early Learning

 

This category awards an initiative that promotes access, ongoing participation and engagement in early learning, particularly for families experiencing vulnerability or disadvantage, and was won by Enrol to Kinder – Mildura Rural City Council, in partnership with Connected Beginnings Mildura. 

In November 2023, Mildura Rural City Council in partnership with Connected Beginnings held an ‘Enrol to Kinder Day’ to support families to overcome barriers to kindergarten enrolment. The event addressed issues like low literacy, limited English, and lack of internet access, which previously made completing enrolment forms challenging.

Over 120 families attended, receiving help to complete kindergarten enrolment forms, immunisations and obtain important paperwork like birth certificates. A suite of community and health services attended, providing an opportunity for families to engage with early learning and other service-based organisations.

The innovative Enrol to Kinder Day took a community-centred approach and was designed to not only reduce barriers to early childhood education engagement, but provide an opportunity to link families with support services and increase relationships and trust between council staff and vulnerable community members.

 

Finalists in this category were Glen Education and The Future Me – STEM sisters

 

Category 2: Supporting Parents to Build their Capacity and Confidence

 

This category awards an initiative that supports families, parents and carers to feel confident and capable in their parenting role, and recognises their role as the first and most important teachers in supporting their child’s learning and development.

 

The winner was The Nest – Go Goldfields, in partnership with Regional Development Victoria, Central Goldfields Shire Council, Maryborough District Health Service, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute.

The Nest, located in Central Goldfields, provides a welcoming space for parents and carers in Maryborough and nearby areas facing socio-economic challenges.

Situated in a bright, friendly hub, The Nest focuses on building confident and capable parents. Services range from childbirth education and breastfeeding support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander family meet-ups. Regular drop-in sessions and events provide a relaxed setting for families to connect, fostering a strong sense of community that is essential during early parenting.

The Nest emphasises meeting parents where they are, allowing them to seek support at their own pace. This patient, respectful approach has led to high return visits and over 900 soft referrals to other services and local supports. By creating a safe and supportive environment, The Nest ensures that parents don’t navigate early parenting challenges alone, making a significant positive impact on the community.

Finalists in this category were  Play and Learn Together – Yarra Family and Children’s Service in partnership with Carringbush Adult Education and Early Help Hub Model –  Kids First Australia in partnership with the City of Whittlesea, Mitchell Shire Council, Whittlesea Community Connections, Bubup Wilam, DPV Health and FamilyCare.

 

Category 3: Creating Collaborative Community Partnerships

 

This category awards an initiative that promotes collaborative practice to support and demonstrate positive outcomes for children and families, and was won by the City of Ballarat Council’s Ballarat’s Children: Collaborating for Systems Improvement – delivered in partnership with Grampians Public Health Unit and Uniting Ballarat.

‘Ballarat’s Children: Collaborating for Systems Improvement Sessions’ are a series of monthly, two-hour professional development and networking sessions for staff/practitioners working with young children and families in Ballarat. Sessions focus on community connection, disability and inclusion, financial assistance and cultural diversity.

 

The program was co-designed by City of Ballarat, Best Start, Ballarat 4 Kids and the Children’s Resource Program at Uniting Ballarat following a 2023 workshop. Attendees identified the need for more networking and collaboration opportunities to develop stronger relationships and understanding of the service system, including referral pathways.

 

On average, each session has attracted approximately 50 participants, across the medical, education and community sectors, representing the broad and diverse networks of the 3 host organisations. The workshops have resulted in staff and practitioners working together more closely with a strong commitment to adding value through the sharing of knowledge and resources and a strong commitment to enhancing child wellbeing.

 

Finalists in this space were the Grandfriends Program – Ararat Early Learning Centre in partnership with East Grampians Health Service and Gorrinn Village, Ararat and Accessing Essential Services for Rural Kids – Rainbow P-12 College in partnership with Royal Far West.

 

Category 4: Promoting Children’s Health and Wellbeing

 

This category awards an initiative that is improving health and wellbeing outcomes for young children and was won by Tiny Dots Early Intervention – Tiny Dots, in partnership with Dot to Dot Early Intervention.

Tiny Dots Early Intervention (Tiny Dots), a Geelong-based charity, offers screening, multidisciplinary assessments, and short-term interventions for children aged 0-2 showing signs of disability or developmental delay, aiming to improve long-term neurological development and wellbeing.

 

Their Community Care screening Clinic staffed by experienced speech pathologists, has provided free and accessible developmental screening services to 163 children since 2022.

Many vulnerable and disadvantaged children in lower socio-economic suburbs of Geelong have been provided with free and heavily subsidised screening and assessments through targeted outreach.

In collaboration with local childcare centres, Tiny Dots launched a Community Care Outreach Program this year to provide professional development to early childhood educators to assist them to identify children at risk of developmental delay.

KIDDO Gippsland – GippSport Inc and The Nature Learning Program – Violet Town and District Childhood Centre were the finalists in this category. 

 

Category 5: Continuity of Early Learning

 

This category is awarded to two or more early childhood services, schools and/or other organisations that support continuity of early learning through successful transitions.

 

This category was won by A Great Start to School – Go Goldfields, delivered in partnership with Central Goldfields Shire Council, Maryborough District Health Service, Best Start, Loddon Early Childhood Improvement Branch and all Central Goldfields kindergartens and schools.

Great Start to School (GSTS) was launched through multi-sector workshops to improve educational outcomes for children in the Goldfields Shire, an area with significant socio-economic disadvantage and vulnerability.

The initiative, developed by the Department of Education, Central Goldfields Early Learning and Kindergarten Services, and Go Goldfields, with input from local schools and parents, addresses high levels of developmental vulnerabilities in social, emotional, communication, and language skills among children starting school.

GSTS created a comprehensive, shire-wide approach to early years’ transitions, focusing on knowledge sharing between educators and teachers. This approach provides insights into each child’s learning style, interests, and developmental milestones, enabling tailored support and personalised learning experiences from the start of school.

The program’s collaborative and coordinated approach provides a cohesive support system that maximises every child’s potential as they transition through their foundation years.

Finalists in this category were Morwell Park and Our Place – Morwell Park Preschool, delivered in partnership with Morwell Park Primary School and Our Place, and the Pathways Program – Cobden and District Kindergarten in partnership with Cobden Primary School, Cobden & District Playgroup and Cobden Maternal & Child Health.

Category 6: Early Childhood Teacher of the Year

 

This category awards an early childhood teacher who demonstrates evidence-based innovation and exemplary practice in early childhood education, and making a significant contribution to the development and delivery of high-quality early childhood education programs that improve learning and development outcomes for children.

 

Pauline Dent, a proud Monero Ngargio woman of Rosedale Uniting Early Learning was selected as this year’s winner. 

Pauline brought extensive cultural knowledge to the service and embedded Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives into her program to foster a deep respect and knowledge of our first peoples.

The outdoor space at Rosedale Uniting Early Learning has been transformed by Pauline to create a reconciliation garden, featuring a variety of native plants, and an inviting yarning circle where children and staff meet for meals, stories and music. These changes have created valuable learning opportunities and beautiful spaces that are respected and appreciated by children, families and educators.

Pauline has built a collaborative team that value the feedback and guidance she provides, as well as the strategies she implements to encourage all team members to expand their knowledge and capacity to support the children’s learning.

With her support, the service has become one that excels in all practices and celebrates learning that includes First Nations perspectives to enrich the experiences of the children, their families and the wider community. Pauline is now sharing her extensive knowledge to support 9 other services in Wellington Shire to enact similar changes in a structured and holistic way.

 

Emma Fulton from Connie Benn Early Learning Centre and Jacinta Anderson from Moe Heights Preschool were the finalists in this space. 

 

Category 7: The Emeritus Professor Collette Tayler Excellence in Educational Leadership Award

 

The Emeritus Professor Collette Tayler Excellence in Educational Leadership Award is awarded to an early childhood service or approved service provider that has led their educators and teachers to significantly improve the quality of their learning and teaching practices, with a focus on intentional teaching practices to achieve improved outcomes for Victorian children and their families.

Chloe Edgar of Discovery Tree Early Learning Centre was the winner of this award in 2024.

As Educational Leader at Discovery Tree Early Learning Centre, Chloe Edgar developed unique and creative education programs for the service and kindergarten. Her initiatives led to both services achieving an overall rating of ‘Exceeding’ from the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority.

Chloe is dedicated to fostering an environment where educators thrive and facilitates collaborative learning sessions where educators share best practices, discuss challenges, reflect and explore new ideas and intentional teaching practices.

Her forward-thinking mindset ensures that the centre remains at the forefront of educational innovation. She constantly seeks out new and effective learning experiences through the integration of technology, experiential learning opportunities, or interdisciplinary approaches and her efforts have inspired the educational team to create rich and meaningful learning experiences that promote children’s growth, agency, success and school-readiness.

Category finalists were the Connie Benn Early Learning Centre and the Monash Vale Early Learning Centre in partnership with Biik Bundjil

 

Category 8: The Aunty Rose Bamblett Koorie Early Years Legacy Award

 

This award is given to one or more early childhood service/s that are demonstrating holistic service provision that engages Aboriginal children and families, building Aboriginal perspectives and amplifying the voices and experiences of Koorie families and local community members through partnerships that enable self-determination.

 

Rosedale Uniting Early Learning were named as this year’s winner.

Rosedale Uniting Early Learning is a small rural kindergarten that has embedded rich Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural aspects into their program.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander resources are incorporated into every area of learning including play, art and craft, language, maps, literature, music and movement. These are strengthened by meaningful collaborative partnerships with Koorie Education Support Officers, elders and community members who regularly contribute cultural knowledge to support the programs.

 

Staff participate in diverse specialised training from bush tucker to Aboriginal ways of learning so they can pass on the richness of the oldest living culture to the children, families and broader community.

Community feedback highlights the positive impact of the kindergarten’s inclusiveness on Koorie families. Rosedale Uniting Early Learning leads the sector in integrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and have shared their learnings through communities of practice and Yarning meetings each term with local services within the Wellington Shire area.

Finalists were the Mandalay Early Learning Centre and the Early Years Precinct – Yarra City Council (in partnership with Yallabirrang Kindergarten, Keele Street Children’s Centre and Gold Street Children’s Centre).

 

Category 9: Educator of the Year

 

This award is given to an early childhood educator who demonstrates evidence-based innovation and exemplary practice in early childhood education, and making a significant contribution to the development and delivery of high-quality early childhood education programs that improve learning and development outcomes for children.

 

Margot Serena from Craig Family Centre was this year’s winner.

Margot Serena is an early childhood educator known for the culturally safe, caring and reliable service she delivers to the diverse group of children in her care, many of whom are from vulnerable backgrounds. She offers the children innovative, engaging and varied learning opportunities to encourage curiosity, creativity, inquiry and enthusiasm for learning.

Margot and the educators in her room don’t rush children at play, instead they invite them to contribute to the experiences, allowing time for critical thinking and problem solving so they develop a strong sense of worth, autonomy and agency. Margot supports the children to develop understanding and respect for their peers during group interactions where they learn from each other and establish a sense of belonging.

To support high-quality programming, Margot encourages families to contribute to their child’s learning experiences, while embracing their cultures, customs, languages and beliefs to enrich the children’s learning and cultivate inclusion.

Finalists were Raelene Carr from William Hovell Preschool and Shashika Lakmini Kotu Durage from Goodstart Early Learning.

 

The Minister’s Award

 

The Minister’s Award is a special commendation that has been selected from the pool of finalists across all nine categories and selected by the Minister for Children.

 

This year’s  winner was early childhood teacher Jacinta Anderson from Moe Heights Preschool.

Jacinta is dedicated to the education and wellbeing of young children, particularly those from vulnerable backgrounds and children with additional needs.

With high levels of socio-economic disadvantage and vulnerability in the Moe community, including trauma, family violence and poverty, Jacinta strives to create an inclusive environment where everyone is supported with programs adapted to each child’s developmental stage.

By utilising trauma-informed practices and providing children with innovative, hands-on experiences that develop learning and knowledge, Jacinta ensures every effort is made to meet the children’s needs and engage them through fun and fulfilling experiences.

With a deep understanding of the developmental stages of young children, she provides a nurturing environment that promotes growth and development, whilst developing strategies to strengthen family partnerships and participation.

 

To read more about the finalists and winners please use this link.