Expanding access to early education in Victoria

The Albanese and Victorian Governments have reached a historic agreement for $170.1 million in joint funding to deliver more not-for-profit early learning services in Victoria’s outer suburbs and regions.

This announcement will support the creation of around 1,110 early childhood education and care places across 11 locations.

The Albanese Labor Government will invest $63 million through the $1 billion Building Early Education Fund to build or expand early childhood education and care services, including in Kings Park, Wedderburn, Weir Views, Geelong, Whittlesea, Casey, Frankston and Swan Hill. The Victorian Government is contributing $107 million towards these projects.

Services will be delivered progressively over the next four years, with new early childhood education and care services in Kings Park, Wedderburn and Weir Views opening in 2026. Two services will come online in 2027, four services in 2028, and a further two in 2029.

The $1 billion Building Early Education Fund provides capital funding to build and expand early learning services in areas of need, including regional communities and outer suburbs, helping families access quality early learning close to home.

The Building Fund helps deliver more quality centres co-located at schools.  This will help families avoid the double drop-off and help children smoothly transition to school.

These investments will support workforce participation, strengthen regional communities and help more children get the best possible start in life.

In addition to this, the Allan Labor Government’s $14 billion Best Start, Best Life reforms are transforming early childhood education to help children thrive, save families money, and support parents and carers to return to work or study if they choose.

This investment is building and expanding hundreds of kindergartens across Victoria, supporting the delivery of 15 hours of a Three-Year-Old Kindergarten program each week by 2029 and up to 30 hours of Pre-Prep each week by 2036.

More information about the Building Early Education Fund is available at: Building Early Education Fund - Department of Education, Australian Government

Quotes attributable to Minister for Education Jason Clare:

“The Building Early Education Fund will help deliver more quality early education places for families in communities that need them most.

“Where you grow up shouldn’t determine whether you can access early education.

“These projects in Victoria mean more families can access early learning close to home and more children start school ready to go and ready to learn.”

Quotes attributable to Minister for Early Childhood Education Jess Walsh:

“I am so proud the Albanese and Allan Labor Governments are partnering to deliver more early learning centres for Victorian children and families.

“Every child deserves access to quality early learning – no matter their postcode, or what their parents do for work.

“Our $1 billion Building Early Education Fund is delivering more early learning centres for more families in more places, particularly in our outer suburbs and regions.

“These projects mean more families can access early learning close to home and more children can get the best possible start in life.

“This is an important step towards building a universal early childhood education system.”

Quotes attributable to Victorian Minister for Children Lizzie Blandthorn:

“Through the Building Early Education Fund with the Commonwealth and our Best Start, Best Life reforms, we’re focusing spending where it makes the biggest difference for families.

“Parents across Victoria will have better access to childcare and kinder – with more places, lower fees, Free Kinder and the peace of mind that their children are learning and thriving.