More children and families from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds will have help accessing kindergarten, thanks to a council outreach program supported by the Victorian Government.
Supporting councils to run engagement activities and employ outreach workers, grants totalling $3.5 million have backed children and families from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds to access and attend kindergarten, connect with other early childhood supports and transition successfully to primary school.
Since 2021, the CALD Outreach Initiative has supported more than 2,500 children to enrol in and attend kindergarten, with the program even more important as the Victorian Government continues to deliver its $14 billion Best Start, Best life reforms.
The outreach initiative delivers on recommendations made by the Parliamentary Inquiry into Early Childhood Engagement of CALD Communities, which outlined the importance of outreach activities for helping to build strong relationships between CALD families and local services, such as playgroups and Maternal and Child Health.
CALD outreach teams work across communities to help CALD families access early childhood services in their local area, including visiting playgroups, libraries and community hubs, assisting families with kindergarten enrolment, organising information sessions and working with educators to address attendance barriers.
The Municipal Association of Victoria is receiving funding to support council-led outreach programs and activities, establish communities of practice and share key learnings and insights with all councils state-wide.
Almost $1 million in funding over two years will also support bicultural workers from the Brotherhood of St Laurence to deliver targeted outreach to CALD families living in public housing in the cities of Maribyrnong, Melbourne, Moonee Valley and Yarra through the Family Learning Support Program.
Since 2020, the Family Learning Support Program has worked with families from Eritrean, Ethiopian, Vietnamese, Somali, Pakistani, Turkish, Sudanese and Pacific Islander backgrounds.
Translated resources and free interpreters are available to support Victoria’s multicultural communities to engage with kindergarten. For more information, visit vic.gov.au/kinder/translations or vic.gov.au/use-interpreter-early-childhood-education-services.
Quotes attributable to Member for Laverton Sarah Connolly
“Access to quality early child education is being made easier by delivering the support needed by families from diverse backgrounds.”
CALD Outreach Initiative grant recipients are:
Banyule City Council
Brimbank City Council
Casey City Council
Darebin City Council
Greater Bendigo City Council
Greater Dandenong City Council
Greater Geelong City Council
Hobsons Bay City Council
Hume City Council
Maribyrnong City Council
Maroondah City Council
Melbourne City Council
Melton City Council
Merri-bek City Council
Mildura Rural City Council
Monash City Council
Moonee Valley City Council
Moorabool Shire Council
Whittlesea City Council
Wyndham City Council
Yarra City Council
Yarra Ranges Shire Council
* Greater Shepparton City Council and Cardinia Shire Council will also have a CALD outreach worker in place until mid-2023, supported by funding received through previous grants.
