Dear colleagues
Welcome to the first edition of the new-look Early Childhood Update. After its hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic, I’m thrilled to re-launch our monthly newsletter to help keep us all informed and connected across the Victorian early childhood sector.
We have a lot to talk about and celebrate, thanks to your exceptional work supporting the young children and families in your communities.
Through the newsletter, we will provide regular updates about the work we are all doing together to deliver truly nation-leading Best Start, Best Life reforms that will provide universal Three-Year-Old Kindergarten, a shift to 30 hours of Pre-Prep by 2032, the delivery of 50 state-owned early learning centres, Free Kinder from 2023, and initiatives to attract, retain and develop our outstanding workforce.
As you and your teams work with us on these transformational changes, we look forward to sharing relevant information for your service operations and your workforce, celebrating milestones and highlighting success in the sector across the state.
I’d like to share with you this new video that we are looking forward to sharing through our social media channels. It’s a lovely showcase of the opportunities of quality early learning, told from a child’s perspective. Aptly titled ‘Make every day a new adventure’, it shows the immense value of the work of teachers and educators in supporting children to learn, play and connect with others.
A child’s first years of life are critical to their long-term health and development, and early childhood education services play a vital role in enabling all children to reach their potential. I love taking any chance to tell these stories, and we welcome your ideas to showcase some of the excellence in services and the support and education they provide to children and families.
There is no doubting the central role that your services play in supporting children and their families. This has never been clearer than over the last couple of years, in the face of the challenges brought by the pandemic. Our COVID-19 updates to you will continue as needed, as will time-critical health and policy advice, outside of this newsletter.
I encourage you to share this edition of Early Childhood Update with your services and workforce and encourage them to subscribe.
Kim Little
Deputy Secretary
Early Childhood Education
Updated