Twenty-six leaders in early childhood education are in the running for the top honours at the 2023 Victorian Early Years Awards on Thursday 9 November 2023.
Now in their 18th year, the awards celebrate the exceptional contributions of the outstanding professionals working in our early childhood education sector.
While we continue our shared work to transform early childhood education through the Best Start, Best Life reforms, this year’s finalists again exemplify the vital work happening in the sector every day to support the critical early years of children’s lifelong education journeys.
In 2023, the department introduced 2 new award categories. One recognises the importance of Aboriginal inclusion and perspectives in ensuring all services are accessible to Koorie children and families and commemorates the work and legacy of the late Aunty Rose Bamblett. The other recognises the vital contribution that early childhood educators make to early childhood services and children.
You can learn more about the finalists and their achievements across 9 award categories at the Victorian Early Years Awards website(opens in a new window). Their inspiring stories include:
- an in-home program for parents delivering shorter, more intense home-visiting interventions to support vulnerable families
- a service working in partnership with traditional owners and families to embed meaningful engagement of Aboriginal culture into their curriculum and core philosophy
- an early intervention program providing preschools with evidence-based tools to screen for pre-literacy, pre-numeracy and oral narrative skills
- an interactive resource supporting children’s development and encouraging play
- a service adopting a distributive leadership model to empower staff to innovate, work towards common goals and bring their cultural backgrounds, experiences and knowledge to their practices.
About the Victorian Early Years Awards
Award finalists were selected by a panel of judges following a thorough application and shortlisting process.
Winners receive grants of $15,000 towards professional development or to further develop their program or initiative.
A separate Minister’s Award winner will be selected by the Minister for Early Childhood and Pre-Prep, Ingrid Stitt, from finalists across all categories as a special commendation.
The awards will be held on Thursday 9 November 2023.
Find out more
For more information on the awards, refer to the Victorian Early Years Awards website(opens in a new window).
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