Overview
Early Years Management (EYM) organisations are local government or community-based organisations that provide professional leadership and centralised management of kindergarten services.
EYM organisations provide service delivery according to their regulatory, policy and funding obligations and are required to:
- assume all the responsibilities of an approved provider as specified in the Education and Care Services National Law and National Regulations
- establish and review effective governance practices that support professional leadership and management systems
- contribute to policy development, sector planning, policy reform implementation and service design.
Benefits of EYM
The benefits of EYM are:
- Children benefit from high quality, inclusive services provided by professionals who are well supported to adopt contemporary, evidence-based practices.
- Parents can focus their involvement on supporting their children's learning free of the compliance, industrial, financial and operational obligations required of approved early childhood service providers.
- Staff benefit from organisational structures and processes that support them in their day-to-day work, but also have a view to the future creating career pathways and professional development opportunities that align with their aspirations.
Funding
The 2021-22 State Budget included an additional $31.2 million to support EYM organisations. The current funding rates can be found on kindergarten funding rates.
Become an early years manager
An EYM organisation must:
- be a local government or community-based, not-for-profit organisation
- comprise a minimum of three community-based services, provided by incorporated associations run by volunteer Committee of Management, that offer a funded kindergarten program.
If you're considering becoming an early years manager, contact the nearest department regional office.
Documents
- EYM Policy Framework (2016) (PDF, 4.16MB), EYM Policy Framework (2016) (DOCX, 38MB) - sets out the background and context for Early Years Management.
- EYM Improvement Framework (2021) (PDF, 2.14MB), EYM Improvement Framework (2021)(DOCX, 1.4MB) – supports EYM organisations to use data and other information to find ways to continuously improve.
- The EYM Improvement Framework replaces the EYM Outcomes and draft Performance Framework (Appendix 1 of the EYM Kindergarten Operating Guidelines).
- EYM Kindergarten Operating Guidelines (2016) (PDF, 2.23MB), EYM Kindergarten Operating Guidelines (2016) (DOCX, 19MB) - provides detailed guidelines for implementing the EYM policy framework, for all EYM partners that deliver or intend to deliver kindergarten programs in Victoria.
- EYM Funding Requirements(PDF, 4.16MB), EYM Funding Requirements (DOCX, 38MB) - baseline requirements that EYM organisations are required to comply with as part of their Service Agreement with the department.
- EYM Fact Sheet - Information for Committees of Management (2016) (PDF, 163.16KB), EYM Fact Sheet - Information for Committees of Management (2016) (DOCX, 1.72MB) - this fact sheet contains general information about EYM for parent run Committees of Management who currently operate stand–alone kindergartens and may be considering an EYM partnership.
List of Early Years Management organisations
Early Years Management (EYM) organisations receive funding to deliver high-quality kindergarten services in Victoria.
There are 57 EYMs organisations in Victoria as of 30 January 2025.
- Alpine Children's Services Ltd
- Banyule City Council
- BCYF-Bethany Kindergarten Services Limited (trading as Meli Kindergartens)
- Brimbank Pre-school Association Inc
- Casey City Council
- Child and Family Care Network Inc (bestchance)
- Children's Protection Society Inc (Kids First Australia)
- Cire Services Incorporated
- City of Ballarat
- City of Greater Geelong
- City of Port Phillip
- Combined Preschools of Southern Grampians Inc
- Community Kinders Plus Inc
- Corangamite Shire Council
- Early Childhood Management Services Inc
- Eureka Community Kindergarten Association Inc
- EV Inc (EV Strengthening Communities)
- Gannawarra Shire Council
- Glen Education Inc
- Glenelg Shire Council
- Golden Plains Shire Council
- Goodstart Early Learning Ltd
- Goulburn Region Pre-School Association Inc
- Greater Shepparton City Council
- Horsham and District Kindergarten Association Inc (Emerge Early Years Services)
- Hume City Council
- KU Children's Services
- Latrobe City Council
- Loddon Shire Council
- Macedon Ranges Shire Council
- Mallee Track Health and Community Service
- Merri-bek Early Years Management Inc
- Mitchell Shire Council
- Moonee Valley City Council
- Moyne Shire Council
- North East Regional Pre-School Association Inc
- Northern Schools Early Years Cluster Inc.
- One Tree Community Services Inc
- Prom Coast Centres for Children Inc
- Sale Combined Kindergartens Inc
- Sandhurst Catholic Early Childhood Education & Care Limited
- Shine Bright EYM
- Springvale Service for Children Inc
- Surf Coast Shire
- The Lady Gowrie Child Centre (Melbourne) Inc
- The Young Men's Christian Association of Ballarat (the Y)
- Towong Shire Council
- Try Australia Children's Services (Sparkways)
- Uniting (Victoria and Tasmania) Limited
- Warrnambool City Council
- West Wimmera Shire Council
- Whitehorse City Council
- Wodonga City Council
- Wyndham City Council
- Yarra City Council
- Yarra Ranges Kindergartens Inc
- Yarriambiack Shire Council
* Organisation names provided in brackets after corporate entity, reflect the organisation’s trading name or where specified by the EYM, their preferred name.
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