Overview
Funding is available for sector partners to plan, build, expand and improve early years infrastructure across Victoria. The Best Start, Best Life Infrastructure Strategy outlines the grants, programs and initiatives available.
Increasing hours may be achieved through reconfiguration and optimisation of existing space, or by extending, modifying, or building new or additional kindergarten rooms.
Local government and not-for-profit providers
If your service is part of a local government, a not-for-profit service provider, or a not-for-profit community organisation, there may be Building Blocks grants available to improve or expand your service.
If your service provider manages multiple services, you can also talk to the department about a Building Blocks Partnership if you are considering building, expanding or modernising your kindergarten to increase your capacity for Three-Year-Old Kindergarten and Pre-Prep.
These partnerships provide certainty and flexibility for long-term infrastructure development between the department and local governments or not-for-profit providers who are interested in co-investing in a pipeline of projects. Building Blocks Partnerships also offer increased funding flexibility to support solutions for more complex projects.
Investing to meet demand
To help target new infrastructure investment where and when it is needed to support the reforms, the department is engaging with local government authorities to update agreed Kindergarten Infrastructure and Services Plans (KISPs).
Once updated with Pre-Prep information, KISPs will set out supply and demand for kindergarten over the life of the reforms and indicate where new infrastructure is likely to be needed for children to access a full program of Three-Year-Old Kindergarten and Pre-Prep by 2036. While a KISP is not a funding document, future investment requests through Building Blocks Grants or Partnerships need to align with the relevant KISP.
The Victorian Government is also building around 180 kindergartens on school sites, and 50 government-owned and operated Early Learning and Childcare Centres (ELCCs) in locations they are needed the most.
You can see kindergarten construction projects underway on this interactive project map.
Sector insight – Planning for renovations and expansions
A not-for-profit Early Years Management organisation managing multiple services in Melbourne, mostly on school sites, undertook planning for how its services would expand their kindergarten programs as the reforms continue.
They concluded that some services needed renovation and others needed expansion. They allowed 6 to 12 months of planning time for each service, including extensive consultation with staff and families to fully understand their needs. They worked closely with project managers, architects, and local councils, and also sought information from the Victorian School Building Authority (VSBA).
Important factors that were incorporated included:
- accessible and inclusive design for children of all abilities
- zoned spaces and lighting
- sustainability
- First Nations culture
- outdoor spaces consisting of different mediums which embed STEM learning.
Various renovations and expansions have been completed, including upgrades to both indoor and outdoor learning environments and the provision of modular rooms, delivered via the Victorian Government’s Building Blocks initiatives.
Resources
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