Shaping the Best Start, Best Life reforms

We're transforming early childhood education in Victoria with the $14 billion Best Start, Best Life (BSBL) reforms. We've been consulting with people in the sector, so we can shape the changes together and make sure they work best for everyone.

Transforming early childhood education together: What we heard, what we're doing

In June 2022, we announced the Best Start, Best Life and committed to consult with many different people and stakeholders to shape the initiative.

From August 2022 to June 2023, we ran over 100 consultation sessions with 5000 Victorians including families, the early childhood workforce, providers, peak bodies and experts. These included focus groups, forums, and a public Engage Victoria survey. We wanted to know what matters most about early childhood education in Victoria.

'Best Start, Best Life: Transforming early childhood education together' is all about what we heard during this consultation, and how the Department of Education is responding to ensure outcomes keep children at the heart of the reforms.

This report isn't the end of our conversation. There will be ongoing consultation throughout the life of the reforms and continued engagement with families and the sector as the reforms roll out.

Best Start, Best Life Workforce Strategy: Continuing to value and grow the kindergarten workforce

The Best Start, Best Life Workforce Strategy marks the third stage in our work with the sector to make sure we have the early childhood workforce that Victorian children and families need. This strategy is a direct response to what we heard during the consultations in 2023.

This strategy outlines our priorities to grow and support the workforce delivering kindergarten programs across Victora. It builds on current Victorian Government programs and complements sector-led initiatives to attract, support and develop skilled early childhood teachers and educators.

The strategy spans the career journey of early childhood teachers and educators with a focus on 6 key areas:

• Encouraging more people from all backgrounds to choose a career in early childhood education
• Improving the accessibility and quality of pre-service training
• Enhancing the transition from study to practice
• Supporting career development and wellbeing
• Supporting effective leadership
• Taking a comprehensive approach to maintaining and lifting practice quality.

The latest strategy builds on the following papers:

• Working Together to Build Victoria's Early Childhood Workforce (PDF, 1.7 MB)
• Next steps in Victoria’s Kindergarten Workforce Strategy (PDF, 2.7 MB)

This strategy will change and evolve as the reforms roll out. It's supported by an investment of almost $370 million from the Victorian Government.

Building Blocks: The Victorian Government’s Best Start, Best Life Infrastructure Strategy

Our commitment to deliver the Best Start, Best Life reforms means more early childhood infrastructure is needed across the state. The new strategy sets out the approach to working in partnership with the sector to deliver it.

We have increased grant rates for partners investing in new and expanded facilities. We're also delivering more government-owned kinders on or near school sites where possible. Additionally, we're establishing 50 government-operated early learning and childcare centres.

The strategy builds on the previous strategy. It responds to feedback from our partners, including local governments, non-government schools and service providers.

The strategy sets out the range of supports available for partners across the areas of:

• infrastructure planning
• delivering infrastructure capacity
• retaining, maintaining, and improving existing infrastructure capacity.