Families in Greenvale West will be able to access the first-rate early childhood services they deserve under the one roof, thanks to the Andrews Labor Government.
Minister for Early Childhood Education Ingrid Stitt and Member for Yuroke Ros Spence today visited the new $7.07 million Greenvale West Community Centre to officially open the hub designed to improve local early childhood services.
The integrated children's centre is next to Keelonith Primary School, helping local children make a smooth transition from kinder into school, and will have almost 200 kindergarten places.
The centre has a maternal and child health consulting suite, a specialist consulting room for early intervention services and a multipurpose activity room, which can be used by the community.
In partnership with Hume City Council, the Labor Government contributed $1.6 million to the new centre as part of the Children's Facilities Capital Program.
In an Australian-first, the Labor Government is investing almost $5 billion this decade to provide three-year-old children with access to 15 hours of a funded kindergarten program, with the roll-out beginning in 2020.
From 2022, three-year-old children across the state will have access to at least five hours of kindergarten delivered by a qualified teacher. Services will then scale up their hours to reach the full 15-hour program by 2029.
As part of this roll-out, the Labor Government is upgrading infrastructure through a $1.68 billion co-investment with the early childhood sector to build and expand kindergarten facilities across the state.
This ground-breaking reform plan recognises the importance of providing families with strong support in early childhood, so kids are ready for kinder and ready for school.
It will mean parents can access improved parenting support and Maternal and Child Health Services, as well as higher quality and more inclusive kindergartens.
As stated by Minister for Early Childhood Ingrid Stitt
"This children's hub will give families in Greenvale West the quality early years and family services they need to help their children thrive."
"Building the Education State starts with the early years - that's why we are delivering a record investment into early childhood services."
As stated by Member for Yuroke Ros Spence
"This great local centre in Greenvale West means families can access the early years services they deserve, close to home."
