The Allan Labor Government is giving busy Victorian families greater access to affordable, quality and convenient kinder and childcare - with six government owned and operated childcare centres opening in 2027.
Minister for Children Lizzie Blandthorn and Member for Kororoit Luba Grigorovitch today announced the locations of the new centres during a visit to Kings Park Primary School - which will provide more than 500 places across the six centres for children up to six years of age.
These children will be among the thousands to benefit each year from the 50 new childcare centres delivered through a nation-leading investment by the Labor Government.
Four of the centres will be built on site or next to Avoca Primary School, Cohuna Consolidated School, Newborough East Primary School and Meeniyan Primary School. The other two centres will be built in the towns of Red Cliffs and Nicholson, with final sites to be confirmed by mid-2025.
Fees will be lower than the average for each area. This support and other subsidies mean families on low incomes will typically pay only a small fee each day. All government-owned centres will also include Free Kinder.
Many of the centres are located on local school sites with space for other supports like maternal and child health and playgroups, giving busy families a hub for the services they need close to home and helping them to ditch the dreaded double drop-off.
The Labor Government is delivering 24 government-run early learning facilities across Victoria between 2025 and 2027. Operated by Early Learning Victoria, these 24 centres will provide more than 2,300 licensed places for children.
By 2032, the Labor Government will establish 50 centres as part of these nation-leading reforms - delivering quality childcare and Free Kinder to communities where early childhood education and care is needed most.
Families in Sunshine, Eaglehawk North, Fawkner and Murtoa can also now apply to enrol their children at one of the four new state-run childcare centres taking enrolments for 2025. Families can apply for enrolment via vic.gov.au/early-learning-victoria.
As stated by Minister for Children Lizzie Blandthorn
"We're helping busy families access the services they need - making childcare and kinder more accessible with six more early learning and childcare centres opening in 2027."
"We're stepping in to deliver unprecedented investment in early childhood education to help our littlest Victorians and their families access quality early education and care - when and where it's needed most."
As stated by Member for Kororoit Luba Grigorovitch
"These new early learning and childcare centres will become valuable community assets - ditching the dreaded double drop-off so that local families can get the services they need close to home."
