The Andrews Labor Government is helping Chiltern families access a local long day care service for the first time, with work about to start on a new integrated children’s hub.
Minister for Families and Children Jenny Mikakos today turned the first sod at the Chiltern Early Years Education Hub, which will increase the service’s kinder capacity and create a long day care service.
The $320,000 project will see the Chiltern Community Centre and Chiltern Kindergarten buildings upgraded to create the Chiltern Early Years Hub.
Thirty-three additional children aged six weeks to four years will soon be able to access the new long day care service, with the Chiltern Kindergarten offering increased hours and days for its three and four year old kindergarten programs.
Works at the Community Centre will include two new children rooms and the amenities needed to support the expansion, while the kindergarten will have an existing room converted into two.
The Community Centre’s existing Maternal Child Health service will be incorporated into the new facility, giving local families with young children a one-stop-shop.
The Labor Government contributed nearly $240,000 towards the upgrade, with $15,000 provided by the Indigo Shire Council and $65,500 provided by the Albury-Wodonga Community College.
The Government is delivering a record $70 million to build, expand and upgrade kinders across Victoria to ensure local families can continue to access great local kindergartens.
Indigo families will also benefit from the Government’s $202 million Education State Early Childhood Reform Plan, announced in the Victorian Budget 2017/18.
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 local parents can access improved parenting support and Maternal and Child Health Services, as well as higher quality and more inclusive kindergartens.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Families and Children Jenny Mikakos
“Our unprecedented investment in early childhood services is supporting children and families and ensuring that every child gets access to quality early years programs.”
“We’re investing in first-rate education facilities for Indigo families because having great facilities makes a big difference to children’s lives.”
Quote attributable to Member for Northern Victoria Jaclyn Symes
“We’re proud to provide Chiltern families with the first long day care service, because this is about providing the best start in life for our kids.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020