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Early Start Kindergarten information for Child Protection professionals

https://player.vimeo.com/video/605220948

Early Start Kindergarten information for Child Protection professionals

Christine Reid, Social Worker – Enhanced Maternal and Child Health, Melton City Council

Early Start Kinder enables children that have experienced vulnerability to access two years of quality early childhood education. It provides up to 15 hours of free or low-cost kindergarten to eligible three-year-old children. Children are eligible for Early Start Kindergarten if they are Aboriginal and/or a Torres Strait Islander, and/or if they’ve been in contact with child protection.

Mia Bromberg, Child Protection Practitioner

Enrolling our clients in Early Start Kindergarten can and should be one of the first things we do when we have an intervention with a family.

Not only is it important for the child’s development, but it can also be really important to provide parents or carers with some much-needed respite.

Tracy Beaton, Director and Chief Practitioner, Department of Health and Human Services

It is really important to keep children enrolled in ESK with the roll-out of Three-Year-Old Kindergarten because children need that consistency and that quality of care. They get additional hours in ESK, and what we know for children known to Child Protection is that they are particularly vulnerable, so the more support children and families can get with their growth and their development and the support they might need for their wellbeing - the better.

Tracy Beaton, Director and Chief Practitioner, Department of Health and Human Services

It is really important to keep children enrolled in ESK with the roll-out of Three-Year-Old Kindergarten because children need that consistency and that quality of care. They get additional hours in ESK, and what we know for children known to Child Protection is that they are particularly vulnerable, so the more support children and families can get with their growth and their development and the support they might need for their wellbeing - the better.

Trish, Parent

I first heard about Early Start Kindergarten through supported playgroups, and at the same time I was involved with Caroline Chisholm, and with my caseworker and the supported playgroup facilitator, we actually got both of my sons enrolled when they turned three.

The biggest difference that it’s made for me having the kids come through, particularly doing three-year-old, into four-year-old – now my eldest has actually started Prep – and, he was ready, and so for me watching that, I didn’t have to worry that when I left my boys at school or at kinder, I knew that they were just in there, and they weren’t scared and crying – they were learning and making friends and playing and building all of these important connections.

It’s complete peace of mind for me that they were just doing what they needed to.

Melanie Donaldson, Early Childhood Educator

So we know that Child Protection is there to keep our families safe and keep the children in our families safe, but it’s our job to make those children flourish. So working together we can really achieve that.

Mia Bromberg, Child Protection Practitioner

I’ve personally seen many children flourish through accessing early education and I think that if your child is eligible, you should really get onto it as soon as you can.

Melanie Donaldson, Early Childhood Educator

So the differences we’ve seen in children who have accessed the ESK program are phenomenal. So we know that accessing two years of kindergarten will have a positive effect on a child’s cognitive abilities, but where we see the real difference is in their confidence, in their resilience, in their self-regulation.

Mia Bromberg, Child Protection Practitioner

If you need any support enrolling a client in Early Start Kindergarten you can get in touch with your local government contact or your local contact, and they’ll give you any support that you might need.

Tracy Beaton, Director and Chief Practitioner, Department of Health and Human Services

The relationship Child Protection has with us and with the local government is essential because we can’t work in isolation. So, children are part of families, they’re part of communities, and the more support children can get for their wellbeing, the better.

Trish, Parent

I would recommend Early Start Kinder, and I’ve actually recommended it to a few of my friends and told them the same thing – don’t be afraid, reach out, the help is there and it’s there for a reason.

So, a hundred per cent, take it.

I’m so glad that I did it.

Slide 1

As of 2021, Early Start Kindergarten is now available to children from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds.

Slide 2

Early Start Kindergarten continues to be available to all three-year-old children known to Child Protection and can be accessed in kindergartens or long daycare services providing funded kindergarten programs.

Slide 3

Most long daycare centres offer funded kindergarten programs. Please ask the centre about which groups offer a “funded” kindergarten program. To access kindergarten, please contact the local government or your local office.

Updated 15 September 2022

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