The Andrews Labor Government is making it easier for parents and carers to find local kindergarten programs.

Minister for Early Childhood Ingrid Stitt and Member for Northcote Kat Theophanous today visited Raleigh Street Kinder in Thornbury to give them their Kinder Tick.

The new initiative being rolled out across Victoria makes it easier for families to identify approved and funded kindergarten programs – ensuring their children receive the benefits of early learning. 

Signage will be placed on services that deliver kindergarten programs, whether that’s in a long daycare setting or a standalone kinder. Only services that meet the following criteria will be eligible to use the kinder tick branding: 

·       Led by a qualified teacher

·       Provides a play-based learning program

·       Funded by the Victorian Government

Research shows that having qualified teachers and educators plan, deliver and evaluate play-based kindergarten programs leads to better outcomes for children. 

Raleigh Street Kinder is one of around 2,600 early childhood education services across the state that will now display and use the Kinder Tick.

The brand makes it easier for families that want their children to attend kinder by identifying long day care and standalone services that offer funded, approved programs. This will mean families can be assured that if they see the Kinder Tick branding – the kinder is endorsed by the Victorian Government as a quality service.

This is one of the many initiatives the Government is launching to support the sector and deliver consistency across Victoria as we roll out universal Three-Year-Old Kindergarten.

In an Australian first, the Labor Government has committed almost $5 billion to deliver 15 hours of funded kindergarten programs for three-year olds to children in Victoria by 2029. The Three-Year-Old Kindergarten reform has already been rolled out to 21 local government areas and will expand across the rest of the state in 2022.

Long day care centres make up more than a third of services already delivering universal funded Three-Year-Old Kindergarten and together with standalone kinders are an important part of the early learning sector.

Quote attributable to Minister for Early Childhood Ingrid Stitt

“We are making it easier for families to find local kindergarten programs that suit their needs.”

“This will give parents the confidence to know, that when they see the kinder tick, a quality service is being offered.”

Quote attributable to Member for Northcote Kat Theophanous

“Choosing where to send your child to kinder is a big decision for any parent. We’re making it easier - if you see a tick, you know the service is delivering an approved kinder program.”

Quote attributable to Member for Northern Metropolitan Sheena Watt

“Families across the Melbourne’s north can simply look for the Kinder Tick to find a teacher-led kindergarten program that supports their child’s learning and development and suits their needs.”