VICTORIA
OVERVIEW
In Victoria, 'Kindergarten' is the term used for educational programs provided to children in the year before full-time schooling (i.e. Year 1 minus 2 years) which is referred to within this manual as 'preschool'. 'Preparatory', or ‘Prep’, is the term used for a child’s first year of school (i.e. pre-Year 1 year).
Children in Victoria are eligible to enrol in and attend a funded preschool if they turn 4 years old prior to 30 April of the same year. Preschool programs for 3 year old children are not funded by Victoria, except for the Early Start programs that cater specifically for Indigenous children and children known to the Child Protection Service.
LEGISLATION AND LICENSING
All Victorian preschools are bound by the conditions set out in the Children’s Services Act 1996 (Vic.) and the Children’s Services Regulations 2009 (Vic.). The Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (Vic. DEECD) licenses child care services including preschool, LDC, family day care, in-home care, occasional care and outside school hours care. All regulations and conditions of applications for licenses are covered under the Children’s Services Regulations.
The Victorian state government provides contributory funding towards one year of preschool for each child in the year before they commence full-time schooling. To be in receipt of funding, preschools must be licensed under the Children's Services Act, and operate a preschool program that meets the criteria for funding eligibility. Some children are funded for a second year of preschool if eligibility requirements are met.
SECTOR DESCRIPTIONS
Preschool
Service providers in Victoria that offer a preschool program as their main type of activity have the following management arrangements.
Government Managed
Government preschools in Victoria are those managed by local government.
Non-government Managed
Community managed: Community managed preschools include those managed by incorporated associations and cooperatives, companies limited by a guarantee, (government) school councils and church groups, where the main service activity type is preschool.
Independent schools: Independent schools are schools that are governed, managed and accountable at the level of the individual school.
Catholic schools: A small number of Catholic affiliated schools in Victoria provide preschool programs.
Private for-profit managed: Preschools managed by the private sector include for-profit private providers (companies limited by shares), colleges or universities, and individuals, where the main service activity type is preschool.
Long Day Care
Service providers in Victoria that offer a LDC as their main type of activity and may also offer and deliver a preschool program have the following management arrangements.
Long Day Care with a Preschool Program
Community managed: Community managed LDCs include those managed by incorporated associations and cooperatives, companies limited by a guarantee, (government) school councils and church groups, where the main service activity type is not preschool but a preschool program is delivered by the service provider.
Private for-profit managed: LDCs managed by the private sector include for-profit private providers (companies limited by shares), colleges or universities, and individuals, where the main service activity type is not preschool but a preschool program is delivered by the service provider.
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