Kindergarten Outreach
Melton City Council is committed to ensuring families can access early childhood education and recognises the importance of two years of quality education and care in preparing children for success at school and beyond.
Early Start Kindergarten (ESK) and more hours of Four-Year-Old Kindergarten (Pre- Prep). Priority Cohort was introduced in response to research showing that two years of quality education and care prepares children for success at school and leads to positive impacts later in life.
Early Start Kindergarten can help ensure you get the maximum amount of free kinder program hours possible each week for your child for two years.
We aim to help families overcome barriers and connect with vital resources. These services are free; however, eligibility criteria do apply.
ESK / more hours of Four-Year-Old Kindergarten (Pre- Prep) Eligibility
To be eligible, your child must meet one of the following criteria:
- are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, or
- have had contact with Child Protection, including children in out of home care.
- are from a refugee or asylum seeker background, and:
- have a refugee or humanitarian visa, or
- are applying for a refugee or humanitarian visa, or
- have previously held a refugee or humanitarian visa, or
- have a current or expired ImmiCard
If none of these apply but you or your child has been a refugee or asylum seeker, or had similar experiences, your child may still be eligible. Contact your local Department of Education office to ask about an exemption. You can also ask any professional who supports you to contact the Department for you.
Your child must turn three before 30 April in the year they are enrolled to attend Three-Year- Old Kindergarten to access Early Start Kindergarten.
Children participating in ESK may also be eligible for the Access to Early Learning Program.
Support Areas
This initiative’s primary goals are to assist families and children with:
- Registering, enrolling, and attending Three- and Four-Year-Old kindergarten
- Accessing local support services such as playgroups and maternal and child health
- Transitioning from kindergarten to primary school
- Accessing interpreter services and essential resources
Additionally, the Outreach Team works to enhance the capacity of early childhood educators and teachers to engage effectively with families in their programs.
Contact Us
For support or enquiries, please contact our Kindergarten Outreach team on 9747 7284.