Minister for Education and Early Childhood Learning – Sarah Mitchell
Aboriginal children and families will have additional support to participate in 600 hours of quality early childhood education in the two years prior to school.
Minister for Education and Early Childhood Learning Sarah Mitchell said that over 50 eligible early childhood education services will receive grants that will allow preschool students to engage and learn in their earliest years.
“Participation in early childhood education is fundamental to ensure children have the best possible start to their educational journeys. This is about making sure that Aboriginal children and their families are supported and have easy access to quality early learning,” Ms Mitchell said.
“These grants will enable services to provide educational activities that will strengthen the foundations of children’s learning in those crucial years before school.”
Grants of up to $10,000 are available for a range of initiatives to support access to quality preschool education for Aboriginal children that will benefit and enrich the development of culture in the community.
“The funding can be used for initiatives such as transport services to help families access the preschools, development opportunities for staff to learn how to further support Aboriginal children and engagement with Aboriginal community members,” Ms Mitchell said.
“Services will have the opportunity, for example, to engage with local Aboriginal community members to conduct dreamtime story-telling sessions or explore Aboriginal art. They’ll also be able to provide access to specialised staff to deliver targeted support to Aboriginal children and their families.”
For more information, visit the Department of Education website.