5,000 extra child care places for Victoria

Victorian families are set to benefit from an additional 5,086 child care places to help them with the care of their children before and after school hours and during school holidays, Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Larry Anthony announced today.

“These places will attract more than $3 million in Australian Government funding over the next financial year. Places will be allocated to 252 services and include 1,555 before school, 2,224 after school and 1,307 vacation care places.

“These places will address the current identified shortfall and will meet demand around the State.

“Importantly, 4208 of these places will go to 168 new services. New services will set up in areas including Ballarat, Bendigo, Brimbank, Maroondah, Mornington Peninsula, Maribyrnong, Casey, Kiewa Valley, Knox, Mildura, Port Phillip, Shepparton, Warrnambool and Moreland, amongst many others.

“This allocation of places has been made possible through record funding to child care in the last Federal Budget of more that $8.5 billion for the next four years.

“Places have been distributed after a comprehensive process to ensure demand would be met. The Department of Family and Community Services advertised nationally to encourage current and new services to apply for places.

“After a selection and assessment process, I am pleased that these places will meet verified demand for Outside School Hours Care in Victoria.

“I now call on Premier Bracks to release the $10 million funding he promised late last year for Outside School Hours Care services.

“I also call on the Victorian Government to introduce licensing and regulations for Outside School Hours Care to ensure parents have a guarantee that their children are safe and receiving appropriate care in these services,” Mr Anthony said.