The Victorian Government has announced a boost to its CALD Outreach Initiative, allocating $7.47 million in grants across 25 councils. The program aims to support children from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds to enrol and attend kindergarten.
Minister for Children Lizzie Blandthorn stated that the initiative is designed to help families overcome barriers to early education. The funding will be used for outreach teams employed by councils, who work directly with families to improve enrolment rates, attendance, and transitions to school.
The program, launched in 2021, has so far supported over 6,000 children across eight councils. This expansion introduces four additional councils—Alpine Shire, Ararat Rural City, City of Ballarat, and Mitchell Shire—while continuing in 21 existing areas.
Advocates for early childhood education have welcomed the expansion, emphasising the importance of accessibility for all families. However, some observers have raised questions about whether the funding is sufficient to address the broader systemic issues facing multicultural communities, including language barriers and awareness of available services.
The initiative is part of the government’s $14 billion Best Start, Best Life reforms, which aim to transform early childhood education while supporting families with free kinder and giving parents flexibility to return to work or study.
The program will also invest in knowledge-sharing through the Municipal Association of Victoria to ensure councils across the state benefit from lessons learned in outreach. Critics, however, have called for more comprehensive, state-wide solutions to ensure no community is left behind.
Minister Blandthorn highlighted the government’s commitment, saying, “We’re delivering more support to families from multicultural backgrounds so more Victorian children can access Free Kinder and more parents have the freedom to go back to work if and when they choose.”
Minister for Multicultural Affairs Ingrid Stitt added, “Every child deserves the opportunities provided by kindergarten, no matter their background.”
The expanded program will run from January 2025 to June 2027. Recipients include councils in metropolitan and regional areas such as Wyndham, Greater Dandenong, and Alpine Shire. While the initiative represents progress, it remains to be seen how effectively it will meet the needs of Victoria’s diverse communities.
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