Why do we need a Kindergarten Partnership Strategy?

The Victorian State Government is currently rolling out a pre-prep program, which will provide access to:

• 15 hours a week of fully funded kindergarten for three-year-old children by 2029; and
• 30 hours a week of fully funded kindergarten for four-year-olds by 2032.

This will require Council to provide an increase in physical places and infrastructure for kindergartens, which this Kindergarten Strategy will plan for. We are seeking your views to assist with this planning.

In developing the Kindergarten Partnership Strategy, we have brought together information and input from community feedback, demographic data, early years regulations and feasibility studies.

Have your say

The Draft Kindergarten Partnership Strategy is now available for community feedback. You can ask a question or register to speak on the draft strategy at the 12 August 2024 Council Meeting, or provide feedback to ChildrensServices@frankston.vic.gov.au

To help us understand the views of local communities please indicate the area you live in.

How do you describe your gender?

What best describes your interest in Frankston City kindergartens?

Where would you ideally like to access 4-year-old kindergarten, once it is funded for 30 hours a week?

Would you like to access the same type of kinder for 3-year-old kindergarten, funded for 15 hours a week?

If you would like to access 3-year-old kinder somewhere else, where would you ideally like to access 3-year-old kindergarten, once it is funded for 15 hours a week?

Which of the following kinder locations would be most convenient for your family?

How would you prefer to get to the Kindergarten?

What services what would you like to see located with kindergartens?

Which Council area would you prefer to access kindergarten services in?

What would prevent you from sending your child to kindergarten?

Please add any details you would like to share about what prevents you from sending your child to kindergarten.

Comments provided by participants included the following themes:

	Percent	Count
long/extended kinder sessions needed	34.29%	24
prefer fewer hours	11.43%	8
challenging to access to funded places	8.57%	6
excluded by immunisation policy	5.71%	4
irregular work hours	5.71%	4
cost or value is a barrier	5.71%	4
disability accommodations required	4.29%	3
concern about staff : child ratios	2.86%	2
concern about educational outcomes	1.43%	1
insecure housing is a barrier	1.43%	1
school holiday program wanted	1.43%	1
shortage of places in my area	2.86%	2
sickness is a barrier	1.43%	1
absence policy	1.43%	1

How was community feedback used?

Thank you for providing your feedback on kindergarten services across Frankston City. Community feedback was used to develop the kindergarten strategy and the kindergarten upgrades planned as part of the strategy. You can see how the strategy reflected community preferences and concerns below:

3- and 4-year-old kinder at the same location

A significant 89.14 % of respondents indicated they would prefer their child access three and four-year-old kindergarten at the same place.

Kindergarten Strategy Impact: Kindergarten upgrades will need a minimum of two, with a preference for three rooms to offer two four- year-old and two three-year-old groups on one site.

Dedicated kindergarten buildings

79.5% prefer a community based, dedicated kindergarten building with 39% preferring a kindergarten on the grounds of a public school.

Kindergarten Strategy Impact: This strategy is planning to maintain the same level of commitment to early years education for eligible child attendance at a dedicated, community-based kindergarten. This supports families choosing different models to align all of their commitments.

Playgroup and multi-purpose rooms in kinder buildings

When looking at co-located or shared facilities, 56.59% requested playgroup space; 47% requested space for children’s interest groups; 47.29% requested space for allied health services and 42.38% requested space for MCH.

Kindergarten Strategy Impact: Where space allows, building plans will include a multi-purpose room that can be booked and used by multiple services. To provide adequate space for all programs the room will need to be a minimum of 40sqm.

Convenient session times for working parents and carers

43.3% of respondents indicated that working hours impacted on their ability to send their child to sessional kindergarten.

Kindergarten Strategy Impact: The extension of available kindergarten infrastructure will support longer hours of education for children, supporting working families. Once the Pre-Prep initiative of 30 hours of free kindergarten a week is implemented it is anticipated that this percentage figure will drop, increasing the demand on kindergarten places. This plan is focussed on the provision of more places.

Kinder within walking distance

87% would like to be able to access a kindergarten within five kilometres of their home with 89.9% of respondents preferring to walk to kindergarten.

Kindergarten Strategy Impact: This supports the Councils commitment to the 20-minute neighbourhood and provides guidance on where future services should be located.

More kinder places where we need them most

23.5% indicated that they could not attend kindergarten due to a shortage of spaces, this was primarily reported by respondents living in Frankston, Langwarrin and Seaford.

Kindergarten Strategy Impact: New and expanded facilities currently under planning/construction in Seaford and Langwarrin will address shortage in these areas. Enrolment data shows vacancies across Frankston/Karingal and the dichotomy between the two will be explored in location recommendations.

Guiding principles for future kindergarten building upgrades

Kindergarten Strategy Impact: These principles will be used to guide decision making about future kindergarten development projects:

• Commence planning for the redevelopment of kindergartens on exiting sites that can be expanded in accordance with demographic data.
• Prioritise the redevelopment of sites in areas of higher vulnerability
• Assess the overall demand and capacity in each local area
• Continue to utilise the Building Blocks Partnership to advocate for higher funding allocation and or alternative solutions to facilitate Council’s ability to meet the Reform requirements
• Seek opportunities to partner with Department of Education, non-for profit and or the private sector in relation to delivery of new buildings and their ongoing maintenance, and service delivery.

You can read the full draft Kindergarten Partnership Strategy here or see what is planned in your area on the Early Years Infrastructure page.