Management and delivery of community kindergarten services
Key points
Kindergarten in Cardinia Shire is delivered by the following partners working together:
- State government – Department of Education and Training (DET)
- Local government (Cardinia Shire Council)
- Early Years Managers (bestchance and ECMS)
- Committees of Management (Beaconsfield Kindergarten, Cockatoo Kindergarten, Gembrook Preschool)
- Parents and families
Council is the central planner for kindergarten services in the shire, ensuring all children who require a place in kindergarten can access one.
While we do not directly run early years education services, we’re committed to ensuring the service is the best it can possibly be, now and into the future, and that services are delivered to meet the needs of our local children and families.
What is an Early Years Provider?
- Early Years Providers are the licensed, approved provider of kindergartens. They deliver high quality programs that directly benefit children. They are also responsible for the operational management of the kindergarten service and staff.
- In Cardinia Shire, there are two types of Early Years Providers – Early Years Managers and Committees of Management.
- Early Years Providers work closely with Cardinia Shire Council, parents and families, and Parent Advisory Groups (PAGs) to ensure Cardinia Shire children have access to high quality early years programs, giving them the best possible start in life.
Council's role
Council is the central planner for kindergarten services in the shire, ensuring all children who require a place in kindergarten can access one.
We support local children and families by:
- building strong partnerships through professional networks and supporting Early Years Managers and Committees of Management
- planning for growth and ensuring we have enough kindergarten places to support demand, and building new centres where required
- administering the process for kindergarten registrations for all sessional kindergartens
- engaging Early Years Providers to deliver kindergarten.
How we engage Early Years Managers to deliver community kindergarten services
While Council does not directly run early years education services, we’re committed to ensuring the service is the best it can possibly be, now and into the future, and that services are delivered to meet the needs of our local children and families.
- Council conducts a Request for Early Years Managers process to operate and manage kindergarten services and other associated services at Council-owned facilities.
- Undertaking this process ensures we meet our statutory requirement to ensure early years providers are selected in a fair and competitive manner.
- The process also ensures that the very best providers in Australia have an opportunity to express their interest in delivering high-quality services for families in Cardinia Shire.
Enquiries
Contact our Child and Family Services team
Ph: 1300 787 624
Email: earlyyears@cardinia.vic.gov.au