Early Childhood 0-8
A range of services are available to assist you and your child during early childhood (0-8 years).
The Department supports the health, development, wellbeing and learning of Victoria’s young children by overseeing services including kindergartens and child care, maternal and child health, supported playgroups, parenting services and early childhood intervention services. These services are operated by a range of local government, community or private organisations.
Responsibility for these services was incorporated into the Department in August 2007, when functions from the Office for Children in the Department of Human Services (DHS), were integrated with the former Department of Education.
The new, Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD), delivers on the Government’s proposed future vision of supporting Victorians from birth to adulthood.
The linking of early childhood services and schools marks the beginning of a new era in the health, wellbeing, learning and development of all Victorian children and young people.
It provides an integrated approach to education through high quality early childhood development programs, a smooth transition to the school system, and beyond, into work and further study.
Find out more about early childhood in Victoria, including:
- Maternal and Child Health – provides information about the support available to parents and their young children
- Childcare – outlines the different types of childcare that are available to your child
- Kindergarten – explains how children benefit from kindergarten and why all children can attend for one year for free
- Children with Additional/Special needs – provides information on the support available to children with disabilities and developmental delays, and their families
- Parentline - provides a statewide telephone counselling service to parents and carers of children aged from birth to eighteen years.
- Parenting and Family information – includes resources for parents with young children