Early Childhood Services Management

Integrated Children's Centres

The Government recognises the importance of quality early childhood education and care services. Children’s centres improve quality and accessibility of early childhood services by emphasising the importance of integrated early childhood education and care services.

Growing, Learning and Thriving (2009) includes a commitment to develop a sustainable model for integrated children's centres by working with high-quality, innovative service providers whose practice is integrated, flexible and interdisciplinary.

The integration of services makes life easier and less stressful for children and families and enhances education and care accessibility through more convenient forms of delivery. Improved family engagement, streamlined service delivery and earlier diagnosis of children’s health and developmental problems are direct outcomes of the Victorian integrated children's services model.

Integrated services enable children and families to receive a high quality kindergarten education as well as long day care, with ready access to Early Childhood Intervention Services, maternal and child health services and family support services. Integrated services also allow for a range of complementary services to be available within each centre, such as supported playgroups, parenting groups or programs, occasional care, outside school hours care and the availability of community space for local activities.

For further information, see: 

  • About Integrated Services – Overview of effective integrated services and links to useful resources.
  • Integrated Services Establishment - Guiding principles and tools for the establishment and operation of integrated children’s centres.
  • Research and Evidence - Current information on best practice approaches to the establishment and operation of multi-agency collaboration and partnerships in children's services.
  • Children's Capital Program - Funding is available for capital projects to establish new children's centres or for upgrading existing early years' facilities to achieve the best learning and development outcomes for children.