Research on Adolescent family violence in Australia: A national study of prevalence, use of and exposure to violence, and support needs for young people that surveyed over 5,000 young people aged 16 to 20. It found one in five young people who participated reported having used violence against a family member, and 89 per cent of those young people had experienced child abuse during their lifetime.
Respect Victoria has launched the next phase of Respect Women: ‘Call It Out.’ We’re sharing stories of Victorians taking steps towards equality in their communities, relationships, families and workplaces.
These stories touch on what it means to be a man, the role that respect plays in relationships, and breaking down gender stereotypes that hold us all back.
Launching in the lead-up to the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, Respect Women showcases messages of respect and equality.
The campaign will run across social media, radio, press and digital channels in regional and metro Victoria in November and December. Supporting collateral has been developed in Arabic, Simplified and Traditional Chinese, Hindi, Vietnamese and Easy English.
View the campaign on our website, and read on for ways you can get involved
| Free Kinder commences in 2023, making three-and four-year-old kinder programs free for all Victorian children. This reform means that from 2023, all Victorian children can access: between 5-15 hours a week of free kinder in a three-year old program. The number of hours available will vary depending on the capacity of the local ECEC service, except for children eligible for Early Start Kindergarten (ESK) where access to 15-hour kindergarten programs remains. By 2029, all ECEC services will be offering the full 15-hour kinder program. 15 hours a week of free kinder in a four-year old program. This reform makes the kinder program free for all families. Where a child is accessing kinder in a long day care setting, parents and carers may incur additional costs for the hours spent at the service outside of the kinder program. The Child Care Subsidy (CCS) and Additional Child Care Subsidy (ACCS) will still need to be considered for children attending kinder in a long day care setting. Early Start Kindergarten (ESK) There is no change to ESK with the roll-out of three-year-old or Free Kinder in 2023. Early Start Kindergarten (ESK) continues to provide all eligible children access to 15 hours a week of free kinder in their first year. Children are eligible for ESK if they are three by 30 April in the year they will start kinder and: are from a refugee or asylum seeker background, or identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, or they or their family are known to Child Protection. ESK can be accessed in a stand alone kinder or long day care. Find more information about ESK in a long day care here. Why is it important to continue notifying the ECEC service of a child’s ESK eligibility if kinder is free from 2023? Early Start Kindergarten (ESK) ensures eligible children are: guaranteed access to 15 hours a week of kinder, where the three-year-old kinder program may only be available for shorter periods prioritised for a kinder place under the Priority of Access guidelines able to access a kinder program led by a qualified Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT) registered teacher. ESK funds may also be used to support the family by covering: enrolment fees, including any gap fees not covered by CCS additional out-of-pocket costs for families such as excursions/incursions resources to create a culturally safe environment and support the family’s inclusion. ESK also enables the ECEC service to access increased School Readiness Funding which allows them to purchase tailored supports for their service, such as: additional educators to assist in reducing child to staff ratios a bicultural educator professional development, including training related to trauma and culturally safe practices. ESK Extension Grants provides eligible children similar support in their four-year-old kinder year, so it is important to advise the ECEC service of a child’s eligibility at any stage in their kinder journey. How does a family access the ESK grant? To access the ESK grant, a family can self-identify or any professional working with the family can notify a service (verbally or in writing) that the child meets one of the ESK criteria. The kinder will then apply for the grant directly and the family do not need to complete any additional paperwork outside of the typical enrolment process. DET’s interactive map can be used to search for a Victorian Government funded kinder nearest to a family. Contact details for the service are included on the map so they can be contacted directly to ask about their enrolment process. Unsure about a child’s kinder eligibility, or need support accessing a kinder service? Contact your local Early Childhood Improvement Branch (ECIB) Want more information in this newsletter on the Best Start, Best Life kindergarten reforms? Contact Harriet Wilson, the Senior Early Years Project Officer at the Centre at [email protected] |
The THRIVARY app provides parents, carers, families, and professionals access to early childhood development information and resources that have been reviewed by subject matter experts. Thrivary has been developed by Reimagine Australia (formally Early Childhood Intervention Australia) and has been co-designed with families and early childhood practitioners over two years. Thrivary can be shared with families to build their confidence in understanding their child’s development and learning through play at home.
THRIVARY:
- guides families through each age and stage of their child’s development from birth to 8 years of age, including activities to promote their child’s development
- allows parents and carers to take notes and record their child’s development
- provides an integrated calendar tool that allows families to schedule appointments, capture notes, track their child’s milestones and easily visualize their child’s development history
- connects parents and carers with organisations that offer community and peer support
- enables access to a trusted library of resources that have been verified by Reimagine’s Council of early childhood thought leaders and experts.
For each developmental area (movement, communication, social-emotional, cognitive, everyday skills), Thrivary provides examples of developmentally appropriate activities parents and carers can incorporate into their home routines to support their children’s learning and development.
Safe and Equal welcomes the Albanese government’s first budget and acknowledges the tough financial circumstances in which it is being delivered.
ANROWS recently ran a webinar, “Family law parenting orders, breaches and their impact on children”. If you missed attending the live webinar, or would like to revisit this important conversation, the recording is now available on the ANROWS website: anrows.org.au/event/webinar-family-law-parenting-orders-breaches-and-their-impact-on-children/
Victoria University and Our Watch are partnering to help address systemic issues around gender inequality and violence – a historic first for higher and vocational institutions. Read the media release to find out more
The National Centre for Action on Child Sexual Abuse are working to help keep children and young people safe, and are looking to learn from young people themselves about the best ways to hear their voices and get their input on projects, policy and the research the National Centre will produce in future.
The Engage Project is a research opportunity for young people to connect with the National Centre for Action on Child Sexual Abuse (The National Centre) and let us know how we can best work with children and young people to hear their voices and learn from their experiences.
Click here to learn more.
The federal government has appointed a former social worker with experience leading homelessness and human rights organisations as Australia’s first Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commissioner after dumping the Coalition’s pick earlier this year.