Victoria has announced a new round of funding directed at inclusive early learning programs across the state, building on existing commitments to make quality early childhood education and sensory play more accessible for children who need additional support to participate.
The funding forms part of Victoria’s broader Best Start, Best Life early childhood reform agenda, which has progressively expanded access to supported learning for children from birth through to school age. The latest round targets inclusion support specifically, with additional investment directed at services that support children with sensory, developmental, and communication needs in community settings.
What the Funding Covers
The funding supports staffing, resources, and program development across a range of early learning environments, including community-based settings beyond the traditional kinder and childcare system. This reflects a growing recognition that inclusion happens across multiple settings in a child’s week, not only within formal education hours.
Families accessing the Kindergarten Inclusion Support package or connected to the NDIS are encouraged to consider how community play settings can complement the support already in place, particularly during school holidays and outside of kinder hours when structured support can be harder to maintain.
How Sensory Play Centre Fits the Broader Picture
For families across Melbourne’s west, Sensory Play Centre in Ravenhall provides exactly the kind of community-based, sensory-rich environment that these funding reforms are increasingly recognising as part of a complete support network. School holiday sensory programs, one-on-one support sessions, and open play options give children consistent access to supported, purposeful play across the full calendar year, not only during term time.
Book a session today and find out how Sensory Play Centre’s programs can sit alongside your child’s broader early learning and support plan.
