Alpine Shire Council is now better equipped to support families from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds to access early childhood education, thanks to the CALD Outreach Initiative.
Council is one of four local governments to be awarded grant funding under the expansion of the program, which has already had success with 21 regional and metropolitan councils across Victoria.
The Initiative will see Council work directly with families from CALD backgrounds to increase access to kindergarten and help their children transition into local schools.
The Alpine Shire has one of the largest percentage of households speaking languages other than English across north east Victoria, with increasing numbers of children from CALD backgrounds being enrolled in early childhood centres across the region.
Alpine Shire Mayor, Cr Sarah Nicholas, reflected on the importance of such initiatives to support families from CALD backgrounds that have recently migrated to the Alpine Shire.
"When families are unable to access or understand the education system, it can put real barriers in place that have long-lasting impacts on their children's development," she said.
"This funding will support children to learn at a consistent pace with their peers and achieve their goals in school, so that they can thrive like any other child."
Through the grant funding, Council will improve processes for early identification of children from CALD backgrounds living in the Alpine Shire so that they can increase awareness and knowledge of kindergarten and early childhood services amongst their families.
In doing so, they will identify barriers to accessing kindergarten and support their connection to early childhood services, including working with families and educators to improve school readiness.
For more information the CALD Outreach Initiative, visit https://www.vic.gov.au/supporting-cald-families-engage-kindergarten