Project objective
Bayside has been a long-standing provider of early years infrastructure and services including kindergartens. Provision of early years services are among the most important services Council offers the community (Source: Community Satisfaction Survey), and community preference for sessional kinder is based on quality and reputation of service, with kinder often the first connection for young children into their local community.
Pressure on Council’s early years infrastructure has increased since the introduction of the Victorian Government’s Best Start, Best Life reforms, which seeks to increase the number of free hours of kindergarten for 3 and 4-year-old children.
Council’s 14 kindergarten facilities are increasingly unable to accommodate this demand. Without significant financial investment in facilities, Bayside faces a projected 25% shortfall in kindergarten places by 2036.
We are seeking feedback from the community to understand how families use kindergartens and which aspects are most valued. This phase of work is to ensure that Council has current data on community sentiment regarding kindergarten services. Data collected will help inform Council and drive strategic direction, planning and advocacy for investment in early years infrastructure.
Project impacts
State Government’s Early Years reforms
In 2022 the Victorian State Government announced its Best Start Best Life policy reforms (BSBL), which have commenced being delivered. These reforms are potentially the most significant change to Victoria’s early childhood sector in a generation, and include:
- a free kindergarten program for Victorian 3- and 4-year-old children
- the establishment of 3-year-old kindergarten programs, which were free to all Victorian 3-year-olds for at least 5 hours each week from 2022, and will increase to 15 hours each week by 2029
- 4-year-old kindergarten transforming into a new universal program called pre-prep, which will begin gradually rolling out from 2025 until 2036, and will be free to all Victorian 4-year-olds for 20 hours each week by 2034, increasing to 30 hours each week by 2036.
The challenge for Council is that in order to have local facilities that can operate within the new service provision context introduced through the Victorian Government Early Years reforms, significant financial investment is required due to increasing eligible population, an ageing portfolio of facilities, and a predominance of single room facilities that will not be viable within the new model.
Community awareness of potential Early Years shortfall
By seeking feedback from the community on their experiences with kindergartens in Bayside, we are raising awareness of the issues facing the sector. It is important that our community understands:
- Council only provides facilities for kindergarten operators and does not provide kindergarten services.
- Funding for early years education is the responsibility of the Victorian Government
- Reforms introduced by the Victorian Government must include investment in necessary infrastructure to avoid cost shifting to Council ratepayers.
What information do we need from the community?
We are seeking feedback from the community to understand how families utilise kindergartens and which aspects are most valued. Council will use this information to inform its strategic direction on early years investment and advocacy to the Victorian Government.
What can the community influence?
- Understanding of sentiment, needs and preferences regarding early years services
- Raise awareness of potential shortfall for early years services in Bayside
- Advocacy to Victorian Government
What can’t the community influence?
- Victorian Government Best Start Best Life policy reforms
Stakeholders and community
This stakeholder assessment is a generalised understanding of sections of the community that have a connection to the project or matter. This information is used to understand the types of tools and techniques that will achieve the strongest and most effective outcomes for engagement and communication.
- Impact: What level of change the stakeholder / community segment may experience as a result of the project / matter
- Interest: What level of interest has been expressed or is anticipated
- Influence: Reference to the IAP2 Spectrum
Stakeholder / community | Impact | Interest | Influence |
| Parents/guardians of young children (0-5 years) | H | H | Consult |
| Prospective parents/guardians | H | M | Consult |
| Educators | H | H | Consult |
| Carers | H | H | Consult |
| General community members | L | L | Consult |
Selected tools and techniques
The tools and techniques selected for this project are informed by the project content, stakeholders and type of feedback sought.
Key tools for communicating the project
- Email notification to Have Your Say members
- Website news story and This Week in Bayside e-newsletter
- Article in Let’s Talk Bayside magazine
- Social media posts
- Printed material (eg flyers, posters) distributed to kindergartens and other early years service providers
- Direct emails to key stakeholder groups – eg enrolled families and early years service providers
- Digital screens at the Corporate Centre, libraries and MCH buildings
Key methods for gathering feedback
- Online engagement through Have Your Say, including opportunities to ask questions and provide feedback
- Phone, postal and email correspondence
- Printed survey and consultation materials available on request
Project timelines
| Project stage | Timing |
| Community consultation and research | 1 February – March 15 2026 |
| Consideration of community feedback | April - May 2026 |
| Advocacy to Victorian Government | Ongoing |
Decision-making process
Community and stakeholder consultation to inform Council’s Early Years advocacy will be held for a 6-week period from 1 February to 15 March 2026.
The data collected will inform Council’s strategic direction and advocacy for Early Years infrastructure to the Victorian Government.
More information
If you would like more information, please contact Ros Pruden, Manager Family, Youth and Wellbeing, 9599 4611 or rpruden@bayside.vic.gov.au
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