Queensland Kindergarten Funding

[brisbane]

I'm after a little clarification regarding the Queensland Kindergarten Funding and how it can be utilised by child care centres

I have worked for a childcare centre as the Kindergarten Teacher for the last 2 years. Over this time we have received many grants and funding from the Queensland Government under the Queensland Kindergarten Funding.

This funding has been used by the centre manager to buy resources for the centre including the Nursery and Toddlers rooms. The manager has purchased a myriad of items for the infants, including furniture, toys, equipment, resources, plants etc. Unfortunately, I have also seen funds being wasted on unnecessary items or items the manager wanted, rather than the educators.

I have been speaking with other Kindergarten Teachers who have told me that the funding guidelines state that the money MUST be spent on resources etc only for the children utilising the Kindergarten program. The Kindergarten aged children never access the nursery and toddler rooms unless they visit with younger siblings.

If this is correct, what can I do? Does anyone have a contact at Education Queensland or point me in the direction of someone I can talk to so I am able to clarify where this funding is to be used?

Thanking everyone in advance

[Lorina]

I don't know much about it myself as I'm from Sydney however I've been doing some research for you. As far as I'm aware and from what I read the Queensland Kindergarten Funding is to be used to assist the centre in running a kindergarten program, reduce the cost of fees for parents with children in kindergarten and to maintain early childhood teachers within the centre. It doesn't mention anywhere about using funding to buy resources for other age groups, mostly about assisting in the cost of the delivery of an approved kindergarten program.

When a centre receives this funding they need to keep up to date records on how the funding is being used, so if the managers of your centre are using this to buy resources for other age groups I'm not sure how this will reflect in the records they keep.

If you need to clarify this information it's best to contact Office Early Childhood Education and Care on 1800 4 54639 OR ecec@dete.qld.gov.au

I'm also attaching some further information about the Queensland Kindergarten Funding to assist your enquiries.

[attachment=0]funding-scheme-guidelines.pdf[/attachment]
I really hope that the funding being used at your centre goes towards the correct purpose,

,
L.A

[fchaudari76]

Call the Kindy Hotline and ask, if they cannot help they should point you in the right direction.

Are you asking about the grants that some Kindys got which was about $2000? that is different to the kindy funding

The Queensland Kindergarten Funding Scheme can help offset the cost of implementing and operating an approved kindergarten program.

[lynneylou]

I was teaching the approved Queensland Kindergarten program in my centre and the funding money is specifically for the kindergarten room. Your Director should not be using it to buy resources for other rooms - as the Kindergarten teacher you are more than welcome to share resources with other rooms (that is totally your choice) however, they are to be returned and stay in your room. It should also not be up to your Director/Mangers to choose what resources they think are needed, you need to be sitting down with them and decide together. As other people have replied, I too suggest that you contact the appropriate departments as they will steer you in the right direction and give you the information that you can then pass on to your Director.

Good Luck!

[fchaudari76]

Resources that are shared across rooms can be bought with KF money, but they have to be available to the KG program children, however predominately the money is to be spent for the actual room and things for the KG program