To help with cleaning and hygiene costs in Term 2, the Victorian Government is supporting kindergarten services with new funding grants available for all early childhood services delivering a funded kindergarten program to boost their cleaning and hygiene during this pandemic.
$2.6 million in grants, was announced by Minister for Education James Merlino.
$900 grants will be provided for kindergarten services with less than 50 enrolments and $1,500 for those with 50 or more enrolments.
These grants will help with the costs of high standards of cleaning and hygiene, consistent with the Australian Health Principal Practitioners Committee guidance.
Services will have flexibility in how to use this funding as long as it is spent on meeting cleaning and hygiene requirements for their kindergarten program which includes paying for additional hours of cleaning and buying hygiene products, such as hand sanitiser and soap.
Early childhood education and care services continuing to operate, in line with advice from the Victorian Chief Health Officer and Australian Health Protection Principal Committee including – enhanced personal hygiene for children, staff and parents, cleaning and disinfecting high-touch surface at least daily and regularly washing toys and equipment
“Cleaning grants are another step in supporting kinders during this time – after guaranteeing 100 per cent of their funding and providing additional funding to make sessional kinder free.”
“Early childhood staff are doing an outstanding job with their children and families, and these grants help kinder services ensure high standards of cleaning and hygiene.” As noted by the Minister for Education James Merlino.
Reference:
Free Cleaning Grants For Kinders, The Hon James Merlino, Media release, 17 May 2020
