Making kindergartens inclusive for children of all abilities is at the heart of a new round of grants from the Andrews Labor Government, which will upgrade Victorian kindergartens and fund specialist equipment to give every Victorian child the best start in life.

Minister for Early Childhood Ingrid Stitt visited Manor Kindergarten in Werribee today applications are open for the latest round of the Building Blocks: Inclusion Stream grants. These grants will help centres upgrade facilities or purchase equipment to provide safe and inclusive environments for children of all needs and abilities.

Grants of up to $200,000 are available to fund infrastructure upgrades to buildings and playgrounds, while grants of up to $10,000 are on offer for moveable inclusive education equipment.

Thanks to previous grants received from the Labor Government, Manor Kindergarten has already been able to fund the installation of an accessible sandpit, a yarning circle and the purchase of a new laptop.

The Victorian Budget 2022/23 invests $11.9 million to deliver two further rounds of the Building Blocks Inclusion grants – making kindergarten buildings, playgrounds and equipment across Victoria more inclusive and accessible for every child.

In an Australian first, the Labor Government has committed almost $5 billion to deliver 15 hours of funded three-year-old kindergarten programs to children in Victoria by 2029.

As part of this roll-out, the government is upgrading infrastructure through a $1.68 billion co-investment with the early childhood sector to build and expand kindergarten facilities across the state.

To apply for the next round of the Building Blocks Inclusion Grants Stream funding, visit schoolbuildings.vic.gov.au.