This is a five-year plan that supports the supply of the workforce required to deliver both Pre-Prep and the continued scale up of Three-Year-Old Kindergarten between 2024 and 2029. From 2029, Greater Bendigo children can access 15 hours of kindergarten for Three-Year-Olds and 30 hours for Pre-Prep kindergarten.

This plan will explore in partnership with key stakeholders the current and future workforce needs, gaps and opportunities, producing a plan that supplies recommendations or actions.

The City of Greater Bendigo has been funded by the Department of Education to produce this plan. Engagement and consultation will take place with those working in the early years sector to inform the final plan. This plan will incorporate the services delivered directly by the City, as well as at a sector level for the whole Greater Bendigo region.

This workforce plan will:

• Consider the unmet demand for three-year-old and pre-prep kindergarten places.
• Examine the current and future demand for workers in the early years sector.
• Define Councils role in early years workforce planning for:

• Council delivered early years services
• Greater Bendigo’s early years sector
• Identify workforce gaps, challenges and opportunities.
• Better understand trends around retaining and recruiting to the early years sector.
• Summarise learnings from stakeholder consultation in Greater Bendigo.

• Supply a five-year plan that focuses on areas of influence of Council, that of our stakeholders and DE.
  • Make recommendations for Greater Bendigo Early Years sector to DE.

• The City is asking those working in the early years sector to complete a survey to share their experiences and ideas about working in the sector.

• The City also wants to hear from service providers to gather their experiences, knowledge and ideas for the betterment of local early years services.
• Stakeholder engagement and consultation will be crucial to developing a plan in response to local needs, gaps and opportunities.
• Stakeholders include:

• Department of Education
• Community Wellbeing – early years and MCH team
• Shine Bright EYM and Y Ballarat EYM
• Long daycare centre and Kindergarten staff in Greater Bendigo
• Loddon Mallee Preschool Association
• Tafe and University (La Trobe)
• Secondary Schools
• Regional Training Organisations

This project has been funded by the Department of Education and with a final plan produced by June 2024.

A crucial element to the success of all these reforms is having the teachers and educators to continue to deliver high-quality programs.

To respond and adequately plan for these changes, the workforce can provide input and ideas to help ensure recommendations are responsive, appropriate, and achievable based on their identified needs.

We acknowledge that there are currently workforce challenges in the early years sector in relation to recruitment and retention for a range of reasons. Having adequate plans in place that are informed by the existing workforce can help alleviate future pressures and challenges.

This plan will make recommendations to the Department of Education about local gaps, challenges and needs aiming to advocate for improvements to the sector. By having a collective voice, we hope to bring about needed change that supports the workforce and ultimately improves outcomes for local children now and into the future.

If we have a supported and well-resourced workforce the benefits can be seen not only for children and families but the whole community.

Those working in the early years sector can support this work through contributing via completing the online survey, this information will assist in building a large data set of information that will be used to advocate for the sector and its needs.

This input will help the City to clearly articulate to DE what the gaps, needs and opportunities are, and present recommendations to respond and/or plan for expected growth.

As a person or service provider in the sector you hold key knowledge, insight, and expertise crucial to the development of this plan.

The information supplied can help build a plan that aims to support your workforce, recruitment, and retention, as well advocate for improved workplace conditions.

By providing input and supporting the production of this plan, we aim to support young children of Greater Bendigo by having quality educators available to response to the growing demand. We know the benefits of early learning and education on children, and we hope that this plan ultimately results in better health and learning outcomes for them.

Ultimately, we want to support the provision of a quality Early Years workforce with quality education outcomes for children in Greater Bendigo, and to ensure the workforce is adequately supported and valued.