Early years - Children 0-8 years

Promoting and supporting councils in their role in planning and provision of early childhood education and care is a key area of work for the MAV.

Current priorities

A Compact between DET, DHHS and local government (represented by the MAV) 2017-2027 – Supporting Children and Families in the Early Years was signed on 28 April 2017.

This Compact strengthens the collaborative relationship between the three partners in planning, development and provision of early years’ services. It demonstrates a shared focus on improving and sustaining outcomes for children and families across all Victorian communities.

Our immediate priorities include:

• Sustainable and ongoing funding for Universal Access to Early Childhood Education and Care Campaigns
• Early years infrastructure planning and funding
• Promoting the importance of early years
• Promoting the role of local government in the planning and provision of early years services and facilities
• Maternal and Child Health 
• Municipal Early Years Plans.

Current projects

Our current projects include:

• MARAMIS
• Early Childhood Agreement for Children in Out of Home Care
• Central Enrolment Project
• Supporting the implementation of the Compact
• Supporting councils with the Child Safe Standards and Reportable Conduct
• Review of the MAV Municipal Early Years Planning Framework
• Supported Playgroups
• Respectful Relationships in the Early Years
• MCH - Child Development Information System.

Submissions and briefs

We develop and form a collective local government sector view on a range of early years’ reviews and issues. These include:

• Consultation on the Lifting Our Game Report (PDF - 2.64MB)
• Submission to the Senate inquiry into the Commonwealth Government's Jobs for Families Child Care Package Bill (Word - 317KB)
• Submission responding to a Victorian Government consultation paper on early childhood education and providing input to a Roadmap to Reform project on the child and family services system (Word - 364KB)

To access all our early years-related submissions, visit the MAV submissions page.

We also prepare briefing papers for our members’ use:

• Members Brief: 15 hours advocacy Campaigns.

Committees and reference groups

We represent local government on a range of high-level advisory and reference groups, including:

• Australian Early Childhood Development Steering Committee
• Australian Early Childhood Development Working Group
• Best Start
• Child and Family Services Strategic Forum
• Compact Board
• Compact Steering Group
• Early Childhood Development Advisory Group (convened by DET)
• Early Years Management Strategic Partnership Group and Early Years Management Strategic Partnership Forum
• Foundation House Reference Group
• Early Childhood Reform
• Out of Home Care Central Implementation Group, Data Working Group and Officers Working Group
• Respectful Relationships Expert Advisory Group
• Transition to School Advisory Group Universal
• Services Advisory Group.

We also convene a number of committees and working groups to help inform our work and build capacity within the sector, including:

• Early Years Strategy Group Central
• Enrolment Working Group.

Engage with us

For more information about our children, youth and families policy work, please email: humanservices@mav.asn.au