Sarah Oliver
A program encouraging families from refugee and asylum seeking backgrounds into early years services. has been recognised at the Victorian Early Years Awards.
Known as the Melton Early Years Refugee Community of Practice, the program, which is a partnership between Foundation House and Melton council with support from the Victorian Inclusion Agency, ran for 18 months.
Melton mayor Goran Kesic said the council is humbled by the award.
“The project was about getting more families from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds to participate in early years services such as playgroup and kindergarten,” Cr Kesic said.
“Early years services play an important role in children’s early development, and are a great way to connect and support a diverse range of local families.”
Foundation House provided training to early years providers who worked to help make families feel “welcome, included and supported”.
The group used strategies ranging from connecting parents to English classes, making forms clearer, and supporting families with the transition from playgroup to kindergarten.
Melton helped to guide the providers to carry out their improvement plans, which included nine early years services across the area.
“By working together and sharing information, the providers learned how to better engage and support refugee families,” Cr Kesic said.
“We’d like to thank the State government for recognising this project through the Victorian Early Years Awards.”
