Between March and May 2019 we asked for community feedback on draft policy recommendations for Council’s new Children’s Services Policy. Thank you to everyone who took time to respond.

No decisions have been made about the policy. There are no plans to close any children’s services operating in Port Phillip or remove funding from children’s services. Councillors are considering community feedback and options and have been visiting children’s services in Port Phillip to get a better understanding of how different services operate and help them make decisions about Council’s role. They are expected to decide on a final policy on 4 September 2019.

What you told us - key community engagement findings:

  • Natural environments and universal access are the two most important policy areas
  • Strong support for community-run centres
  • Strong support for small centres and opposition to introducing a minimum number of places at council supported assets
  • Strong support for not-for-profit services (either council-run or community-run)
  • Low support for transitioning existing childcare assets to operate as kindergartens
  • Low support for changes to the childcare waitlist
  • Low support for centralised kindergarten enrolment

You can read the full community engagement report here.

What did Councillors say about the community’s response?

At the 29 May Council Meeting, Councillors received the engagement report and heard submissions. They thanked the community for their responses and acknowledged the new policy is one of the most important and complex pieces of work they will tackle as a Council. You can watch a recording of this Council meeting online.

What’s next?

  • Community engagement responses and policy options will be considered
  • On 4 September 2019, Councillors will make a decision on the final policy
  • After September, the community will be informed about the new policy and how it will be implemented