30 NovEarly Childhood Wellbeing Support Program
The Victorian Department of Education and Training (DET) launched an Early Childhood Wellbeing Support Program in 2021 for VECTEA 2020 signatories (and VECTEA mirror agreements).
DET (VIC) has engaged Benestar Group to deliver the Wellbeing Support Program (Best You by Benestar), which includes mediation and critical incident response services and confidential and free counselling for eligible teachers and educators
Eligibility criteria:
Teachers and educators, including Advisors and Activity Group Leaders that deliver a funded kindergarten program in early childhood services under the Victorian Early Childhood Teachers and Educators Agreement 2020 (VECTEA), are eligible for four free, confidential counselling sessions each year.
Casual Relief Teachers and educators employed by an early childhood service under the VECTEA are eligible if employed directly by the service provider. However, staff employed through an employment agency, external contractors and volunteers, parents and children are not eligible to access the counselling services.
How to access counselling services:
Teachers and educators can meet with clinicians face-to-face, via telephone, video or online LiveChat.
Teachers and educators can book an appointment with a clinician by calling
- Best You by Benestar general line: 1300 360 364
- Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander support line: 1800 816 152
Teachers and educators can also request an appointment online by visiting HERE
Mediation
Mediation support is available for community-based kindergarten services referred by the Department. Mediation support may assist kindergarten services experiencing workplace disputes or conflicts that are impacting on workplace culture and can benefit from additional support to achieve positive outcomes. This can include conflicts amongst the committee of management and staff. Services requiring mediation support are encouraged to contact DET (VIC).
Critical Incident Response
Critical Incident Response support is also available on referral by the Department for services that experience a sudden and serious emergency or trauma within the kindergarten community
Further information – Contact DET:
Members seeking further information about the Wellbeing Support Program services can contact the DET (VIC) Early Learning Operations team at kindergarten.funding@education.vic.gov.au .
