Minister for Families and Children, Jenny Mikakos, is working to improve the protection of children and teenagers from exploitation by sexual predators. Ms Mikakos led a roundtable discussion today that included Victoria Police, child protection workers, community sector leaders, Centre for Sexual Assault and academics…

Minister for Families and Children, Jenny Mikakos, today joined Member for Footscray, Marsha Thomson and City of Maribyrnong Mayor Nam Quach to open the Braybrook Community Hub. The new $12.55 million complex includes an early years centre that offers kindergarten and occasional care, consulting rooms..

Communities across Victoria can now apply for grants to build a new Men’s Shed, following the release of $750,000 in funding by the Andrews Labor Government. Minister for Families and Children, Jenny Mikakos, today announced the release of the funds at a visit to the..

New smoking bans will commence in three weeks’ time. The bans have been brought forward by the Andrews Labor Government to protect more Victorians from secondhand smoke. Minister for Families and Children, Jenny Mikakos, and local MP Sharon Knight visited the Girrabanya Centre for Children..

New smoking bans will commence in three weeks’ time, brought forward by the Andrews Labor Government to protect more Victorians from secondhand smoke. The bans, established under the Tobacco Amendment Act 2014, were due to come into effect on 30 June 2015 but will instead commence..

Communities across Victoria can now apply for grants to build a new Men’s Shed, following the release of $750,000 in funding by the Andrews Labor Government. Minister for Families and Children, Jenny Mikakos, today announced the release of the funds at a visit to the..

Minister for Families and Children, Jenny Mikakos today launched a campaign to get more Aboriginal children to start three and four-year-old kindergarten this year. Aboriginal children are under-represented in Victorian preschools with 79.6 per cent participating in four-year-old kindergarten compared to 96.4 per cent of..

Minister for Families and Children, Jenny Mikakos, today launched National Playgroup Week at the Melbourne Museum with a $50,000 investment to support new community playgroups. The funding will enable new playgroups across Victoria to apply for seed funding so they can get established and buy..

The Andrews Labor Government is investing $43 million to move children out of residential care and into home-based care. Minister for Families and Children, Jenny Mikakos made the announcement today at Berry Street, a child and family welfare organisation. Children enter out-of-home care when they..

Minister for Families and Children, Jenny Mikakos, today joined local MP Bronwyn Halfpenny and City of Whittlesea Mayor Ricky Kirkham to open the Galada Community Centre in the heart of Epping’s Aurora Estate. The new $7.1 million centre includes three kindergarten rooms and a maternal..

Minister for Families and Children, Jenny Mikakos, today joined local MP Ros Spence and Hume City Council Mayor Adem Atmaca to open the Newbury Child and Community Centre in Craigieburn. The new $6.91 million centre will provide kindergarten, long day care, playgroups, maternal and child..

Early Education Ministers from key states have come together, calling on Tony Abbott to commit to funding 15 hours of kindergarten. Meeting at the Education Council, state and territory Ministers said Australian children should receive 15 hours of quality, affordable kindergarten per week in the..

Young Victorians who want to stand up, speak out and be heard at the highest levels of government should apply now for the 2015 Youth Parliament program, Minister for Youth Affairs, Jenny Mikakos, announced today. Youth Parliament, run each year by the YMCA, is one..

The Andrews Labor Government is funding vital research into an early intervention program that works with some of our most vulnerable children. Minister for Families & Children, Jenny Mikakos, today announced that the Labor Government would provide $250,000 over three years for two research projects..

Almost 100 community organisations, local councils and schools across Victoria have been awarded grants to hold events and activities during National Youth Week 2015. With the theme this year of ‘It Starts With Us’, National Youth Week is a celebration of young people. More than..