Updated Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework supports best practice

The updated VEYLDF continues to support early childhood professionals to deliver inclusive, high-quality learning for children aged birth to 8 years, with an enhanced focus on child safety.

Two children playing with play dough and smiling

Victoria has updated the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework (VEYLDF). This update will ensure the VEYLDF continues to support early years professionals to deliver inclusive, high-quality learning for children aged from birth to 8 years.

Supporting early years professionals to work together allows them to build stronger teams and share the workload effectively. This helps children, families and professionals access the right supports at the right time.

We have listed some of the key changes in the updated VEYLDF below.

  • Strengthened focus on child safety and wellbeing throughout for all early childhood professionals.
  • Integrated teaching and learning approaches. Previously a Practice Principle within the framework, integrated teaching and learning approaches now sit above the Practice Principles, alongside the Early Years Planning Cycle. The importance of intentional teaching is explained more clearly.
  • Cultural knowledge stories. Additional cultural knowledge stories have been added throughout the framework.
  • New examples to support translation of principles into every-day practice. The document has been redesigned to provide clear examples under each Practice Principle of what professionals will do, see and reflect on if they are aligning their practice to the VEYLDF.
  • Updated outcome descriptors. The outcome descriptors have been updated to align with the Early Years Learning Framework 2.0 and the Victorian Curriculum 2.0.

A phased approach to implementation

All services will receive a hard copy of the updated VEYLDF later in the year.

There will be discussions about the updated VEYLDF in the Term 3 Early Years Learning Networks and through upcoming information sessions (refer to registration details under ‘Find out more’ below).

Guided by Victoria’s Kindergarten Teaching Excellence Approach, additional professional learning and targeted capability building resources will be provided to support teaching teams. The resources will enable teaching teams to deepen their understanding of the revised VEYLDF and update their teaching and learning programs.

From January 2028, Victorian kindergartens will be required to align their educational programs with the updated VEYLDF.

Next steps

We encourage you and your teams to:

  • familiarise yourself with the updated framework
  • share the updated framework across your networks and teams
  • begin conversations on how the updates can support practice within your setting or organisation.

Find out more

To learn more about the updated VEYLDF, please register for upcoming information sessions:

The updated framework is now available on the VEYLDF webpage.

Updated