Help in your language

We can help if English is not your main language.

We can give advice in other languages to help you with your child's education.

Interpreting and translation services for parents and carers

The department provides funding for interpreting and translation services to support children and young people:

• who are enrolled in government schools, funded kindergarten services or other eligible support services delivered or funded by the department, and
• whose parents are from a language background other than English and require communication to be undertaken in their first language.

This department funding does not cover costs for interpreting and translation services for full fee paying overseas students. These costs must be met by the school.

Schools must offer interpreting and translation services to parents and carers who have limited or no English language skills to communicate key information about their child’s education, such as:

• parent-teacher interviews
• other one-to-one meetings.

Wherever possible, schools should also offer interpreting and translation services for other school communications such as:

• consent forms
• newsletters
• letters to parents or carers.

While a parent/carer can initiate an interpreting service by contacting the school, funded kindergarten service, all bookings must be made by the school or the funded service.

Please see Interpreting and Translation Services for further details.

Phone us using an interpreter

You can contact the department's main switchboard using an interpreter.

1. Call the National Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National) on 131 450
2. Ask them to call (03) 9637 2000
3. They will stay on the phone call and interpret.

Newly arrived learners

Newly arrived learners can access an intensive English program. They can also get special supports to help them in the early stages of learning English.

Speak to your school for more information, or see newly arrived learners information for teachers.

Speak to your child in the language you know best

Speak to your child in the language you know best.

This helps to build your child’s cultural identity and sense of belonging.

Speaking 2 or more languages helps children become better thinkers and communicators. It can also help them learn English faster.

If you speak another language at home, it's good to keep doing this. This is because it will help your child:

• meet people with the same culture
• build their identity through connections to their culture
• learn English.

Learn more about speaking in the language you know best.

Translated resources

Early childhood

• Information about kindergarten in your language - Learn more about kindergarten in Victoria in 30 languages
• Supporting CALD families to engage in kindergarten - Resources for services and providers to communicate with cultural and linguistically diverse (CALD) families about kindergarten and its benefits. Including in-language videos
• Kindergarten for culturally and linguistically diverse children - Resource and videos about kindergarten three community languages
• Transition to primary school resources for families - templates and guides about transition to school available in 30 community languages.
• Enrolling in Foundation (Prep) - Information for parents and carers on when and how to enrol their child in a Victorian government primary school.

Schools

• Tips for school transition - starting school, or moving from primary school to secondary school, and for students starting their final years of secondary school, and those students transitioning from English Language Schools to mainstream school.
• Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund translated information flyers are available for communicating availability to parents.
• Engaging parents in drug education are a range of resources designed to support schools and teachers to enhance partnerships with parents.
• Student Support Services provide a translated Privacy information and consent form for parents.
• Schools' Privacy Policy has been translated into a broad range of languages to explain to parents how schools collect and manage personal and health information.
• School Council Election materials have been translated to assist whole school community engagement.
• Tech schools - information flyers.