Department of Education and Early Childhood Development

Full description

The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) was created on 14 August 2007 under section 10 of the Public Administration Act 2004 (Victorian Government Gazette, S 189). The new department assumed responsibility for functions of the former Department of Education (VA 4830) and a number of functions from the Office of Children, Department of Human Services (VA 3970). This change followed a cabinet reshuffle after the resignation of then Premier Bracks and the appointment of John Brumby as Premier (Victorian Government Gazette, S 181 and 184). The changes were announced on 2 August by Premier Brumby.

Responsibility for Acts was transferred to the new department from the Department of Education and the Department of Human Services under Administrative Arrangements Order No 196 (Victorian Government Gazette, S 189, 14 August 2007). Further transfers of responsibility occurred under Administrative Arrangements Order No 197 (Victorian Government Gazette, S 201, 28 August 2007).

The Department reported to the Minister for Education and the Minister for Children and Early Childhood Development. Its primary functions were the provision of primary and secondary education through Government schools, the planning and management of Government Education programs, the regulation of non-Government schools and registration of new schools, and regulation of standards relating to teachers.

The new department was also assigned responsibility for the Children's Services Act 1996 and Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005 (except for part 6), previously administered by the Department of Human Services (VA 3970).

A new Office for Children and Early Childhood Development was created within the Department. This office focused on the health, development and well being of children and early childhood development. It coordinated policy and programs in relation to school-community partnerships, early childhood (including stronger integration across schools such as pre-schools), and parent-school partnerships and commitment to parents.

The new Department comprised five divisions: Office for Children and Early Childhood Development; Office for Planning, Strategy and Coordination; Office for Policy, Research and Innovation; Office for Resources and Infrastructure; Office for Government School Education. The DEECD had seven authorities under its two portfolios: Merit Protection Boards; Disciplinary Appeals Boards; Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority; Victorian Institute of Training; Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority; Victorian Children's Council; Children's Services Coordination Board.

DEECD had four metropolitan and five regional offices comprising: Eastern Metropolitan; Northern Metropolitan; Southern Metropolitan; Western Metropolitan; Barwon-South Western; Grampians; Gippsland; Hume Region; Loddon Mallee.

On the 1 July 2008 the proclamation of commencement of the Education and Training Reform Amendment Act of 2008 was published in the Victorian Government Gazette S 186. This Act amended the Education and Training Reform Act 2006, providing for amendments to the constitution of the Boards of both the Centre for Adult Education and the Adult Multicultural Education Services.

In September 2008 the Department launched the Blueprint for Education and Early Childhood Development which was a five year reform agenda which focussed on three reform areas: system improvement; partnerships with parents and communities; workforce reform. In November 2008 the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) signed a new National Education Agreement and National Partnership.

In January 2009 a new Regional Operations Model was brought into effect which integrated the administrative management of education and early childhood services in Victoria's regions.

The DEECD organisational chart as at 30 June 2009 comprised five central offices and nine regional offices. The organisational structure of the department had formerly comprised administrative divisions as well as metropolitan and regional offices. The central offices comprised of the following former administrative divisions: Office for Government School Education; Office for Children and Portfolio Coordination Office for Policy, Research and Innovation; Office for Resources and Infrastructure. The nine regional offices comprised the former metropolitan and regional offices: Eastern Metropolitan; Northern Metropolitan; Southern Metropolitan; Western Metropolitan; Barwon-South Western; Grampians; Gippsland; Hume Region; Loddon Mallee.

The Department responded to the Victorian bushfires of 7 February 2009 working with the Department of Human Services, the Department of Planning and Community Development and the Victorian Bushfire reconstruction and Recovery Authority. DEECD set up their Bushfire Reconstruction Taskforce and School Community Reference teams to continue the consultations and planning the longer-term assistance to bushfire affected communities.

In 2009 DEECD worked with the Commonwealth's Building the Education Revolution economic stimulus package for schools which was combined with the Department's Victorian School's Plan which was a ten year funding initiative to transform all Victorian Schools by 2016.

During the 2009-10 financial year DEECD pursued policy reform through COAG and national partnerships with both the Smarter Schools National Partnerships Bilateral Agreement and Implementation Plan, and the National Partnership on Youth Attainment and Transitions Bilateral Agreement and Implementation Plan. DEECD also continued with the reform agenda in their Blueprint for Education and Early Childhood Development as well as the Commonwealth's Building the Education Revolution program.

Following the 27 November 2010 state election under the new Liberal Baillieu ministry, the Department reported to the following ministers: Minister for Higher Education and Skills and Minister responsible for the Teaching Profession; Minister for Education; Minister for Children and Early Childhood Development.

On 8 December 2010, under the Administrative Arrangements Order No. 209, Skills Victoria and the responsibility for the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 was transferred from the Department of Innovation, Industry and Regional Development to the DEECD (published in Victorian Government Gazette S194, 22 February 2011). The Adult Community and Further Education unit was transferred from the Department of Planning and Community Development to Skills Victoria.

In 2011 the organisational structure of the Department then comprised five central offices and nine regional offices. The Department had nine statutory authorities including the two administered under Skills Victoria: Adult, Community and Further Education Board; Children's Services Coordination Board; Disciplinary Appeals Boards; Merit Protection Boards; Victorian Children's Council; Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority; Victorian Institute of Teaching; Victorian Registration and Qualification Authority; Victorian Skills Commission.

On 1 January 2015 DEECD was renamed the Department of Education and Training (DET) (VA 5035) by Order of the Governor-in-Council under section 10 of the Public Administration Act 2004 (Victorian Government Gazette, S 432, 4 Dec 2014). The name change was part of machinery-of-government changes made by the newly elected Labor Government under the leadership of Premier the Hon Daniel Andrews MP.