Welcome to Parkville Institute

Parkville Institute is an innovative research and practice institute established as a not-for-profit organisation in 2021.

Parkville Institute’s purpose is to improve the life trajectories of young children living with significant social disadvantage and family stress.

We will do this by:

Partnering with providers to replicate the Early Years Education Program (EYEP), an intensive, high quality early childhood education and care (ECEC) program that achieved remarkable learning and developmental outcomes for children in its trial phase¹.

EYEP was initiated by Kids First, previously the Children’s Protection Society (CPS), an independent not-for-profit child and family services organisation based in the north-east of Melbourne which was founded in 1896. The program was designed and implemented by CPS in collaboration with Associate Professor Brigid Jordan and Dr Anne Kennedy.

Associate Professor Brigid Jordan AM and Dr Anne Kennedy established Parkville Institute as a research and practice institute in 2021 and now serve as the Executive Director and the Interim Board Chair, respectively.
Partnering with Cullunghutti Child and Family Services, NSW, SNAICC – National Voice for our Children and Social Ventures Australia to co-develop, trial and evaluate an evidence-informed intensive ECEC program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.
Undertaking robust, balanced research that advances evidence informed policy and practice in the early childhood education and care sector.
Growing the leadership and pedagogical capability of the early childhood workforce.

Tseng YP et.al. (2022) Changing the Life Trajectories of Australia’s Most Vulnerable Children - Report No. 5: 36 months in the Early Years Education Program: Assessment of the impact on children and their primary caregivers, Melbourne Institute, University of Melbourne.