Families in Melbourne's growth corridors and Victoria's child protection and foster care systems are the major beneficiaries of a record $268 million funding boost for children and child welfare services.

Minister for Children Sherryl Garbutt said the Budget delivered a massive boost over five years to support vulnerable families as well as better early childhood services for Melbourne's growing outer suburbs.

'There are enormous challenges within the child welfare and foster care systems and we are determined to meet them.

'The Government's child welfare initiatives focus on three areas—better child abuse investigations, more early intervention services for families and greater stability for children in foster care.

'Additional investigative resources include $14.7 million over four years to recruit an extra 40 child protection workers—on top of 60 workers announced last year.

'Also, $7.2 million will fund a new statewide community intake service.

'With existing resources this will employ 46 workers across the state to ensure new cases get prompt attention.'

Ms Garbutt said vulnerable families would benefit from an extra $35.3 million to fund the complete roll out of Family Support Innovation Projects across Victoria—early intervention programs to give struggling families the support they need to prevent child abuse.

'Victoria's falling rates of child abuse back research that clearly shows getting services to families under pressure earlier can prevent abuse and neglect.'

Ms Garbutt said children in state care would have greater stability around where and how they are cared for as a result of $27.5 million for initiatives over four years including an extra 30 child development workers.

Other initiatives to support children in care included:

•          $22.4 million to provide mandatory training for volunteers who look after children in care and staff in residential care facilities and support for foster carers caring for children with complex behaviours;

•          $20 million to set up a new service to assist children leaving out-of-home care make the transition to adult life and to assess the health and development of children entering care.

Ms Garbutt said $9.8 million over four years had been set aside to address the disturbing issue of sexually-abusive children.

'The funds will be used to identify, treat, care and support young people aged 10 to 14, who sexually abuse other children.'

Ms Garbutt said a further $14.1 million over four years had been allocated to reduce the overrepresentation of Aboriginal children in the child protection system.

Funding would be used to:

•          Improve child case management and planning in Aboriginal organisations;

•          Expand Aboriginal family service programs;

•          Improve access to services for Aboriginal mothers.

Ms Garbutt said Melbourne's growing outer suburban councils would receive $25 million over four years under a program called Growing Communities, Thriving Children.

This will deliver community-based childcare and kindergarten services and maternal child health services as well as services for children with a disability.

Funding includes $500,000 for 100 extra planning grants for new outside-of-school hours care services to take advantage of the Federal Government's removal of the cap on funded places.

Ms Garbutt said the Budget also delivered $17.4 million over four years for statewide improvements to children services including:

•          $4.2 million for an extra 200 places for children with a disability or developmental delay;

•          $12.5 million to deliver kindergarten fee relief for parents;

•          $668,000 to extend children service regulations to outside of school hours care and family day care.