Minister for Children Sherryl Garbutt yesterday announced the grant, which will help fund the centre as part of the Wendouree West Renewal Project.

The centre will be built at the Grevillea Park Primary School in Hazel Rd and will include a kindergarten, playgroups, occasional care, maternal and child health services, a three-year-old special needs group and a toy library.

The Uniting Care Ballarat Parish Mission is driving the project, with construction expected to begin in six months.

Uniting Care Ballarat executive director Cliff Barclay said the centre would be a one-stop-shop for family services.

"We're very excited, we've got a lot to do yet to secure the rest of the funding but we're working hard on it and we're reasonably confident."

Mr Barclay said $150,000 had been allocated towards the project through the state's Community Support Fund and a further $200,000 was expected to be granted soon.

"We haven't got the rest yet but we've managed to procure a fair chunk of it, we're probably a couple of hundreds thousand dollars away."

Mr Barclay said a 2002 study showed 72 per cent of preps in Wendouree West did not attend kinder, compared to the Grampians region average of 11.5 per cent.

Ms Garbutt said the funding announcement was part of a $16 million, three-year program to establish up to 60 children's centres across Victoria.

"The Bracks Government is making Victoria a great place to live and raise a family.

"We are investing heavily in children's services across the state because we know how important it is to communities - especially young families."