NSW Government's new & additional funding for preschool children at long daycare

Beginning 1 January 2023, the NSW Government will provide up to $2,000 per year in additional funding as fee relief for 4 and 5-year-olds attending preschool in a long daycare setting.

Moreover, the NSW Government will trial funding of $64.1 million over two years from 2023 to support long daycare services to enable more 3 year old children to participate in a preschool program

This NSW Government announcement was made in advance of the NSW Budget (on 21 June 2022) and the NSW State Election (in just over 9 months’ time on 25 March 2023).

These two new funding is also understood to be in addition to the Start Strong funding that is anticipated to increase from typically $469 to $1,345.54 per child per year in long daycare settings from FY2022/2023. (NOTE: NSW's preschool children were not given the national average of the Commonwealth's Universal Access since 2014 till 2022).

ACA NSW welcomes this announcement as it also understands that the "free preschool" funding and funding for 3 year at community/mobile preschools will end on 31 December 2022 and be replaced with a fairer funding arrangement with the NSW Government (as community/mobile preschools are not eligible to receive the Federal Government's Child Care Subsidies).

ACA NSW appreciates the NSW Government for this fairer and agnostic approach to all preschool children so as to access 600 hours per year of preschool education.

For any further information/clarification, please contact the ACA NSW team via 1300 556 330 or nsw@childcarealliance.org.au.

PUBLISHED: 15 JUNE 2022