Queensland Free Kindy supports a child’s best start to life
A specialist kindergarten program means the best start to life
Kindergarten plays such an important role in a child’s development, laying the foundation for a lifelong love of learning. Kindergarten provides children with an opportunity to develop social, emotional, and cognitive skills in a secure environment.
At Guardian, we have designed learning environments that respond to the needs of children in a changing world. Our Kindergarten program provides an environment of safety and security that enables children to explore and understand their world. It’s also where they start to develop those vital literacy and numeracy skills.
Our leading two-year Kindergarten program:
- Is based on world-leading research and best-practice teaching.
- Has the Qld Government Kindy Tick approvals.
- Delivers on the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) and the National Quality Standard (NQS) for childcare.
- Provides a solid foundation to prepare children as they progress to the Australian School Curriculum.
- Is taught by degree-qualified Educators and Early Childhood Teachers and specialist Educational Leaders who guide the program at each Centre.
- Is embedded in daily experiences to suit family needs and routines.
- Comes with the flexibility of long day care hours.
Free Kindergarten for Queensland Families
Eligible Queensland families can get more time in high-quality kindergarten programs with new funding adding 15 hours a week of FREE kindergarten for eligible families, from 1 January 2024.
The new Queensland kindergarten funding means that eligible families can get 15 hours of free kindergarten per week, up to 600 hours per year. Coupled with the Child Care Subsidy, the new kindergarten funding from the Queensland Government will enable more families to access high-quality early childhood education.
What is it?
The new kindergarten funding will further offset the cost of attending a government-approved program. It includes 15 hours a week of free kindergarten for eligible families. It means that more children, regardless of their family’s financial circumstances, will have the opportunity to benefit from high-quality early education in an approved kindergarten program.
- 15 hours a week of free kindergarten for eligible families.
- The funding will commence on the 1 January 2024 and is on top of any Child Care Subsidy eligible families may be receiving.
- It is based on 15 hours a week (600 hours a year) of kindergarten programming through eligible service providers.
Who can get it?
- Eligible children must be of kindergarten age and must attend a government approved kindergarten program though eligible service providers.
How does it work?
- Eligible families will have the funding paid directly to the family’s nominated childcare provider to reduce out-of-pocket-fees (after CCS has been applied).
- The additional assistance applies to a 15 hour a week kindergarten program (600 hours a year) delivered by a qualified Early Childhood Teacher, including when an eligible child attends kindergarten as part of a long day care service.
What happens to current kindergarten funding?
- Families enrolled in 2023 receive the current Queensland Kindergarten Funding, which is making the cost of making kindergarten cheaper for many families. This funding will cease at the end of 2023.
Find out more about the changes to Queensland Government kindergarten funding in 2024.
The best start to life for Queensland families at Guardian
Our kindergarten programs, coupled with the Queensland Government funding and Child Care Subsidy, Guardian Childcare & Education is making it possible for more families to access high-quality education and care for young children.
We have recently opened our newest Queensland Centres in Moorooka, Greenbank Spring Mountain Drive and Rochedale South, with the brand new Eatons Hill Centre due to open shortly. Each of our incredible Queensland Centres can be found here.
Looking for the right Childcare Centre for your Family?
Submit your details and a member of our Concierge Team will be in touch to discuss what you need and how we can help you experience something more than childcare.
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