Fee Help for Preschool and Kindergarten

State support to make your care more affordable

Choosing the right care for your child is one of the most important decisions you’ll make. We understand that navigating the financial side of care can be complex, especially when it comes to government fee help.

That’s why we’re here to help.

This page provides clear and concise information about State Government subsidies in addition to your Child Care Subsidy (CCS), depending on your eligibility. These programs make kindergarten or preschool more affordable for your family. Our goal is to ensure that you have all the information you need to make informed decisions about your child’s education and care and maximise the time they spend getting the best start to life.

* Important note: This information is correct as of November 2023.

Queensland Kindergarten Fee Help in 2024

The Queensland Government has announced funding to offset the cost of Kindergarten in long day care and will replace the “Kindy Savings” program which runs until the 31^st December 2023.

What is it?

• From 1 Jan 2024 eligible children will receive up to 15 hours of free Kindergarten per week, up to 600 hours of free Kindergarten per year.
• Free Kindergarten is on top of any Child Care Subsidy eligible families may be receiving.

Who can get it?

The Free Kindy funding applies to children:

• Aged at least 4 years of age by 30 June in the year before they attend Primary School
• Attending a government-approved educational program offering free kindy in long day care settings (like Guardian Kindergarten) for at least two days a week.
• Kindergarten programs delivered by a qualified Early Childhood Teacher (like ours!)

How does it work?

Eligible families will have the funding paid directly to the family’s nominated childcare provider as a credit to reduce out-of-pocket-fees (after CCS has been applied).

Families must complete a declaration and consent form to nominate one service from which they would like to receive the subsidy.

See more information

Queensland Kindy Savings in 2023

The Kindy Savings program makes Kindergarten more affordable and more accessible for families in 2023.

What is it?

• For eligible families: The Queensland Government will reduce your out-of-pocket costs (gap fees) for your long day care Kindergarten program by up to $500 per year.

Who can get it?

Eligibility for help with gap fees is for:

• Families who receive the Family Tax Benefit (FTB) A or B.
• Children who are at least four years old by 30 June 2023.

How does it work?

• The fee relief will be passed on to families as a reduction in their gap fee. That is, the amount after CCS has been applied. This means families won’t be out of pocket as they don’t need to claim savings back.

New South Wales Fee Help

What is it?

• The NSW Government provides fee relief to families with children in a preschool program and may save up to $2,110 in their Gap Fees over the calendar year.
• This is in addition to the CCS and is not means-tested.

Who can get it?

• Families with children who are at least four years old by 31 July 2024 and in enrolled in a preschool program an eligible long day care service like us.
• If your child is three years old and not yet four years old on, or before 31 July in 2024 and is enrolled at an eligible long day care service, you will receive up to $500 in fee relief.

How does it work?

The subsidy is a dollar amount and is applied across 46 weeks of the year.   The subsidy will reduce your gap fee by :

• up to $46.00 each week for children who are at least 4 years old on, or before, 31 July 2024
• up to $11.00 each week for children who are 3 years old and not yet 4 years old on, or before 31 July in 2024.

Families must complete a declaration form and nominate one service from which they would like to receive the fee relief.

The fee relief will be passed on to families as a reduction in their gap fees. The reduction in their gap fee will be reflected in the statement that they receive from the Centre. You can ask your Centre for a fee relief declaration form, or you can download a form and provide it to the Centre.

More information See: Start Strong for families

Victoria Kindergarten Subsidy

What is it?

• The Victorian Government offers funding to provide families up to 15 hours of Free Kindergarten a week and is in addition to the Childcare Subsidy.
• The funding offsets the fees for three and four-year-old children that are part of the centre’s long day care Kindergarten program.
• Families will save up to $2,050 a year for eligible children aged thee years old and above in eligible long day cares in 2024. This is in addition to the Child Care Subsidy.

Who can get it?

• All children that are part of the Centre’s approved Kindergarten program are eligible for this subsidy.
• Only one service can receive the funding, so families must nominate the service they want to receive it.
• Three year old children can receive between five and fifteen hours of subsidised care. Most of our services offer a minimum of 7.5 hrs of three year old funded kinder program.

How does it work?

If eligible, the funding is allocated as a credit to reduce families out of pocket fees (after CCS has been applied).

The subsidy is a dollar amount and is applied across 46 weeks of the year.   The subsidy will reduce your gap fee by :

• up to $45.00 each week for children who are at least 4 years old on, or before, 31 July 2024
• for children who are 3 years old and not yet 4 years old on, or before 31 July in 2024 the subsidy is dependent on the kinder program hours.

Families need to complete and sign a declaration form that confirms that our service is their funded Kindergarten program. This form is then submitted to the Department of Education on their behalf, which will allow us to receive the subsidy for their fees.

More information See: Kindergarten Subsidy