Free kinder in 2021 to benefit families

Local families are set to save money with free kinder for 2021.

The State Government announced free kinder in addition to outside school hours care to help women get back into work.

“This is a smart investment,” Early Childhood Minister Ingrid Stitt said. “Not only will free kinder save families thousands of dollars – it’ll get more kids into kinder, back early childhood services and workers, and help support more parents, especially women, into the workforce.”

Premier Daniel Andrews said the upcoming state budget would deliver up to $169.6 million to make kinder free next year, saving families around $2000 for every child enrolled in a participating funded kindergarten program.

Under this investment, subsidies will be offered to early childhood services providing funded kindergarten programs – meaning free kinder for four-year-olds and eligible threeyear-olds attending a participating sessional kinder.

Families with children enrolled in kinder programs at a long day care centre will also benefit from a saving of around $2000 in fees.

And for those families that have kids attending unfunded three-year-old programs in sessional kindergartens, there also will be reduced fees.

This investment builds on the State Government’s commitment to deliver kinder for every three-year-old, reaching every part of the state by 2022.

To further help parents return to work or increase their hours, the government will invest $81.6 million to increase the availability of before and after school care.

“More schools will be able to establish before and after school care programs for students, giving parents greater flexibility when it comes to work, study, training or finding new opportunities,” Minister for Education James Merlino said.

Grants of up to $75,000 will be made available to start new outside school hours care programs at up to 400 government schools – so that any school that currently doesn’t have a program can apply to receive a grant.

Mr Andrews said the investments were dedicated to make the daily juggle of work, school and kinder just that little bit easier.

“Women have been hardest hit by this pandemic. Real recovery means making sure they’re supported back into work – and the security and stability that affords,” he said.