Vic Free Kinder initiative proves popular with 98 per cent of eligible providers signed on

Victoria’s Free Kinder initiative, which covers the fees usually paid by parents, is proving popular with funded kindergarten service providers, 98 per cent of whom have signed up to provide services to families under the scheme. 

Almost 100,000 Victorian families will benefit from support in 2021, with the State Government  stepping in to cover the fees usually paid by parents. For those with children in funded three- and four-year sessional kinder in 2021 children are “learning for free”. There is also significant fee relief for unfunded three-year-old sessional kinder.

The Free Kinder initiative is available to families attending stand-alone kindergartens as well as kinder programs in long day care. 

“Free kinder not only saves families thousands of dollars – it gets more kids into kinder, provides important support for early childhood services and the profession, and helps more parents, especially women, into the workforce,” said Victorian Minister for Early Childhood Ingrid Stitt.

“We’re giving families one less thing to worry about and ensure children don’t miss out on accessing a kinder education as Victoria recovers from the impacts of the pandemic.”

More information about Free Kinder is available here.