Victoria releases details of Free Kindy program including LDC participation and funding rates

The Department of Education in Victoria has released details on key aspects of its early childhood education and care (ECEC) reform program which will support access to two years of free high-quality kindergarten programs for all Victorian children starting 2023.

The Free Kinder program will fund a free 15 hour program delivered to four-year-old children enrolled at a sessional service and a free 5 to 15 hour program delivered to three-year-old children enrolled at a sessional service (subject to the length of funded program offered).

Funding will also be provided to long day care services who must offset the cost of the funded three and four year old children kindergarten program component of parent fees with the funds received. 

All ECEC providers that deliver a funded kindergarten program in Victoria are eligible to receive Free Kinder funding from 2023, subject to meeting specified terms and conditions with all children enrolled in a funded kindergarten program at a participating service eligible for Free Kinder from 2023.

Children attending multiple services

If a child attends more than one service that offers a funded kindergarten program (e.g. a sessional service for some days and a long day care service on other days), the family must nominate which service they will receive their funded kindergarten program and therefore their Free Kinder funding.

Funding will be provided directly to participating service providers, not to families and will be made via the Kindergarten Information Management System (KIMS) as regular payments.

Payment amounts

Free Kinder payments for 2023 for a 15-hour program are as follows:

• Integrated long day care programs (i.e. where enrolled children also attract Commonwealth Childcare Subsidy (CCS) payments) will attract $2,000 per child enrolled
• Sessional (standalone) services will receive $2,500 per child enrolled

Free Kinder payments for 2023 for less than 15-hour programs will receive pro-rata amounts depending on the duration of the programs. 

Free Kinder funding is an additional payment to services to cover the parent fee component and will be paid on top of other kindergarten funding streams (excluding Kindergarten Fee Subsidy (KFS), KFS Ratio Supplement and Early Start Kindergarten (ESK)).

For more information on this matter please visit the Department of Education Victoria’s comprehensive set of Guidelines on its website.