Start Strong preschool fee relief begins from 2023

The New South Wales Government will invest $1.3 billion over four years, starting from next year to make preschool more affordable for NSW families. 

Start Strong preschool fee relief aims to alleviate some of the costs to families by providing a subsidy for early childhood education and care (ECEC), Early Childhood Outcomes Deputy Secretary Gillian White explained. 

“This translates to the families of more than 100,000 children enrolled in preschool programs across NSW receiving benefit from fee-relief funding in 2023,” she added.

Funding will also be provided to Department of Education preschools, who will be supported to deliver the equivalent to five days per fortnight of affordable preschool for all children in department preschools.

“Through our Start Strong program, we will improve the affordability of early childhood education, improve quality, boost outcomes for children and see enrolments and attendance increase in the years before school,” Ms White said.

Key aspects of the Start Strong preschool fee-relief for families of children aged three and four years of age include:

• Children aged three years and above enrolled in Community and Mobile Preschools will benefit from fee-relief funding of up to $4,220 per child.
• Children aged four years and above enrolled in Long Day Care / Centre-based Day Care will benefit from fee-relief funding of up to $2,110 per child.

To access the preschool fee relief, families need to complete a declaration and consent form and provide it to their child’s service.

More information, as well as the form for families can be found here.