2 year trial will help families to access 3 year old kindergarten in LDC settings

The New South Wales Government has kicked off a program which will deliver fee relief for families of three-year-olds who are attending long day care settings. 

The two-year trial will see an additional 64,000 families with three-year-old children in eligible preschool programs in long day care centres receive $500 in fee relief, which came into effect on 1 January 2024.

From 1 January, all NSW families could be eligible for:

• up to $500 per year in fee relief for three-year-olds attending eligible preschool programs in long day care on top of their CCS payment.
• up to $2110 per year in fee relief for children aged four years old and above attending eligible preschool programs in long day care on top of their CCS payment.
• up to $4220 per year for three to five-year-olds attending eligible community and mobile preschools.
• five days a fortnight of affordable preschool fee relief for all children in NSW Department of Education preschools.

Families with children aged four or up who are enrolled in a preschool program at an eligible long day care centre will continue to have access to fee relief.

These cash savings are in addition to the Australian Government Childcare Subsidy (CCS) payments, which most families in long day care are eligible to receive.

Families need to complete a declaration form at their service to access the fee relief. Services will then pass on the savings as a weekly reduction in fees.

For more information please visit the NSW Department of Education website.