SA Government to bring in preschool based OSHC to support working parents

The South Australian Government will trial out of hours preschool care in 20 locations across the state in what is being termed “a major win for working parents.”

Dubbed Kindy Care, the trial will start in July following a recommendation from the Royal Commission into Early Childhood Education and Care – headed by former Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

The Commission heard from a wide range of stakeholders, who highlighted the need for government preschools to better meet the changing needs of working families.

Typically Government preschools are run on a sessional model which offers education and care from 9am-3pm. In contrast, most non-government preschools offer long day care, from around 7am-6pm. This makes decisions for working families more difficult due to accessibility.

Kindy Care will help support families who are increasingly needing care for their children outside regular preschool hours of 9am-3pm. The program will allow children to maintain continuity, reduce transitions and engage in out of hours care appropriate to their developmental needs – and will provide valuable feedback to determine a broader rollout.

“We are utterly committed to delivering pre-school services which deliver significant benefits for our kids. But we also want to make preschool better for parents too,” Premier Peter Malinauskas said.

“I know first-hand that the current hours of preschool do not always meet the needs of working parents. We want to provide those working parents with options, making it easier for them to manage busy lives, while ensuring their children have the best start to a high quality education.”

Fees for Kindy Care are expected to largely reflect the fees payable at school based outside school hours care (OSHC) services. Parents may be eligible for financial assistance through the Child Care Subsidy, which can reduce out-of-pocket costs for some parents to as little as $5 per session.

“This is an exciting reform that will lead the nation,” SA Education Minister Blair Boyer said. 

“It builds upon our existing investment into improving government preschool facilities and out of hours care, providing families with greater options and a higher quality of education and care.”

The Kindy Care trial is being undertaken with the support of the Federal Government, with Education Minister Jason Clare providing provisions for families using the trial to access Child Care Subsidy.

A full list of trial sites appears at the end of this piece. 

The trial sites of Kindy Care across South Australia will be located at:

• Renmark North Preschool
• Loxton Preschool Centre
• Millicent North Kindergarten
• Park Terrace Kindergarten
• Salisbury Heights Preschool
• Bridgewater Kindergarten
• Cumberland Preschool Kindergarten
• Fairview Park Kindergarten
• Lantana Kindergarten
• Magill Kindergarten
• Ocean View College Children’s Centre
• Clarence Park Community Kindergarten
• Adams Road Children’s Centre
• Dernancourt Kindergarten
• Gabmididi Manoo Children and Family Centre
• Gawler & District B-12 Children’s Centre
• Gladigau Park Kindergarten
• Seaview Downs Preschool
• Wattle Park Kindergarten
• Glossop Community Preschool