South Australia to establish new integrated hubs for children most in need

South Australia will open three new integrated child and family hubs, giving families easier access to early education, health and wellbeing services in one location.

The hubs will be established at Melaleuca Park Kindergarten in Mount Gambier, Para Vista Preschool and Aldinga Beach Children’s Centre, providing additional support for children who need it most to improve learning and development outcomes. 

Each hub will deliver a Preschool Plus program offering up to 30 hours a week for three and four-year-old children, alongside wraparound health, wellbeing and education services.

The South Australian Government will invest $13.1 million in infrastructure upgrades across the three sites, creating 160 Preschool Plus places in regional and metropolitan communities.

The new hubs form part of the Government’s broader commitment to establish 20 integrated hubs across the state by 2032, as part of its $1.9 billion early childhood reform agenda.

The integrated hub model is designed to reduce barriers for families by bringing early learning and other supports together.

In the lead-up to opening, the Office for Early Childhood Development will work with nominated sites, local service providers and communities to design services that meet local needs.

This place-based approach reflects growing recognition that children and families benefit when education, health, wellbeing and family support services are coordinated and accessible.

The three new sites will join South Australia’s growing network of integrated hubs.

Three Department for Education children’s centre sites at Hackham West, Lake Windemere B-6 School and The Parks are being upgraded to launch as integrated hubs in 2027, while the state’s first integrated hubs opened at Elizabeth Vale Goodstart Early Learning Centre and Port Pirie West Children’s Centre late last year.

For early childhood education and care services, the model signals a continued shift toward more connected early years systems, with stronger links between education, allied health, family support and community services.

The hubs may create new opportunities for collaboration between early childhood educators, teachers, allied health professionals and family support services.

They may also support earlier identification of developmental needs, clearer referral pathways and more inclusive support for children and families experiencing vulnerability.

For services and providers, the announcement reinforces the growing role of ECEC in broader child development, prevention and early intervention policy.

Read the South Australian Government announcement here.