Free kindy

The Queensland Government is making historic changes to the way kindergarten is funded. Kindy will be free from 1 January 2024 for Queensland families.

Kindy will be free for eligible-aged children who attend a government-approved program offering free kindy from 1 January 2024.

Kindy is a government-approved kindergarten program delivered 15 hours a week or 600 hours a year by a qualified early childhood teacher.

All kindergartens will have the opportunity to offer free kindy. The department will work with the early childhood sector to ensure all eligible kindy-aged children receive access to kindy for free for 15 hours a week or 600 hours a year.

All kindergartens will have the opportunity to offer free kindy. The kindergarten program is for 15 hours a week or 600 hours a year delivered by a qualified early childhood teacher.

Free kindy is part of the kindy funding reform package and will begin from 1 January 2024.

Families enrolled in 2023 receive the current Queensland Kindergarten Funding, which is making the cost of kindy free or cheaper for many families.

In 2023, 14,000 children receive free kindy. With the introduction of free kindy in 2024, more than 50,000 additional children will have access to free kindy.

We know a quality kindergarten program offers lifelong benefits.

Free access to kindergarten means every child has equal access and opportunity for a strong start. This significant funding injection means we are setting them up for a strong future.

This investment recognises and values the importance of the early years.

All kindergartens will have the opportunity to offer free kindy. More information will be provided to services about this process.

No. The free component is for the kindy program hours only. The kindergarten program is for the 15 hour a week or 600 hours a year government-approved free kindy program.

Different long day care centres will have different approaches to delivering the kindy program. You will need to speak to your local kindy program provider.

The department will work with the sector to develop localised solutions and place-based responses to meet children's and family's educational needs.

Services will have the opportunity to offer free kindy. As part of the 2024 terms and conditions of their service agreement, services will be required to pass on the savings to families.

The department also has a robust assurance process to ensure that all families can access the benefit of free kindy.

Kindergarten services will have even more access to resources that support the inclusion of all Queensland children in a kindergarten program.

Early childhood teachers and educators will have the right supports to create a positive quality early learning program for each and every child in Queensland.

Kindergarten services are able to utilise their Inclusion-ready funding to support children to feel welcome and included at kindy.

Services receiving Kindy uplift can access funding to help deliver programs, resources, supports and professional development to build educator capability. This helps strengthens the cultural responsiveness and improve children's learning and development.

Cultural inclusion resources are available from the Welcome and Safe at Kindy website. The department supported Multicultural Australia to develop these resources.

The department supports kindergarten services to welcome children and families from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds with a range of translated resources available.

Sessional kindergartens can also access interpreter and translations services through the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) National Service. For any questions regarding this support service, central governing bodies can contact the department via qualityearlylearning@qed.qld.gov.au.

A family and child who have entered Australia under the Australian Government's Refugee and Humanitarian Program or are in the process of seeking asylum and hold a temporary visa will be eligible for free kindy. Read the eligible visa holders (appendix 5).

Kindy will be free for all eligible-age children. However, under the Public Health Act 2005, approved early childhood education and care services can refuse the enrolment or attendance of children who are not up-to-date with their scheduled vaccinations as per the National Immunisation Program.

This legislation does not make immunisation mandatory and does not force an early childhood education and care service to refuse enrolment or attendance of children whose immunisation status is not up-to-date.

The course of action is at the discretion of the early childhood education and care service.