Early Start Kindergarten
Early Start Kindergarten gives eligible children 15 hours of free or low-cost kindergarten a week for 2 years before starting school.
To be eligible, your child must be 3 by 30 April in the year they start kindergarten, and:
- be from a refugee or asylum seeker background,
- identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander,
- your family has had contact with child protection,
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families can learn about the benefits of kindergarten, including how services create culturally safe places for Koorie children and families, and how to enrol in free or low-cost kindergarten for three-and four-year-old children through Koorie Kids Shine.
Pre-Prep
Four-Year-Old Kindergarten is becoming Pre-Prep, with programs across Victoria increasing from 15 to 30 hours each week by 2036.
The first children eligible for additional hours are:
- children who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander;
- children from a refugee or asylum seeker background; and
- children who have had contact with Child Protection.
To learn more about Pre-Prep, visit www.vic.gov.au/preprep or view the Department of Education's introduction video here.