If you’ve started looking into kindergarten for your three- or four-year-old, you’ve probably seen ‘Free Kinder’ mentioned everywhere from government websites to your enrolment paperwork.
It’s a genuinely valuable subsidy that brings down the cost of quality early education for Victorian families. Let’s take a look at how it works so you know what you’re entitled to.
Quick summary:
- Free Kinder is a Victorian Government initiative offering a fee saving for children in funded Three and Four-Year-Old Kindergarten programs.
- In long day care programs like Child’s Play ELC, Free Kinder is a fee offset of up to $2,101 per child (not a guarantee of zero fees).
- Every Victorian child can access it, no matter their visa status, and you don’t need to be eligible for Child Care Subsidy to get it.
What is Free Kinder in Victoria?
Free Kinder is a Victorian Government initiative making quality early education more accessible to every family. It applies to funded three- and four-year-old kindergarten programs.
You don’t need a Health Care Card, Pension Card, Australian citizenship, or Child Care Subsidy eligibility. If your child is the right age and enrolled at a participating service, they’re in.
How many hours per week are funded by Free Kinder?
For long day care kindergarten programs, funded hours vary depending on your child’s age.
Three-year-old kindergarten currently offers funding between 5 and 15 hours a week.
Four-year-old kindergarten offers funding for the full 15 hours.
At Child’s Play ELC, where three- and four-year-old kindergartens both run for 15 hours a week, Free Kinder funding currently covers all 15 hours.
How much can you save with Free Kinder?
At a long day care centre, where kinder is part of a full day of education and care, Free Kinder comes as a fee offset:
- Three-year-old children save between $700 (5 hours) and $2,101 (15 hours) per child, per year
- Four-year-old children save up to $2,101 per child, per year
Since kindergarten at Child’s Play ELC runs for 15 hours per week, both three- and four-year-old children save the full $2,101 per child, per year.
This offset is applied directly to your fees, usually credited weekly, and shown on your invoice.
One thing to keep in mind: you can only receive Free Kinder with one service at a time, so it’s not something you can claim twice if your child is enrolled elsewhere too.
Does Free Kinder stack with CCS?
Yes. Free Kinder and the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) work alongside each other.
If you’re eligible for CCS, that’s applied to your fees first, and the Free Kinder offset is applied on top.
This means many families pay considerably less than the standard daily rate for their child’s kinder days.
Is my child eligible for Free Kinder?
Free Kinder is for everyone, regardless of income, visa status, or other government support.
Families from an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander background, a refugee or asylum seeker background, or with current Child Protection involvement may also access extra funded hours through Early Start Kindergarten (3-year-old kinder) or the Pre-Prep Priority Cohort (4-year-old kinder).
The benefits of long day care kindergarten at Child’s Play ELC
Sessional kinder and long day care kinder follow the same government curriculum and are led by a qualified early childhood teacher, but the experience for your family looks quite different.
Sessional kinder only operates during the hours of the kindergarten program. It runs in line with school terms, for set sessions a few days a week. It can work well if you have flexible work or family support to cover the rest of the week and the school holidays.
Long day care kinder, like ours at Child’s Play ELC, offers the same kindergarten program, plus hours of extra care.
And there are some wonderful benefits that come with the extra time at Child’s Play.
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- More time with a qualified teacher: Five days a week means up to 37.5 hours of contact time, well beyond the 15 funded hours at sessional kinder. More time for learning!
- No school holiday scramble: We’re open 52 weeks of the year, so there’s no need to organise separate holiday care.
- One drop off, one pick up: Your child gets their education and care in one place, on hours that suit your work day.
- Lasting friendships: Children can stay with the same group and educators for years, building real relationships rather than starting fresh each year.
- Nothing to pack: Nutritious meals are provided, so there’s no lunchbox to think about every morning.
- Five amazing incursion programs: Yoga, gardening, dancing, cooking, and sports classes that your child will love!
Learn more about our kindergarten program at Child’s Play ELC.
FAQs about Free Kinder
Is kindergarten really free in Victoria?
Kinder is only free if your child attends a sessional kindergarten program within the funded number of hours. At long day care centres, Free Kinder is a fee offset of up to $2,101 per child.
Do I need to be eligible for Child Care Subsidy to get Free Kinder?
No. Free Kinder is available to every Victorian child regardless of Child Care Subsidy eligibility, visa status, or income.
Can I access Free Kinder at more than one service?
No, Free Kinder can only be claimed at one kinder service at a time. You’ll need to confirm with your service which one you’re claiming it at.
Is long day care kinder the same program as sessional kinder?
Yes. Both follow the same Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework and are led by a qualified early childhood teacher. The difference is that long day care kinder also provides care beyond the regular kindergarten program.
Affordable, high-quality kindergarten at Child’s Play ELC
Free Kinder makes quality early education more affordable for every Victorian family. At Child’s Play, that saving comes with long day care benefits like more time with a qualified teacher, no holiday care to organise, and a rewarding curriculum that grows with your child.
Book a tour at your nearest centre and let’s chat about what kindergarten at Child’s Play could look like for your child.
