Free Kinder is available in Three- and Four-Year-Old Kinder programs at participating services across Victoria. This includes both long day care and standalone (which is also called sessional) kinder services.
Savings for families
Free Kinder means a saving of up to $2,500 per child each year.
Families with children enrolled in a participating standalone kinder receive a free program.
Families with children enrolled in a participating long day care get a fee offset of up to $2,000 per child. If your child is enrolled in a Three-Year-Old Kinder program of less than 15 hours you will receive a pro-rata fee offset amount.
Free Kinder eligibility
Free Kinder is for everyone.
Families do not need to have a Health Care Card or Pension Card, Australian citizenship, or proof of address to be eligible to access. You also do not need to be eligible for Australian Government Child Care Subsidy (CCS) to receive Free Kinder.
You can only receive Free Kinder at one kinder service at a time. Your kinder service will ask you to sign a letter, naming the service where you will receive Free Kinder. If your child attends more than one kinder service, you should let each service know where you want to access Free Kinder.
How to access Free Kinder funding
Kinder services offering Free Kinder receive funding directly from the Victorian Government. This means families don’t have to claim the savings back, instead your fees will be reduced.
In a sessional kinder your program is free.
In a long day care the $2,000 Free Kinder offset will be applied to your fees regularly across the year (e.g. weekly or fortnightly). You should be able to see the amount clearly stated on your invoice as ‘Victorian Government Free Kinder offset’.
If you are eligible for the Commonwealth Childcare Subsidy it will be applied first. That means you will only need to pay the remaining amount after CCS and after the Free Kinder offset.
Families using long day care kinder programs will be able to see the savings from Free Kinder each billing cycle with ‘Victorian Government Free Kinder offset’ clearly labelled on invoices.
How the fee offset is applied to your out-of-pocket fees
The Free Kinder offset will be applied to your fees regularly across the year (e.g. weekly or fortnightly). You should be able to see the amount clearly stated on your invoice as ‘Victorian Government Free Kinder offset’.
For information on how the offset will be applied to your fees and how this is shown on your invoice, please talk directly to your kinder service. If your child accesses more than 15 hours per week, these additional hours are not covered by the offset.
If you are eligible for the Commonwealth Childcare Subsidy it will be applied first. That means you will only need to pay the remaining amount after CCS and after the Free Kinder offset.
Example:
- A 4-year-old child goes to a long day care with a kinder program for 3 days a week.
- The service charges $360 for the 3 days (including kinder hours and additional care hours).
- The family gets CCS of $252.
- The service applies the $2,000 Free Kinder offset weekly over 40 weeks ($50 per week).
- The family pays $58 after CCS and Free Kinder offset.
Please note. This is an example only and costs will vary depending on individual circumstances.
Updated