Priority of Access (PoA) helps service providers determine which children are offered a funded kindergarten place first when there are more applications than places. This applies to all funded kindergarten programs in sessional and long day care services including places allocated through a Central Registration and Enrolment Scheme (CRES).
There are no changes for 2026 enrolments. View the 2026 Priority of Access criteria.
These updates aim to support:
- children who will benefit most from improved access and participation
- the rollout of 4-Year-Old Kinder (Pre-Prep).
All funded kindergarten services must promote fair and equitable access to kindergarten programs and have a PoA policy in place.
What’s new in 2027
The Priority of Access criteria have been updated for 2027. All of the existing eligibility criteria are still in place.
The revised approach introduces 2 tiers:
- Tier 1: children who will benefit the most from improved access and participation in a kindergarten program.
- Tier 2: for children currently attending the service, applied after all Tier 1 children are placed.
Changes for 2027 include:
- clarifying that services must apply PoA criteria whether a child lives within or outside the local government area (LGA) where the service is located
- clarifying referral pathways for families experiencing family violence
- replacing the Kindergarten Fee Subsidy category with 2 new categories:
- children and families with concession cards
- children from multiple births (triplets or more).
- expanded eligibility for children, parents and carers with additional needs
- a new category for children accessing an additional year of 3- or 4-Year-Old Kinder
- a new Tier 2 category for children who are continuing at the same service for 4-Year-Old Kinder.
If you need help with the PoA criteria, contact your local Early Childhood Improvement Branch (ECIB).
When services must use Priority of Access
Services must use the PoA criteria when there are more eligible children than available kindergarten places. This means services must:
- offer places based on the PoA criteria
- work with other local kindergarten services and the local ECIB to help all eligible children access a kindergarten place.
PoA must be applied before any locally agreed criteria. Long day care services must apply the PoA criteria to all funded kindergarten places.
PoA applies to all children, whether they live inside or outside the local government area (LGA) where a service is located.
If your service is offering more hours of 4-Year-Old Kinder, once you apply the PoA criteria you must then prioritise children who live in the LGA. Children from outside the LGA whose nearest service is within it, must be prioritised before other children from outside the LGA.
These criteria apply to all 2027 enrolments.
If you need help, guidance is available from your local ECIB.
Priority of Access criteria
Below are PoA eligibility and evidence requirements for 2027 enrolments.
| High priority children | Criteria and processes for verifying need(s) |
|---|---|
| Tier 1 | |
| Children at risk of abuse or neglect, including children in out-of-home care |
|
| Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children | As part of the enrolment process, service providers must respectfully ask families ‘Do you identify your child as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander?’ and record this information in Arrival. |
| Asylum seeker and refugee children |
|
| Children and/or families holding concession cards | A child or parent holds a Commonwealth Health Care Card, Pensioner Concession Card, Veterans’ Affairs Card. |
| Children from families with multiple births | Multiple birth children (i.e. triplets or more). |
| Children and/or families with additional needs who require additional assistance to fully participate in the kindergarten program | Child and family with additional needs who meet one of the following. Child:
Parent or carer:
|
| Children accessing an additional year of 3- and 4-Year-Old Kinder | Children assessed with delays in two or more areas and are identified as eligible for an additional year of funded 3-Year-Old Kinder or 4-Year-Old Kinder. |
| Tier 2 | |
| Children currently attending the service | Children attending the service in the 3-Year-Old Kinder program and seeking to access 4-Year-Old Kinder at the same service for continuity of learning. Priority should be given to these children to remain at the same service for their 4-Year-Old Kinder. |
Services in rollout LGAs offering more hours of 4-Year-Old Kinder
The department’s PoA criteria apply to all enrolments for 2027.
Children that meet priority cohort criteria also meet the Tier 1 PoA criteria. These children must be given priority over children who do not meet the Tier 1 criteria.
For services located in rollout LGAs offering more hours of 4-Year-Old Kinder:
- apply Tier 1 and Tier 2 PoA criteria first
- then give priority to children who live in the LGA, and to those who live outside the LGA but whose nearest service is located within it, ahead of other children from outside the LGA.
Locally agreed criteria
Service providers and CRES can apply locally agreed criteria after applying PoA and, if relevant, the criteria above for services in rollout LGAs offering more hours of 4-Year-Old Kinder.
Examples include:
- how close a family lives to the service
- whether they have a connection to the service.
These criteria must be documented and shared with families.
Kindergarten places must be allocated in line with anti-discrimination and human rights laws.
Getting ready for 2027 enrolments
Services should start planning for how the new PoA will apply in 2027. This includes:
- considering how your program model will support children who meet PoA criteria
- preparing to answer questions from families about who is eligible and what has changed.
The PoA Implementation Guide supports services to apply the new PoA criteria.
If you need help with the PoA criteria and support with local planning, contact your local Early Childhood Improvement Branch (ECIB).
Advice and information for families
Resources are available to help families understand the PoA policy and whether they may be eligible. This includes the new PoA website for families.
Families, parents and carers who have questions about Priority of Access or need support with enrolment should contact your kindergarten service directly.
Priority of Access information for families
Learn how PoA applies to your child’s kindergarten registration and enrolment.
Priority of Access implementation guidance
Apply the new PoA criteria for 3- and 4-Year-Old Kinder from 2027
Priority of Access for early childhood education
This criteria must be used by service providers when prioritising enrolments from 2026.
Updated