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Priority of access for early childhood education

This criteria must be used by service providers when prioritising enrolments.

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The Priority of Access (PoA) criteria support kindergarten services to prioritise children for enrolment when there are more applications than places available. Updates to the PoA will be in effect for 2027 enrolments, but there will be no changes for 2026.

Service providers must notify all families of the priority of access policy that applies when they enrol their child.

Priority of Access for 2026

In instances where more eligible children apply for a place at a kindergarten service than there are places available, services must:

  • prioritise children based on the criteria listed below
  • work with other local kindergarten services and the local Early Childhood Improvement Branch (ECIB) to ensure all eligible children have access to a kindergarten place.

This criteria must be used by service providers when prioritising enrolments. Funding guidance is available from the local ECIB if required.

Below are PoA eligibility and evidence requirements for 2026 enrolments.

High priority children

Process that could be used to verify need(s)

Children at risk of abuse or neglect, including children in Out-of-Home Care
  • The child is eligible for Early Start Kindergarten or Access to Early Learning, and/or
  • The family, carer or legal guardian identifies the child as known to Child Protection or in out-of-home care, and/or
  • The child is referred by one of the following:
    • Child Protection
    • Child and family services (family services referral and support team, Child FIRST/integrated family services/Services Connect case worker)
    • Maternal and Child Health nurse, or
    • Out-of-Home Care provider.
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander childrenAs 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
  • The child, a parent, a carer or a legal guardian holds, has previously held, or is applying for, a refugee or asylum seeker visa (see list of visas in the Kindergarten Funding Guide), and/or
  • The child, a parent, a carer or a legal guardian holds a current or expired ImmiCard, and/or
  • Children, parents, carers or legal guardians who previously held a refugee or asylum seeker visa and now hold Australian Citizenship or permanent residency.
Children eligible for the Kindergarten Fee Subsidy
  • A child or parent holds a Commonwealth Health Care Card, Pensioner Concession Card, Veteran’s Affairs Card, or
  • multiple birth children triplets or quadruplets.

Children with additional needs, defined as children who:

  • require additional assistance in order to fully participate in the kindergarten program
  • require a combination of services which are individually planned
  • have an identified specific disability or developmental delay.

The child:

  • is assessed as having delays in two or more areas and is declared eligible for a second funded year of Four-year-old Kindergarten
  • holds a Child Disability Health Care Card
  • has previously been approved for Kindergarten Inclusion Support program, or referred by:
    • the National Disability Insurance Scheme
    • Early Childhood Intervention Service
    • Preschool Field Officer, or
    • Maternal and Child Health nurse.

Services in Pre-Prep rollout LGAs

The department’s PoA criteria apply to all enrolments for 2026, including Pre-Prep.

Children that meet the Pre-Prep priority cohort criteria also meet the department’s PoA criteria. These children must be given priority over children who do not meet the criteria.

For services located in Pre-Prep rollout LGAs:

  • apply the department’s 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 for children not identified as high priority

Service providers may apply one or more locally agreed criteria to prioritise children and determine the order in which offers are made, such as residential proximity or a demonstrable link to the service.

This criteria must be documented and communicated with families and kindergarten places should be allocated in accordance with anti-discrimination and human rights laws.

Priority of Access for 2027

The new PoA criteria will apply to all funded kindergarten services in Victoria for 2027 enrolments.

View the revised Priority of Access for 2027.

Further advice and support

If you have any questions in relation to the PoA criteria, please contact your local Early Childhood Improvement Branch (ECIB).

Early childhood education and care

Updated

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