The NSW State Government has recently put into place a fee relief program to help with pre-school fees. It is targeted specifically for preschool education and is called the Start Strong Program and is part of the NSW Government’s $1.3 billion Affordable Preschool program from the start of 2024.
This new initiative aims at delivering more affordable preschool to eligible children to drive up preschool education involvement in the two years leading up to primary school. It will also provide fee relief for children aged 4-5 years old in long day care services for the first time. This will be in addition to the Australian Government’s Child Care Subsidy (CCS).
From January 2024, all NSW families will be eligible for:
- up to $4,220 per year in fee relief for three, four and five-year-olds attending a community or mobile preschool
- up to $2,110 per year in fee relief for four and five-year-olds attending preschool in a long day care setting on top of their Child Care Subsidy payment
- Fee relief will continue into 2024. Families may save up to $2,110 a year for eligible children aged 4 and above and up to $500 a year for children aged 3 in eligible long day cares in 2024.
This is in addition to Australian Government Child Care Subsidy payments, which most families in long day care services are eligible to receiv
How does the Start Strong fee relief program affect Long Day Care services?
For Caring 4 Kids Kindergarten, fee relief for some families will be over $2,000 per year, integrated into Start Strong and provide long day care services with sustainable long-term funding to deliver more affordable preschool to eligible children.
Start Strong for long day care funding is provided for children in the year or two before school and supports enrolment of at least 600 hours per child, per year. Evidence shows that this level of participation in a quality early childhood education program in the two years before school is associated with better outcomes for children.
Who is Eligible for Start Strong, Preschool Fees Relief at Caring 4 Kids Kindergarten?
To be eligible for the Start Strong Affordable Preschool fee relief program, a child will need to be at least 4 years old on or before 31 July 2024, be enrolled in an eligible early childhood education program for at least 600 hours per year, and not be receiving the fee relief for another service.
All NSW families are eligible regardless of Citizenship or residency status. The Start Strong funding is additional to and will not affect families’ Child Care Subsidy (CCS) payments.
How do you access the preschool fee relief for 2024?
If you are wondering how to claim the Start Strong Affordable Preschool fee relief, contact the team at Caring 4 Kids Kindergarten and we’ll send you the start strong free preschool fee relief 2024 declaration form. Families are required to complete a declaration form to nominate the specific long day-care centre they would like to receive fee relief from. A child can only receive fee relief from one nominated childcare centre, at any one time.
Download Preschool Fee Relief in Long Day Care PDF:
For futher information please download the PDF below: