VIC Free Kinder Funding

Free Kinder is a Victorian Government initiative that provides free access to two years of high-quality kindergarten programs for all Victorian children. It is being introduced to ensure every child gets the best start for the best life.

Free Kinder will commence in 2023 and available throughout 2023.

Yes, Only About Children is participating in Free Kinder all our 22 campuses in Melbourne.

Learn more about our unique Kindergarten 2-year school readiness program at Only About Children.

For eligible children who attend Only About Children, the Free Kinder payments for 2023 for those that attend 2 days or more (15-hour subsidised program) will attract $2,000 across the school year. Nominating Only About Children as your Kinder provider will mean that your campus receives funding that supports to program resources and will have access to a dedicated Early Childhood Teacher for a minimum of at least 15 hours a week for each child.

• Victorian children who turn 3 years old by 30^th April 2023 are eligible for the 3-year-old Free Kinder.
• Victorian children who turn 4 years old by 30^th April 2023 are eligible for the 4-year-old Free Kinder.
• Only one service can be nominated at a time.
• Only one year each of the 3 year old and 4 year old Kinder funding can be claimed.
• A minimum of 2 days enrolment is required.

Children can only receive Free Kinder funding at one service. If a child attends more than once service, the family must nominate which service they will receive their funded kindergarten program and therefore their Free Kinder funding.

If your child is in Kinder and moves from one service to Only About Children the Free Kinder will move with your child, with the regular payments made to us for the rest of the year (or the duration that your child remains with us).

Free Kinder payments are made by the Victorian Government to Only About Children, not to families. We will directly offset the Free Kinder payment from your weekly fees and you will be able to see the offset amount on your invoice statements. The payment is $41.66 weekly and will commence the first week of February through to the end of December.

To maximise the financial benefit for families, the Free Kinder offset to fees will be applied after CCS has been applied.