Kindergarten For All

Cheaper kindy for families in 2023

The Queensland Government is introducing new funding from January 2023 which will mean cheaper kindy for many families.

Whether your child attends kindy in a sessional kindergarten or in a long day care it may be free, or cheaper, if you are eligible for Kindy Plus or you receive Family Tax Benefit (FTB).

Kindy plus or fee-free kindy

If you answer yes to any of the following questions, you may be eligible for Kindy plus or fee-free kindy. Do you:

hold a current Australian Government Health Care Card (HCC)?
hold a current Australian Government Pensioner Concession Card (automatic HCC entitlements)?
hold a Department of Veterans’ Affairs Gold Card or White Card?
have formal communication, such as a letter, from the relevant agency stating the intent to issue a Health Care Card?
have evidence of formal foster or kinship care arrangements
have three or more children of the same age enrolled in the same year?
have a child who is identified as living in a formal child protection out-of-home care arrangement?
identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander?
hold a temporary visa and in the process of seeking asylum, or are you a family and child who have entered Australia under the Australian Government’s Refugee and Humanitarian Program?

In addition, if you attend a sessional kindy and experience temporary financial hardship you may be eligible for the Kindy plus subsidy.

Next steps if you’re eligible for Kindy plus

Talk to your kindy provider (sessional kindergarten or kindy in a long day care) to confirm your eligibility.

If you haven’t selected a kindy provider, visit the Starting Blocks website .

Next steps if you are not eligible for Kindy plus

If you answered no to any of the above, you still may be eligible for cheaper kindy if you receive Family Tax Benefit or attend a sessional kindergarten.

Family Tax Benefit or FTB

If you receive FTB, there are reduced fees regardless if you attend a sessional or long day care kindergarten.

If you answer yes to any of the following questions, kindy is cheaper in 2023 for your kindy-aged child. Do you receive:

Australian Government Family Tax Benefit A?
Australian Government Family Tax Benefit B?

Different saving amounts apply if you are eligible for FTB, for example, you will receive:

up to $3,500 per year if your child is enrolled in a sessional kindergarten
$500 per year if your child attends kindy in a long day care. The difference is less than in a sessional kindy because you also receive Child Care Subsidy (CCS) from the Australian Government.

Next steps if you’re eligible for FTB

Talk to your kindy provider (sessional kindergarten or kindy in a long day care) to confirm your eligibility and your final out-of-pocket costs.

Read the below frequently asked questions about cheaper kindy and kindy savings in 2023.

Cheaper kindy

Will my family benefit from the changes from 1 January 2023?

Many families will see real savings, and for some families, kindy will be free.

Families can determine if they are eligible for kindy savings or fee free kindy by meeting the Kindy plus criteria or if they receive Family Tax Benefit. Contact your kindy provider to confirm eligibility and out-of-pocket costs or read more about Family Tax Benefit .

What is FTB and why is it used?

Family Tax Benefit (FTB) is a trusted, well-known and equitable mechanism and measurement tool used by the Australian Government to help low-to-middle income families.

It is means tested and helps ensure government subsidies are provided to families who need them most to help with the cost of raising a child.

Alignment to the Australian Government’s FTB ensures the Queensland Government is helping families on low- to middle-incomes with the cost of raising children and sending them to kindergarten.

Families eligible for FTB will receive a subsidy of up to $3,500 a year if enrolled in a sessional kindergarten and $500 a year for kindy in a long day care. Families may also access the Australian Government’s Child Care Subsidy (CCS), to reduce their kindy fees. Read more about Family Tax Benefit.

Will families receive the kindy savings directly?

No. The kindy savings, or subsidies, are provided directly to your service provider who must pass the savings on to families through reduced fees.

What do I need to do to receive the kindy savings?

Families should confirm their eligibility to receive kindy savings with their kindergarten program provider. Head to the Kindy savings webpage to find out about cheaper or fee free kindy.

What is the difference between sessional and kindy in long day care?

Sessional kindergartens run during school terms and school hours for 40 weeks a year. They provide kindergarten without extended hours of care.

Long day care services providing kindergarten usually operate at least 10 hours a day, Monday to Friday, for at least 48 weeks a year. They provide a kindergarten program and extended hours of care.

Learn more about the different types of kindergarten

Kindy savings

What does the Kindy savings webpage do?

The Kindy savings webpage helps determine if you’re eligible for a Queensland Government subsidy to make kindy cheaper from 2023.

Do I receive the kindy savings directly?

No. The kindy savings or subsidies are provided directly to your kindergarten program provider to pass on through your reduced fees. Confirm your kindy savings eligibility with your kindergarten program provider.

Does the Kindy savings webpage tell me how much kindy will cost?

The Kindy savings webpage shows you the overall annual kindy savings or subsidies you are eligible for. Your kindergarten program provider will apply your savings to your fees and tell you what kindy will cost.

Do I have to show proof I'm eligible for a kindy subsidy or fee free kindy?

You are encouraged to take your result from the Kindy savings webpage to your chosen kindergarten program provider. You may need evidence or documentation on enrolment to enable the provider to confirm your eligibility and apply your savings. For example, you may have to show your Health Care Card if that is a subsidy you are claiming.

How do I know what my out-of-pocket costs will be?

Each kindy is different and sets their fees individually. You will need to check what daily fees are set by your provider and what your Child Care Subsidy entitlement is if attending a long day care service. The Kindy savings webpage tells you what your annual fee reduction is from the Queensland Government. For some families kindy may be free from 2023. Talk directly with your kindergarten program provider to determine your out-of-pocket costs.

Why are there different savings for attending a sessional kindy or kindy in a long day care?

The Kindy savings webpage provides different results for sessional kindy or long day care. This is because families accessing kindy through a long day care service can access the Child Care Subsidy from the Australian Government, which already reduces their out-of-pocket costs.

Will the kindy savings affect my Child Care Subsidy (CCS)?

The Queensland Government is helping families to reduce their kindy fees. The new subsidies are in addition to any Australian Government or CCS entitlements, making kindy even cheaper. Talk directly with your kindergarten program provider to determine your final out-of-pocket costs.

I haven’t selected a provider or enrolled my child yet. Will this change my results?

No, your results won’t change unless your circumstances change, for example, if you decide to go to a sessional kindy instead of a kindy in a long day care. Head to the Starting Block website to find your nearest kindergarten program provider. All government approved kindergarten program providers will apply the kindy savings.

Does the new Queensland Government subsidy help pay for additional child care?

The new Queensland Government kindy subsidies help to reduce the cost of the 15-hours-per-week kindy program. A kindy program is delivered by qualified early childhood teachers through an approved program. This is 600 hours per year or 40 weeks per year. Additional hours at child care may attract other fees.

If my child moves kindergartens, am I still eligible for the kindy savings?

Unless your eligibility changes, if you move from one sessional kindergarten to another, or from one long day care service to another, your kindy subsidies will follow you. If you move from one setting to another e.g sessional kindy to long day care, subsidies amounts will change as different subsidies apply to each service type. Check the kindy savings webpage for more information about eligibility.

Will my kindy savings be applied to any kindy?

Different subsidies are available for kindy through long day care and sessional kindergarten. Your savings will depend on what setting you use. Subsidies are provided directly to your kindergarten program provider to pass on through your reduced fees. Kindy subsidies are provided to one kindergarten program provider per eligible family.

If you have any questions about the new Government Kindy savings programme, please call our office on 07 5527 1679 or use our contact form.

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