Qld’s free kindy program: Your questions answered

The Queensland Government’s highly-spruiked $1bn free kindy program starts this year. Here’s everything you need to know.

The Queensland Government’s highly-spruiked $1bn free kindy program starts this year. Here’s everything you need to know.

When does free kindy officially start?

It’s a simple question (with a relatively simple answer) but one that has been raising the most questions with parents. The government’s free kindy program announced last year officially started on January 1. Children are eligible for free kindy if they are aged four by June 30 in the year before they start Prep.

Great! But my child is doing kindy at a longstay daycare. Is that now free? Woohoo!

No - sorry! The government’s free kindy program covers 15 hours a week, for 40 weeks of the year. Another way you may have heard it explained, is 600 hours of free kindy a year. So if your child is in care longer than that, you’ll still have to cough up some cash.

You will still pay fees outside these hours, with your usual Australian Government funded child care subsidy. Most longcare providers will have kindy over two days, 7.5 hours per day, or over three days at 5 hours per day. The hours your child attends, before and after, or additional days, will be subjected to normal fees. On the weeks outside the 40 weeks of the kindy program, you will be expected to pay your regular fees.

Well that’s better than nothing. But hang on, it’s the middle of January and my bill still looks the same. Didn’t this start on January 1?

Technically, yes. But free kindy is only applied for 40 weeks of the year (the same length as the school year) Generally, most providers coincide their program with the start of the school year, although that may not always be the case. This year that date is January 22. But each kindergarten program provider determines their own date. Families should speak with their service about when their child’s kindy program commences. The reduction in kindy fees should be applied from the commencement of the kindy program.

The government’s free kindy program covers 15 hours a week, for 40 weeks of the year. Picture: iStock

That’s great! But what do I do if I still don’t seem to be receiving free kindy?

Definitely speak with your service provided in the first instance, but you can contact the Department of Education’s kindy funding team on email: [e-mail] if you continue to experience problems.

My child is in kindy this year, but I know sometimes kids do a second year of kindy because they’re not quite ready for school. Can I get free kindy for a second year if that is the case?

Yes! Free kindy is available to children aged four by 30 June in the year before they start Prep. A child can receive a second year of free kindergarten if the parents/caregivers, the kindergarten and the school determine it is in best educational interests of the child to have a second year of kindergarten.

I’ve heard that providers are only eligible for free kindy if they have a certified teacher. What if my centre cannot find a qualified kindy teacher (or they leave during the year)- will I lose my free kindy?

Probably not – your service can speak to the department about continuing free kindy. Where a service or centre does not have a qualified kindy teacher, they should reach out to the Department of Education to discuss eligibility for exceptional circumstances. This arrangement will allow services to continue to claim free kindy if the educators delivering the kindergarten program satisfy certain conditions.

This all sounds good, but I still don’t know where to find a kindy service to send my child?

The department has just launched a new tool developed to assist families to locate their nearest free kindy service. Search online for ‘Free Kindy Queensland’ or go to www.qld.gov.au/FreeKindy More than 2,100 free kindergarten program providers are already operating across Queensland and this number continues to grow.

I’m all signed up but nervous about sending my little one on the first day. Any tips?

Kindy is such an important milestone, but all changes take time. The department has some fun and helpful activities designed to help prepare kids at www.qld.gov.au/transitiontokindy.