Free Kinder for 2023

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The Best Start, Best Life reform will help all Victorian children dream even bigger through increased access to quality early childhood education and care. A critical part of the reform is Free Kindergarten, which will support access to two years of high-quality kindergarten programs for all Victorian children. All families with a child enrolled in a funded kindergarten program in 2023 are eligible for Free Kindergarten, this includes both 3 and 4-year-old kindergarten programs.

Free Kindergarten supports families to access a funded kindergarten program by:

·         providing a free 15-hour program to four-year-old children enrolled at a sessional service

·         providing a free 5-to-15-hour program to three-year-old children enrolled at a sessional service (subject to the length of funded program offered)

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Rutherglen Kinder has opted in to the Government Free Kinder program for 2023.

Families can only nominate one free Kinder program per year.

If Rutherglen Kindergarten is nominated by the family then there are no term fees payable for 2023 for both 3 and 4 year olds.

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There is a non refundable $20 Expression of Interest Fee payable on application (to cover administration costs). 

The fee is waivered for children:

• Children at risk of abuse or neglect, including children in Out-of-Home Care.

• Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children

• Asylum seeker and refugee children

• Children eligible for the Kindergarten Fee Subsidy

• 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.

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Please Refer to our Expression of Interest Form or contact the Kinder for further details.

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